Sunday, November 14, 2010

What is Green Home?

A green home is not a 5,000 square foot home with bamboo floors and a rooftop covered with a garden, and an elevator. Like this massive home with a Environments for Living Diamond Award but a $366 energy bill at: http://on.wsj.com/notgreenatall This Las Vegas home is nothing more than a status symbol. That said, if it takes a status symbol to encourage more people to consider long term environmental and cost benefits. Maybe that's not so bad?

A green home might be a 5,000 square foot net-zero home with a 98% Furnace or 21 SEER A/C, a 10 kW Solar PV array, little uncontrolled air infiltration, adequate insulation for it's climate and hi-tech controls for comfort as well as lighting. But even then, it takes a lot of material resources to build that structure. Then, after the structure is built it takes more energy resources to heat and cool the large volume of the home. Even if the energy is offset by renewables, is that really green?

A green home is most definitely a home that is realistically sized for it's inhabitants, utilizes energy efficient practices, and is a healthy place to live. Whether it's a single guy, or a family of four, or the family of four plus grandma there is no need to live in a house with rooms that are visited once a year. Home sizes have double since 1950, while family size has decreased. Why? ( http://n.pr/avghomesize ) It should be energy efficient first, before installing a large renewable energy resource like solar or wind power. Yes solar is sexy, but efficiency is better for your wallet and it can improve comfort in the home. A healthy home is mostly related to indoor air quality. A healthy home is free of outdoor pollutants like pollen or critters, but also free of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that often come from paints, cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials and furnishings, glues and adhesives, permanent markers, etc (visit the EPA website for more examples: http://bit.ly/epavoc )

A green home can be something we all live in. It doesn't need to be super-expensive status symbol or a hi-tech gadget. It just needs to be a well built house that provides a comfortable living space while being cost effective. By utilizing the right amount of properly installed conventional building materials with some newer technologies, we can all live call our green homes, just home.

Written By Energy Efficiency Eric

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Announcement of Switch Energy Solutions

Hello Friends, Colleagues and Clients,

Over the past several years of working at Standard Renewable Energy, I have had the pleasure of working with each of you. November 5th will be my last day working at for Standard Renewable Energy. I am excited, however, to announce my next venture where I hope to continue working with many of you. As Standard Renewable Energy exits the Colorado market Switch Energy Solutions will fill the growing need for energy audits, energy efficiency and renewable energy installations.

"Switch to Comfort, Switch to Savings, Switch Energy Solutions."

With many of my same passionate, dedicated and knowledgeable teammates from SRE, we will continue to provide the best energy solutions available and utilizing the many rebate incentives available to help improve the energy usage of homes and businesses. Also, keep an eye out for Energy Efficiency Eric. If you want to bring your school, work or neighborhood community together, I will be happy to provide a workshop related to home and business energy solutions.

Please note that I have a new phone number and email address. If you have any questions about these changes please feel free to call, email and/or sign up for the Switch Newsletter.

Thank you for your continued support of the new energy economy.

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Eric Van Orden, LEED AP
President & Founder, Switch Energy Solutions