![Planet Earth - The Complete BBC Series [HD DVD]](http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/11UFAyLAjJL.jpg)
Entries from March 1, 2008 - April 1, 2008
Burke Sisco
Post a Comment
PrintGrab the low-hanging fruit of solar
There were no less than six different manufacturers of solar hot water systems at this year's Green Prints Green Building Conference in Atlanta. Here are some fun facts to know and tell about hot water:
- In one year, your water heater may cost more to operate than your heater or AC
- In one year, most family's water heaters use more energy than their family car
- Installing a solar hot water heater is like increasing your gas mileage by 65% or more
- A solar water heater gives you "tax prepaid income." Example: In the 35% tax bracket, saving $520.00 on your hot water is the same as earning $800.00
- Solar hot water has dropped 27% - 45% since 1984 before tax credits
Solar hot water systems are the easiest entry into renewable energy offering the quickest payback. After a return on investment in as little as two years the homeowner may enjoy free hot water for years to come. This is significant when you consider that hot water usage accounts for, on average, 30% of your monthly home utility bills. And with energy costs guaranteed to rise over the coming years it appears to be a no-brainer.
But America is still lukewarm on solar hot water.
So, as any ecohome guy would do, I asked myself: "Self, why aren't more people adopting solar hot water?" I think it boils down to the fact that there are still a lot of misconceptions about the technology. Many people automatically think photovoltaics when they hear solar. Photovoltaics is high-tech, high-cost stuff where sunlight is converted directly into electrical current. It's hard enough to grasp the miracle of electrical current alone, much less converting sunlight into a usable current. And if you've ever priced photovoltaic systems, they simply haven't made economic sense, although this is going to change in the next few years with thin film technology.
Then I read about this guy in China who constructed a home-made solar hot water system out of beer bottles. Ma Yanjun wanted his momma to shower comfortably. So he built this solar hot water system with 66 beer bottles and mounted it to the roof. The beer bottles are connected to each other with thin plastic tubing. Sunlight heats water as it passes slowly through the bottles before it flows into the bathroom as hot water. Here's what it looks like:
Ma Yanjun's brilliant-but-simple solution illustrates how solar hot water heaters work. They're actually pretty low tech which translates into low maintenance. Water or a heat-transferring medium like food-grade glycol is heated on the roof and transferred to your standard hot water tank. The solar-heated water supplements the gas or electric system, easing the amount of btu's or kwh's required to heat the water. On some days you get 100% of the energy from the sun. On cloudy days, the gas or electricity is there to make up the difference. Bottom line, you save on energy costs.
This is why the Chinese are installing these systems like there's no tomorrow. They've installed tens of millions in the last couple of years. Of course, most, if not all, aren't DIY projects like Ma Yanjun's. They are low cost roof-mounted appliances that have dropped in price because of wide adoption.
So why should they have all the fun in the sun? Grab the low-hanging fruit of solar this year. Install a solar hot water system and decrease your energy costs while increasing your home value.
1 Reference
GreenPlus Home Warranty
A home warranty can be the difference that closes the deal for sellers. There are lots of home warranty programs out there, but Home Warranty of America has just announced the availability of the first-ever Green Home Warranty Option in the Nation, potentially giving sellers an edge in this competitive market.
This new option provides replacement of the appliances and systems shown below with ENERGY STAR rated products, if the unit cannot be repaired.
- Dishwasher
- Refrigerator
- Clothes Washer
- Heating System [with 90% efficiency]
- Water Heater [with a tankless water heater]
- Oven Range, Cook Top
"This is an incredible breakthrough in the home warranty business. It means that many of the thousands of replacements we handle each year for our customers with these appliances and systems will upgrade to much more energy efficient units, helping to save money for our customers. It will also reduce energy consumption and positively impact the environment through less greenhouse gases" said David Sobel, V.P. of Sales for Home Warranty of America.
"We know from ENERGY STAR that if just one in 10 homes used ENERGY STAR qualified appliances, the change would be like planting 1.7 million acres of trees. We believe Real Estate Professionals and Home Buyers and Sellers want this and so do we. It can only be a win-win for all of us" said Marc Roth, President & CEO of Home Warranty of America.
HVAC can account for up to 45% of a home's energy costs. ENERGY STAR HVAC equipment can save up to 20% on heating and cooling costs [www.energystar.gov].
U.S. Political Spectrum: Red, Blue, or Purple = Green
Back on MLK Day I mused that "when all the colors will bleed into one" that perhaps that new hue would be green. That certainly seems to be the case where the presidential candidacy is concerned. Whether the political color is Red, Blue or Purple, it appears that Green is the new Red, White and Blue. Each of the three remaining presidential hopefuls have been stumping energy, environmental and green building policies as drivers of economic stimulus and other issues if they are elected.
Consider a few sound bites from the candidates:
Barack Obama:We're going to have to invest in infrastructure … in science and technology. We have to look at energy and the potential for creating green jobs that can not just save on our energy costs but, more importantly … can put rural communities back on their feet by working on alternative fuels, making buildings more energy efficient.
I helped to pass legislation to begin a training program for green collar jobs. I want to see people throughout Ohio being trained to do the work that will put solar panels on roofs, install wind turbines, do geothermal, take advantage of biofuels.
It's no secret that I have disagreed with the Bush administration in not being more active in addressing the issue of climate change, whether it be through cap-and-trade, through tax incentives for R&D for green technologies and many other measures that I think need to be taken.
Senator Obama has proposed grant and federal match programs to states and localities for encouraging efficiency retrofits in existing buildings while Senator Clinton would create a $1 billion Green Building Fund to make grants or low-interest loans to improve energy efficiency in public buildings.
Each of the remaining presidential candidates has called for billions of dollars of investment in clean energy, dramatic carbon cuts, and economy-wide cap-and-trade programs.
All three candidates want to use profits collected from auctioning allowances from the cap-and-trade programs for reinvestment in green research and education, job training, building efficiency upgrades, renewable technologies and other clean energy programs.
Whoever wins the presidency, let's hope that they deliver on the green leadership they are promising.
Green Acres over Atlanta
Green roofs are a critical step in the journey towards a greener future for Atlanta. Green roofs are important for many reasons including:
- Reducing extreme hot summer temperatures in the city center
- Cleaning the air by increasing greenery in the urban core
- Lessening the stormwater load on our sewer system
- Creating a peaceful retreat from traffic and noise
The Mayor and City Council showed great environmental leadership with the green roof installation outside City Hall's fifth floor cafeteria back in 2003.
Southface Institute will soon follow suit with a green roof atop their soon-to-be-completed EcoOffice. I participated in the installation of the roof during one of their volunteer work days. You'll notice the following picture depicts a roof that is very blue. This is because on the day I volunteered we were installing the sub-roof system which consists of blue sheets of foam board insulation layered over a waterproof membrane. The soil system and plants will go on top of the insulation.
One of the benefits of a green roof is greater energy-efficiency of the building due to a better insulated roof.
As Atlanta's EcoCity evolution progresses and buildings undergo greenovation, perhaps we'll even see a few green walls...
And the buildings will begin to sprout trees...
Rooftops have been described as the forgotten landscape. As the city evolves into a deeper shade of green we may even see roofs that actually merge with the landscape...
