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 If you are thinking of building a home or are purchasing a home in Sunapee, New London, Newbury, or another surrounding town that needs a renovation, call to register to attend our next Open House near Sunapee Harbor on scenic Lake Sunapee!

Not only will you be able to tour a beautiful custom home, you’ll be able to interview area green building experts at a Q&A discussion.  Gather your questions and ideas for Green Architect Jeremy Bonin of Bonin Architects & Associates, Custom Builder Everett Pollard of Northcape Design / Build, and Dan O’Halloran of Colby Real Estate!  Ask about:

Green building materials – Local construction costs – Green home design & why it is important

Solar and geothermal heating – Metal roofs vs. asphalt shingles – Shoreland Protection Act guidelines

and more!

Jeremy Bonin, AIA NCARB LEED AP:

Jeremy is a principal partner of Bonin Architects & Associates, award-winning architect, and the author of TIMBER FRAMES: Designing Your Custom Home.  Jeremy has a special interest in sustainable design and green building.  

Everett Pollard, AIA assoc.,  AIBD, CGP, CGR:

 For over thirty years Everett has been designing and building award-winning custom homes in the Lake Sunapee area. As a Certified Green Builder, Everett’s  priorities are successfully balanced between preserving the environment and providing superior customer service to his clients.

Dan O’Halloran:

Dan is a high-energy realtor who specializes in residential real estate and uses the most current marketing and advertising technology and techniques available in the real estate industry to achieve maximum visibility for every client.  His background in finance and marketing rounds out his qualifications and enhances his skills he offers.

I just saw this solar standing-seam metal roof system in one of my trade magazines!  Not only does it look great, but it will qualify for federal stimulus rebates of up to 30% of the cost.

FusionSolar™ is a thin-film solar laminate for commercial and residential applications that’s integrated with standing seam metal roof panels. Manufactured for Custom-Bilt Metals by Uni-Solar®, the world leader in thin-film technologies and solar electric laminates, FusionSolar is bonded directly to the standing seam roof panels in the factory. The flexibility and durability of the laminate makes it ideal for metal roofs, where expansion, contraction and curving are considerations. No roof penetrations are required, and because the material is lightweight, no additional structural support is required.

A COMPLETE SYSTEM

FusionSolar is installed as a complete system with all the necessary components. It includes all the electrical components, detailed schematics and specifications that an electrical subcontractor needs for installation.

No specialized solar installers are required. Sheet metal and roofing professionals install the standing seam roof with the thin film already attached. Then an electrical subcontractor completes the installation.

Once installed, the system will begin generating clean, renewable and dependable electric power. Working together with public utilities, the system draws electricity from the grid if needed. Those in the structure use electricity as they do now, and won’t notice any difference.

HIGHLY DURABLE

The laminate bond that’s created between the thin film and the metal roof has been tested to withstand winds of 160 mph. Once installed, the laminate can be safely walked on without causing damage.

FASTER RETURN ON INVESTMENT

Offering a lower cost-per-watt than roof-mounted polycrystalline panels, FusionSolar will pay for itself in 10 years or even less. Once installed, it’s a fixed cost that’s immune from rate hikes.

AESTHETIC DESIGN

The thin-film laminate can cover all of a standing seam roof or just a portion. Lying flat and flush with the surface, the thin film flows with the roof profile, even on curved designs.

NO ROOF PENETRATION REQUIRED

Unlike large polycrystalline panels that are attached by drilling through a roof, FusionSolar is fused directly to the standing seam panel. There’s no roof penetration or possibility of leaking as a result of the installation.

HIGHLY EFFICIENT

Compared to other solar technologies, FusionSolar thin-film laminate achieves a higher relative efficiency under high temperatures and low light.

ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE

Electricity generated by FusionSolar produces no pollution, replacing electricity that is most often created by burning coal.

According to the Department of Energy, hydronic systems average 26 percent less air leakage and a 40 percent reduction in energy usage versus forced air heating systems. Because the system heats from the ground-up, lower temperatures are found at ceiling height, resulting in lower heat loss through ceilings or ceiling penetrations.

The ultimate goal of hydronic heating is to keep and maintain a constant core temperature in the home. There are a variety of retrofit installation options that include panel, slab, thin-slab, snap-panel and heat transfer plates, all of which can deliver hot water via PEX tubing in either “wet-mass” (i.e. concrete) systems or non-concrete “dry-mass” installations.

