Walking the Talk: Energy Efficiency in the Reicher Home

by Colleen Turrell

Green Features 14.5-SEER air conditioner bamboo flooring compact fluorescent lighting construction debris recycled during renovation cool white roof on addition Energy Star computer high-efficiency windows high-efficiency refrigerator low-flow showerheads low-flow toilet low-tech clothes drying rack low-VOC paints motion sensors for lights passive solar trellis system 1 kW grid-connected/net-metered PV power system PV lighting for the detached garage recycled doors and windows recycled radiators

Reicher's PV system is connected to the grid and net-metered through the local utility.

Figure 1. In the year since he installed his PV system, Reicher's electric costs have averaged just $1 per day.

The Department of Energy publishes several useful brochures that teach homeowners about simple, low-cost conservation measures they can take in their homes. To order a copy of either brochure, call (800)363-3732.

The Reichers bought their current home in 1997. Since then, they've replaced and upgraded some appliances and features, built an addition onto the home, and added a photovoltaic (PV) electric system. Among the lessons Mr. Reicher has learned along the way: Home energy conservation is immensely rewarding, both personally and professionally.

Home Energy: Tell us about the efficient central A/C system and refrigerator that you bought to replace older units in your home. How did you choose the new units?

Dan Reicher: On the air conditioner, I was looking for high efficiency and wanted one that was above a 14-SEER, so I got an Amana High-Efficiency unit (14.5-SEER). That model qualified for our local utility's rebate program at the time. I worked with the HVAC contractor to make sure his sizing calculations were soundly based (meaning they were based on Manual J), and although it took a lot of work to convince him, we did choose an A/C unit on the smaller end of the range he recommended. I was confident that other energy-efficient features of the home would offset the need for lots of air conditioning. It was a good choice--the smaller system works well.

With the refrigerator, my wife's concern was the model's special features, while I wanted to be sure it was an energy-efficient unit. We met both concerns with a fairly efficient Sub-Zero unit.

HE: What kind of features do your energy-efficient windows have? How did you choose the windows?

DR: With the windows for the new addition, we looked very closely at efficiency, but there were other factors to consider, too. Our architect wanted a range of choices in terms of size and type. We also were on a budget. We ended up with low-e, .34 U factor, Pozzi windows, which seemed to meet all three qualifications. They would qualify for the Energy Star labels, although that program was not yet fully in place for windows at that point.

HE: Aside from the compact fluorescent lamps, high-performance windows, and energy-efficient appliances, what other energy efficiency measures have you installed in your home, if any?

DR: I've done a lot of work on my own in terms of air sealing, especially caulking in the basement, where I found lots of gaps and holes. I've used all kinds of weatherization materials--door sealers, felt, foam, and caulk. And when we did the addition to our home in 1998, we put in a lot of extra fiberglass insulation in the walls, floors, and ceiling--more than was required by code.

On this south-facing addition, we also put a highly reflective coating on the roof. I was convinced by the studies from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, which indicated how much A/C load could be reduced with a light-colored roof [see "Saving Energy with Reflective Roofs," HE Nov/Dec '98, p. 9]. Along with the PV system, which shields much of the addition from the sun, this reflective coating has helped to reduce our A/C load.

Our hydronic heating system distributes heat to radiators in most of the home, and to a baseboard system in the new addition. It came with a relatively high-efficiency Dunkirk Bryant boiler, but I've added to its efficiency by wrapping lots of piping with insulation. We've also blanketed the water heater and replaced the dryer vent with one that has a baffle valve that closes when the vent is not in use, keeping out the wind.

I put in a motion sensor in the kids' playroom, because they often forget to turn off the lights--although my four-and-a-half-year-old daughter has caught on and is now turning off the lights for my wife! My daughter is becoming quite the energy efficiency advocate.

HE: Have you made any other changes to the home's envelope to improve energy efficiency, health, and comfort?

DR: One thing that comes with the PV system, through the Maryland PV program, is a full home energy audit, including a blower door test. The person who runs this program has a focus on weatherization, and I understand that this is now offered to all those who purchase the PV system. We haven't done the blower door test yet, but when we do, we'll know what else we need to do in the house.

