Colorado Becomes First State to Install a Solar PV System Under DOE’s Weatherization Program

The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) was created by the Department of Energy (DOE) in 1976 during OPEC’s oil embargo to help low-income Americans save on their energy costs. Over its 40-year history, the WAP has become increasingly sophisticated in the types of weatherization it will fund, starting out with caulking and weather stripping, then adding insulation, and, most recently, installing solar photovoltaic (PV) systems to reduce energy costs for financially stressed homeowners. Colorado is the first state to take advantage of this expansion of WAP, completing its first 2-kW installation Aug. 15 on a home in Colorado Springs. A second system is being installed this month.

 

Overseen statewide by the Colorado Energy Office, the program is administered by eight weatherization agencies serving different parts of Colorado. The agency serving Denver and Jefferson County is the Energy Resource Center.

 

According to Joseph Pereira of the Colorado Energy Office, “The impact of this project is threefold. It addresses energy burden by reducing both home heating and electric costs; it enhances opportunities for distributed generation; and it demonstrates the viability of rooftop solar offerings for low-income households. We appreciate the Department of Energy's receptiveness to this innovation in the program and the forward-thinking efforts of our partners at Energy Resource Center as we explore the best use of solar to assist those in need."

 

In addition to rooftop solar panels, that first home in Colorado Springs received insulation, storm windows, low-flow shower heads, LED bulbs and an Energy Star refrigerator. Those improvements will save the homeowner an estimated $600 per year in energy costs.

 

Although there are income limits (for example, $48,500 for a family of four) a homeowner also qualifies if he or she is on SSI, SNAP, or LEAP, or if he/she receives help from any of four other assistance programs.

 

For more metro area info, visit Energy Resource Center’s website at www.erc-co.org or call (720) 236-1321. Email address is DENinfo@erc-co.org.

Published Oct. 13, 2016, in the YourHub section of the Denver Post

Just Listed: Solar-Powered Home Is Close to Downtown Golden

 

401 Garden Street, Golden

$498,000

Narrated Video Tour at www.JeffcoSolarHomes.com

This log-style 3-bedroom, 2-bath home is on a quiet cul-de-sac less than a mile from Clear Creek, the Colorado School of Mines, and downtown Golden. Open space trailheads are also nearby.  With its solar PV array, two solar thermal units, LED lighting and other sustainable features, this home has a net zero energy bill, as explained in the narrated tour (above). Not only does energy from the sun power the house, but it also provides 16,000 miles of electric driving for the seller’s Nissan Leaf and Zero electric motorcycle. Included in the purchase price are all appliances — even the Level 2 car charging station in the garage.  

Open Saturday,  Aug. 6, 2-4 pm.

Published Aug. 4, 2016, in the YourHub section of the Denver Post and in four Jefferson County weekly newspapers.

Today’s ‘High Performance’ Homes Go Beyond Energy Efficiency & Solar Power

The new buzz phrase in real estate is “high performance homes.”  No longer is being solar powered or super insulated the full measure of environmental responsibility. Yes, those are important features in a home, serving both the homeowner’s and the planet’s interest.  But buyers are becoming more conscious of the bigger picture, and some builders are building homes that they label as “high performance.”

“High-performance homes save energy, conserve water, are more durable, cost less to maintain, are healthier for the occupants and are less stressful on the environment. Simply put, they are better homes.”  That’s the course description of a continuing education class which the certified EcoBrokers of Golden Real Estate, including me, will be taking in mid-July.

 

In this course, we’ll learn about Construction & Design; HERS Ratings and 3rd Party Verifications; Energy Saving Features; Current Market Trends; Evolving Local Codes; Marketability of High-Performance Homes; and National and Local Programs that Benefit Consumers.

 

For several years now, Golden Real Estate has participated in the tour of solar homes that happens on the first Saturday in October.  Over time, that tour has evolved to include homes that are “sustainable” and not just solar-powered. The tour is educational in nature, and we figure that everybody understands solar power by now, and now we want attendees to learn about other sustainable features. 

For example, a super insulated home requires management of fresh air. It seems strange to make a home air tight and then install a fan to bring air into the house. However, these are not simple fans. There’s the ERV (Energy Recovery Ventilator) which warms (or cools) incoming air by passing it through a heat exchanger with the outgoing air, and there’s the CERV (Conditioning Energy Recovery Ventilator) which adds heating or cooling to the incoming air.

 

Heat pumps, both ground source and air source, are becoming more common. Their advantage is that they use electricity (which can be generated from the sun) instead of natural gas or other fossil fuels.  My house has a heat pump.

 

If you have a home that would be a good candidate for this year’s tour of “high performance” or “sustainable” homes, contact me about being included on the tour.  My phone is 303-525-1851, and my email is Jim@GoldenRealEstate.com.

Published June 30, 2016, in the YourHub section of the Denver Post and in four Jefferson County weekly newspapers.