On my drive to work each morning, I’ve started to notice a definite sign that spring is fast approaching – the sun is finally out again to greet me on my morning commute. So maybe it’s my new traveling buddy that has me thinking a lot about the sun lately.

There are many ways to tap into using solar energy for your home. Some are cost effective and worth consideration and some are financially just not yet within most homeowners’ grasp. We will discuss two solar powered systems most commonly used in residential homes today.

First up are solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. Much larger versions of the panels found on handheld calculators, PV panels are used most often to retrofit existing buildings with solar energy on their rooftops. In order to consider PV panels for your roof, you need to have the correct orientation. For those of us in the northern hemisphere, this means mainly due south. In addition, the steepness of your roof is also a factor. The inclination of the panels should match the area’s latitude in order to maximize energy absorption. And finally, even a tiny amount of shade exposure to the PV panels can reduce their efficiency dramatically.

After you have met the above requirements, you will need to determine the appropriate size of your system. Determining the size of your system depends on several factors. Do you want to be on or off the utility grid? Do you want to use a backup generator or battery system? What percent of your power usage will be handled by the solar system? To determine this, you should work with a solar power professional and have the system installed by a licensed electrician with PV systems experience. In addition, be sure to look into federal, state, and local rebates and incentives to take full advantage of the cost savings available to you.

A typical 2 kW solar electric system will cost approximately $20,000. Some of this cost can be offset by rebates and tax credits. And if you factor in cost savings on utility bills over the lifespan of the system (usually about 20-25 years), as well as the amount of value added to the price of your home, the cost may be well worth it for some. Still for most homeowners, this initial cost is still out of their price range.

So if you still want to consider solar energy sources for your home, but PV panels are not practical for your budget you could consider using a solar hot water system, or more broadly named “solar thermal” systems. These systems use the sun to heat domestic hot water and generally range in cost from $3000 to $4500. The solar-generated hot water can be used for household hot water, radiant heat systems (floor or wall), or for heating swimming pools and hot tubs.

There are direct and indirect solar hot water systems. Direct systems are typically not used in the Chicago area as they are prone to freezing. Indirect systems use a non-freezing fluid in a closed-loop pipe system. As temperatures in the pipes rise, a pump circulates the fluid through to a heat exchanger in the hot water tank to heat the water. In colder months this system can work to pre-heat water for the hot water tank thereby offsetting your energy usage load.

Solar heating swimming pools and hot tubs are fairly inexpensive. Use a “black-mat” system to help prevent overheating pool water to dangerous temperatures. While pool and hot tub heating systems are generally not eligible for rebates or incentives, their cost can often be recouped in less than 5 years.

Solar power is one of the fastest growing sectors of green homebuilding. It seems only natural for us to gaze up at the wonderful yellow orb in the sky and wonder how to harness its vast source of energy. And as the technology in the field continues to expand, more and more homeowners will be looking to capture their own slice of the pie.

If you have any questions about using solar power in your own home, please contact us for more information.

Considering wood flooring for your next remodeling project but you want an environmentally conscious alternative? Why not consider reclaimed wood, bamboo, or cork flooring?

No matter which flooring product you choose, you want to look for the following green qualifications:

1. You want a product with low or no VOCs. VOC stands for “Volatile Organic Compounds” and you can think of these as the byproducts that off-gas vapor into the air after installation like, for instance, new carpet smell.
2. You want a product that is rapidly renewable or sustainable. This means the product must either be able to regenerate itself in less than 10 years time or it is harvested in a way that the rate at which it is harvested will never exceed the rate at which it can replenish itself.
3. You want a product that doesn’t compromise durability or longevity. In other words, you want it to last.

Traditional wood flooring options that are also sustainable include reclaimed wood from demolition sites (wood that would otherwise be put into landfills), plantation grown wood flooring, and salvaged wood flooring from old barns & buildings. All of these “traditional” wood products are environmentally conscious because they recycle products that would otherwise be thrown out.

Bamboo flooring is another sustainable wood product that is harder than oak and more dimensionally stable than maple. Due to these properties, bamboo is quickly becoming a popular choice by builders and homeowners alike. Bamboo grasses are harvested every 6 years, over and over from the same plant. It comes in horizontal grain for a more contemporary look and stranded for the more traditionally minded.

Cork flooring begins its life as bark from cork oak trees primarily grown in the Mediterranean. It can be harvested over and over, as the cork bark grows back after each harvesting. Cork is very durable and easy to maintain. It contains no VOCs, is noise absorbent, rot resistant, and can act as an insulator from cold concrete subfloors. A protective sealer is applied after installation just as you would do for wood floors.

So if you’re in the market for new wood floors, consider using a greener alternative that will still give you the warmth and durability of traditional wood flooring, but won’t hurt the earth in the process.