Thick concrete slab systems have a high heat capacity and are ideal for storing heat from solar energy systems, which have a fluctuating heat output. The downside of the thick slabs is the slow thermal response time. Most experts recommend maintaining a constant temperature in homes with these heating systems. Other installations, such as snap panels, are a dry-mass approach. Snap panels are aluminum panels heated by 3/8- or ½-inch tubing. Most measure five to six inches wide and less than two feet in length. These offer a lower up-front material cost than some wet mass systems and are easier to install in many instances.

The Other Side

While hydronic systems are mostly made for a whole-home approach, electric radiant heating methods can be an equally viable alternative in the right application. Electric radiant floors, also known as dry installations, typically consist of electric cables or mats built into the floor. Systems that feature mats of electrically conductive plastic are also available and are mounted onto the subfloor below a floor covering such as tile. These are pre-built like an electric blanket and are divided into sections, then wired to a central location. Many systems consume a mere 10–20 watts per square foot at full power consumption and can be set to pulse on and off to maintain the temperature the homeowner sets. Given the relatively high cost of electricity in the winter, the most common application for ERH is kitchens and master bathrooms and you can even install a timer so it is only on during those times that you are likely to to be using the bathroom or kitchen.

Does it matter which type of floor you have?

Ceramic tile and wood plank flooring are the most common and effective floor covering for radiant floor heating, but you can also use vinyl, linoleum or carpeting. But remember, any floor covering (say, a thick carpet) that helps to insulate the floor from the room will decrease the effectiveness of the heating system.

“We anticipate that through the end of our first year of operation we’ll be able to meet all of the demand for residential application,” said Jack Ruderman, director of the state’s Sustainable Energy Division. “If you’re a homeowner and you want to get a system, you’re in great shape. After July (of 2010, when the program must be renewed), it’s harder to predict.”

The total installed capacity of the applications is 641 kilowatts, or more than half a megawatt.  This is tiny by utility standards: A small power plant has a capacity of 15 megawatts, or 23 times the total of all these applications, while a big one like Public Service of New Hampshire’s Merrimack Valley plant in Bow can generate almost 800 times as much electricity.

On the other hand, it is a huge expansion of the amount of the state’s “distributed power,” a term for electricity generated at the site it is used rather than by large, centralized power plants. Aside from the pollution benefits of coming from solar or wind power rather than burning fossil fuels, this electricity can reduce the need to build more power lines to carry power from power plants.

These are different from large-scale alternative energy programs like the 25-megawatt Lempster Mountain wind farm or the 51-kilowatt solar array that PSNH placed on its Manchester headquarters.

In the Nashua region, 15 applications had been turned in by mid-December, totalling 44 kilowatts; all but one are for solar panels. They are requesting $73,000 in rebates, roughly one-fifth of the total $378,000 cost of the projects.  Requests for applications came in from all over the state – from Nashua to Newfields, Lyndeborough to Laconia, Pelham to Portsmouth.  Facilities ranged in cost from $3,600 (a tiny, 960-watt solar system in Gorham) to $52,422 (a wind tower in Orange).

Most applicants will receive the maximum rebate of $6,000, although no rebate could be more than half the installed cost.  Money for the rebates comes from the state’s renewable portfolio standard, which gets money from the state’s utilities, mostly through what are called alternative compliance payments.  The total amount collected is about $4.5 million, so there’s more than enough to cover all home rebates, Ruderman said.

That money also will be used for future commercial rebate programs, which are going to be far more expensive, and perhaps even projects contracted out by the Sustainable Energy Division.

 David Brooks,  Nashua Telegraph.

Geothermal Heat Pumps:

Use of geothermal (from Greek roots geo for Earth and thermos for heat) for heating and cooling has been around for hundreds of years. But public interest in climate issues, the 2009 tax credits, refined equipment and technology, and an awareness on the part of the industry to help consumers understand the technology have helped geothermal heating and cooling to become a real option for many U.S. homeowners.

“It’s how other countries have heated for a long time; we’re just refining it to best suit our market’s needs,” says Brian McVay, general manager of Neil Kelly Designers/Remodelers’ home performance and home repair division, in Portland, Ore. “It’s a fantastic way to heat and cool a house, with huge energy savings.”