HE: Taken together, are you saving money through the work you've done and the measures you've installed?

DR: Yes. I wanted to make the payback on overall energy efficiency in the home as good as possible, especially factoring in the PV system, which wasn't cheap. Other measures, like the high-efficiency A/C, help to make maximum use of the energy the PV system produces, making the electrons go further. All of it works in combination--the windows, the high-efficiency A/C, the passive solar design. When you add it all up and calculate the payback, the package works well. In the past year, from the day the PV system went in (April to April), our electricity bill was $384. That means we spend about $1 per day on energy. (See Figure 1.)

HE: Is your family more comfortable as a result of these measures?

DR: We are absolutely more comfortable. I particularly think we've dealt with the summer heat load in a better way than is typical--most people just try to air condition their way through the summer heat, while we've managed to keep the heat out. Now we need to improve how, during the winter, we keep the heat in. We plan to air seal the home even more, and we want to put in solar water heating for domestic hot water and for the hydronic system, to offset our gas use for heating. We'll also put storm windows on a couple of the small attic windows that don't yet have them, and things like that. (For more about storm windows, see "Storm Windows Save Energy," on p. 20.)

HE: When you decided to make your home improvements, was it mainly based on a desire to save money, or to help the environment, or to improve the home's resale value?

DR: It was for all of those reasons, but I'm first and foremost interested in "walking the talk". I think that people in this business should start with their own homes and learn about the technologies--and experience the successes and frustrations. And sure, we wanted to save some money and cut pollution. I don't know how long we'll be in the house, but when we go to sell it, I think potential buyers will be intrigued.

HE: In hindsight, is there anything you would have done differently?

DR: I would build a different kind of rack for the PV system. With the design we chose, we didn't adequately consider the effects of snow load. I was aware of a more expensive way of building a rack but wanted to save money. We'll have to fix it down the road. The solar panels themselves work wonderfully, though--they are extremely reliable and productive.

HE: Because your state, Maryland, has net metering, you are able to sell back to the local utility any excess power that your PV system generates. Is this a benefit for you? Do you see net metering spreading to other states?

DR: It's a great benefit in that it can help to offset the cost of the system. There are now 29 states that offer net metering in some fashion, and the number is growing. This is helping to promote PV and other renewable power systems--such as small wind and microhydro. Next year, General Electric will begin selling fuel cells to power homes--perhaps these will be net metered, too.

HE: Do you see PV systems becoming more affordable and having faster payback periods in the future? What will it take to do that?

DR: Each year, the cost of PV gets better and better, and it will continue to. This is especially so as we look at building-integrated PV, such as PV roofing shingles. Soon, some companies will sell PV-integrated windows for commercial use. In the future, these kinds of combined technologies will bring further cost reductions for houses.

HE: Dollar for dollar, energy conservation is cheaper and offers a quicker return than installing a PV system, but many consumers simply aren't aware of these benefits. How do you think homeowners can best be educated about the benefits of conservation?

DR: DOE has some brochures that help educate consumers. The Home Energy Saver brochure has been enormously popular throughout the years. This year, for Earth Day, we issued a new brochure on using renewables at home; it emphasizes conservation as the first investment people should make.

I'm very mindful of the notion that there are low-cost--and in many cases, no-cost--steps people can take to reduce energy use in their homes. I'm also very optimistic about energy producing systems in homes, such as PV and ground source heat pumps, offsetting the need for fossil-fueled power plants. Conservation and renewables together are the best combination.

HE: Based on your experience both as a homeowner and as DOE Assistant Secretary, what kind of energy efficiency and renewable energy programs would you like to promote?

DR: I'd like to continue to promote the programs we're working on across the various sectors of the economy--building, transportation, and industry--and continue to help bring down the costs of renewable technology. In buildings specifically, the key message is taking a systems approach--looking at the building as an integrated system when people make decisions about investments. From my own home to the larger DOE programs, that is the emphasis.

Colleen Turrell is associate editor of Home Energy.

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