Let’s face it—insulation isn’t sexy. It doesn’t come with cool, slick finishes or in an array of pretty colors (although pink isn’t bad). But what insulation may lack in flash, it more than makes up for in its potential impact toward creating an environmentally responsible home. In fact, insulation is the single most important material in increasing a home’s energy efficiency.

Any reduction in household energy consumption directly translates into less pollution produced by power plants. By this definition alone, any insulation could be considered a green product. But there are a lot of new green insulation products out there for you to consider.

Let’s begin with the pink stuff. The most widely used home insulator for the past 70 years is fiberglass batt insulation, popular for its low cost and easy installation. However, as anyone who has ever worked with it knows, you don’t want to breathe or touch the stuff without proper protection. Fiberglass is essentially “glass wool”. Some experts deem the product safe as long as you follow specific manufacture’s instructions. Others argue the release of airborne fibers and use of a formaldehyde binding agent creates reduced levels of indoor air quality. Responding to these claims, fiberglass manufacturers have embraced more green practices by using up to 40% recycled content and offering formaldehyde-free products.

But if you’re looking for something a little more natural, consider cotton batt insulation. Manufactured primarily from old blue jeans, the product is available in R-13 (3.5” thick) and R-19 (5.5” thick) unfaced batts. (R-value is the measure of a product’s thermal resistance) It’s treated with borate to increase pest and fire resistance, and because it’s 100% recycled and organic, there are no issues with diminished indoor air quality.

Cellulose insulation, made primarily from recycled newspapers, is about 80% recycled & organic in content and like cotton insulation, is also treated with borates giving it a Class 1 fire rating. In the event of a fire it will smolder instead of melt, thus releasing less toxic fumes. Cellulose insulation can be blown in dry or wet, however the wet application is generally considered superior due to its ability to reduce air infiltration. The cost of cellulose insulation is also generally considered more affordable than other newer foam insulators.

Spray foam insulation offers to best option for reducing thermal heat loss through air leakage. There are basically two types of spray foam insulation, open cell and closed cell. Open cell, referred to as half-pound foam, is less dense and applied with a water-based blowing agent. Closed cell, also called 2 pound foam, has a much higher R-value per inch but uses an HFC blowing agent for its application. HFC’s are global warming agents, however this chemical is largely contained within the “closed cells” of the foam thus diminishing its environmental effects until its end-of-life. There are also soy-based or bio-based foams offering a certain percentage of organic materials.

Spray foam insulations are typically 3-4 times more expensive, especially closed cell foam. But spray foam also offers the highest R-value rating per inch and superior protection against air infiltration, making it an attractively green energy saver. Spray foams are not DIY projects though; they must be professionally applied.

One final new product to mention is Aerogels. Aerogels may be the best thermal insulators in the world, providing 40 times the insulation of fiberglass. They are made from super-porous silicon foam made up of 99% air, making it translucent while still amazingly strong, light, and insulating. Although arguably, silica foam is not any better for your health than fiberglass, this product is never sold loose – it is always sold in pre-sealed window panels. Using this new product, windows may soon lap walls for superior insulating properties. In the world of design, such innovation could be a game changer.

No matter which product you use, insulating your home packs a lot of bang for your buck. The cost of your investment can usually be recouped in 3-5 years. Better insulation in a home also means downsizing furnaces and a/c units as they don’t need to work as hard. So while insulation won’t have your guests ooing and ahhing over how great it looks, properly insulating your home will save energy for the planet and save you money – money you can then spend on all those flashy finishes.

By Karen M. Ray, Project Designer, LEED AP

OK, so maybe you don’t want to don a cape and save the planet. What other reasons do you have to “Go Green”?

Well, how about this: Money. More precisely, money in YOUR pocket. Many green practices are more economical than people think. And who couldn’t use more green in their wallets these days?

One of the easiest ways to save money and green the planet is to conserve energy usage within the home. And many of these changes are small projects you can do yourself. Here are a few ideas:

1. Use high efficiency/Energy Star rated appliances. Replacing old dishwashers, refrigerators, furnaces or air conditioners with more energy efficient models can cut energy usage costs by up to 25%.
2. Replace all indoor & outdoor lighting with Compact Fluorescent Lighting or Light-Emitting Diode light bulbs. Compact fluorescent light bulbs use 1/3 the electricity of incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times as long. CFL’s and LED’s have also come a long way in simulating more natural light.
3. Install more ceiling insulation if the second floor of your home feels cold in the winter and hot in the summer.
4. Insulate your hot water heater & pipes and reduce the hot water temperature to 1200F overall.
5. Installing a programmable thermostat allows you to reduce energy consumption when no one is home.

So whether you’re looking to become an environmental cape crusader or just looking to have a little more “green”, these ideas will get you running in the right direction.