The ground just below the Earth’s surface is a fairly constant, comfortable temperature. There are three geothermal systems that can take advantage of that temperature: In a closed-loop system, the ground either heats or cools a water and antifreeze solution held in buried plastic pipes, which is then used to heat or cool the air in a structure; an open-loop system uses water in a pond or well as a heat source; and direct expansion uses a buried coil of copper tubing as the heat exchanger. Any of these systems may be eligible for tax credits as long as it meets Energy Star specifications (see the chart).

“A geothermal heat pump is twice as efficient as a regular heat pump and [costs] a little under twice as much to install,” says Matt Hoots, owner of The Hoots Group, a green builder, renovator, and performance contractor in Atlanta. “But you’re immediately saving money. It makes sense without the tax incentives and it makes even greater sense with them.” (Systems placed in service in 2008 are eligible for tax credits but are subject to earlier legislation and, therefore, tax credits for that equipment are capped at $2,000.)

Though geothermal requires electricity to run, it doesn’t use as much electricity as your standard furnace, and it runs at a much lower speed, thus conserving energy.

As with any home system, before installing a geothermal heat pump, do your homework. With geothermal [as opposed to one run on fossil fuels] the system has to be sized correctly. It has to be big enough, but it’s critical not to make it too big.”

The key to making geothermal efficient is to upgrade the home’s envelope. Though it’s not a requirement for the tax incentives, one builder uses a network of trade partners to conduct energy audits. They want to make sure that the building loses as little heat as possible before installing geothermal.

A qualified geothermal heat pump nets a taxpayer a 30% tax credit. The system may be installed in a new home or as part of a remodel, and the home need not be the homeowner’s principal residence. Equipment used only for heating pools or hot tubs is not eligible. In cooperatives or condos, owners/shareholders are entitled to a tax credit based on their share of the spending.

Solar Water Heaters: Benefits Begin to Outweigh Costs

Investments in renewable energy, such as solar water heating, should prompt home­owners to do good while doing well. Doing good is reducing your carbon footprint by installing solar. Doing well has to do with what your savings are actually going to be.

Despite system costs sometimes upward of $12,000, “doing well” is getting easier. Taxpayers can stack state, local, and utility-level incentives on top of the 30% federal tax credit created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, offsetting initial costs by thousands of dollars.

Individuals may claim a tax credit of up to 30% of the total cost of a solar water heating system (including labor, piping, wiring, etc.) installed from 2009 to 2016. To qualify, the system must be Solar Rating and Certification Corp. certified, and must provide at least half the energy used by the home to heat water. Systems used to heat swimming pools are not eligible.

Solar: Does it really offer a golden opportunity?

Welcome to the new frontier. “The solar industry is in its infancy and it’s a tremendous opportunity for remodelers,” says Jeff Shubert, director of global marketing for Suntech Power, a solar panel manufacturer. Yet, despite a 20% to 25% price drop for solar panels and the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) with its tax credit incentives, demand has been low. Consumers are holding off, nervous about the still shaky economy. The hope is that as awareness of environmental issues grows along with interest in the “green” movement, the tax incentives will help push consumers into investing in sustainable and renewable energy.

The ARRA creates investment tax credits for “residential energy efficient properties,” such as solar, wind, and fuel cell power generators, and geothermal heat pumps.

Taxpayers are eligible for a 30% tax credit on the cost of qualified solar systems (also called photovoltaic or PV systems) used to generate electricity for their primary residence in the U.S. (Solar pool heaters are not eligible.) There is no cap on the credit amount (as there was in earlier bills).

The “cost” to the consumer on which the credit is based includes site preparation, assembly, original installation, and piping and wiring that might connect the device to the home, as well as labor and markup. According to the April IRS notice 2009-41, “the credit applies to residential energy efficient property placed in service before January 1, 2017.”

While there’s no Energy Star–label equivalent for solar panels, they must have a UL or OSHA certification. Although there is no set standard for efficiency, currently the best panels have about 15% efficiency, i.e., 15% of the energy attracted from the sun is converted into electricity. To get the credit, consumers should keep a copy of a manufacturer’s certification in their files and fill out IRS form 5695 [PDF]. Tom Chiavetta, a CPA and director at Freed Maxick Battaglia based in western New York, who has been focusing on the ARRA, says that consumers should “show their accountants contractor backup support with regard to the work done and any paperwork they received from the manufacturer that shows the property meets the standards for the credit.”

Yes, solar systems have come down in price, but it still could be considered an expensive endeavor for many homeowners. According to the Solar Electricity Global Benchmark Price Indices, in May 2009 a standard 2 kWh roof-mounted residential unit, installed, cost about $17,645. (In addition, the index breaks out prices for a sunny climate at 36.88 cents/kWh and a cloudy climate at 81.14 cents/kWh). “The average home,” says Ron Kenedi, vice president of Sharp Electronics’ solar energy solutions group, “requires about 4,000 watts [or 4 kW] in solar panels.”

“Most people cannot afford to install the amount of solar PV that they would need to offset their current energy bill,” says Bob Fleming, president of Classic Remodeling & Construction, in Johns Island, S.C., who is about to launch a new company focused on energy audits and upfits.

But price is not the only deciding factor. With all the paperwork as well as the learning curve for both consumer and remodeler, prospective clients will be looking for professionals who they feel confident in and who can offer them a hassle-free experience.

To install PV systems, you need to “look at the sun, the home’s electric bill, the size of the house,” Shubert says. “There’s a skill to designing the system that is right for the property without taking advantage of people.” Remodelers need to take care to hire out work to qualified installers.

 “Installations and the tax credit processing is too much of a burden for a small contractor,” says John Berger, CEO of Standard Renewable Energy, an energy services company based in Houston. “Putting on a solar system is not as straightforward as you think.” SRE has a staff that deals with all the administration involved — permits, tax rebates, communications with local utilities, licenses, accreditations, manufacturer’s certifications, financing.

Homeowners are eligible for a 30% tax credit on the cost of qualified solar systems for their primary residence. There is no cap on the credit amount (as there was in earlier bills). The “cost” to the consumer on which the credit is based includes site preparation, assembly, original installation, and piping and wiring that might connect the device to the home, as well as labor and markup. According to the April IRS notice 2009-41, the credit applies to residential energy-efficient systems placed in service before Jan. 1, 2017. While there’s no Energy Star–label equivalent for solar panels, they must have a UL or OSHA certification. To get the credit, consumers must keep a manufacturer’s certification for their records and fill out IRS form 5695.

Wind: Shorter Payback, Limited by Nature

Soaring at least 30 feet above everything within a 500-foot radius and requiring abundant open land, residential wind turbines are too self-limiting by nature, among other factors, to become the granite countertops of renewable energy. But generous tax credits make wind an attractive option for certain remodeling clients in key markets.

A small wind energy system typically costs $3,000 to $5,000 per kilowatt for a grid-connected installation, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) is “a real important milestone” for residential wind power, says Mike Bergey, president of Bergey Windpower, of Oklahoma, whose small turbines are installed in all 50 states and over 100 countries.

Federal tax credits that had been capped at $4,000 can now be as much as $15,000 when applied to a 10 kW Bergey turbine that powers a 2,500-square-foot home. Even without state incentives, that credit alone can yield a payback within 10 to 30 years, depending on wind resources and electricity prices, Bergey says.

U.S. sales of “small wind” — turbines with capacities of 100 kW or less — were $77 million in 2008, 78% higher than 2007, and will grow 30-fold within as little as five years, says the AWEA. By 2010, 13 million U.S. homes will be candidates for the turbines: that is, connected to the utility grid, on at least a half-acre of land, and with a Class 2 or better wind resource.

Besides public acceptance, Ron Stimmel, the AWEA’s small-wind advocate, identifies three policy issues that can hinder residential growth: absent or restrictive permitting regulations, utilities’ net metering policies, and grid interconnection rules and policies.

Bottom Line

The ARRA provides a 30% uncapped investment tax credit on the purchase and installation of qualifying small wind electric systems with rated capacities of 100 kW or less. Systems must be installed between Jan. 1, 2008 and Dec. 31, 2016. Other provisions, such as a manufacturing tax credit, are expected to indirectly benefit residential wind power through increased competition and lower prices.

(Exerpted from Remodeling Magazine)