Energy Savings Add Up

U.S. households produce 21 percent of the country's global warming pollution. That's more pollution than the entire heat-trapping output of the United Kingdom!

The good thing is that energy-conscious families can reduce their emissions by up to two-thirds. If every household in the U.S. made energy-efficient choices, we could save 800 million tons of global warming pollution—more than the heat-trapping emissions from over 100 countries. That would go a long way toward stabilizing our climate. (And if you are building a new home, you have a great opportunity to incorporate energy efficient systems and materials to reduce your carbon footprint.)

New and emerging technologies can also reduce our production of heat-trapping gases. By choosing green power, you can use electricity that produces little or no global warming pollution.

Buying green goes a long way toward cutting heat-trapping emissions because clean energy sources emit little or no carbon dioxide (CO2) pollution—a huge savings to the Earth and a way to slow global warming.

Green power can be slightly higher in price, but the benefits are many. Here are just a few examples.

Using green energy:

• Reduces smog, soot, mercury and acid rain pollution.
  
• Reduces financial risks. Future regulations, caps on greenhouse gases and price fluctuations of fossil fuels could all increase the cost of energy. For example, natural gas prices have soared recently.
  
• Creates new jobs and generate income, because green power sources tend to rely on local labor, land and resources, especially in rural communities.

By harnessing wind, sunlight, plant matter or heat from the Earth's core, we can produce electricity in ways that curtail global warming pollution. And because electricity demand is based on consumer choices, the more we demand green power, the more cleaner sources will be used. That means a lot less heat-trapping pollution.

Source: Environmental Defense Fund

New Geothermal Heat Extraction Process

New Geothermal Heat Extraction Process To Deliver Clean Power Generation
Pacific Northwest National Lab's advanced heat recovery method makes most of low-temp 'hot rock' resources.
by Geoffrey Harvey, PNNL, Washington, United States [RenewableEnergyWorld.com]

A new method for capturing significantly more heat from low-temperature geothermal resources holds promise for generating virtually pollution-free electrical energy. Scientists at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) will determine if their innovative approach can safely and economically extract and convert heat from vast untapped geothermal resources.

The goal is to enable power generation from low-temperature geothermal resources at an economical cost. In addition to being a clean energy source without any greenhouse gas emissions, geothermal is also a steady and dependable source of power.

“By the end of the calendar year, we plan to have a functioning bench-top prototype generating electricity,” predicts PNNL Laboratory Fellow Pete McGrail. “If successful, enhanced geothermal systems like this could become an important energy source.” (Photo courtesy Pacific Northwest National Lab)

A technical and economic analysis conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology estimates that enhanced geothermal systems could provide 10 percent of the nation’s overall electrical generating capacity by 2050. Click to watch PNNL's Pete McGrail describe the process.

PNNL’s conversion system will take advantage of the rapid expansion and contraction capabilities of a new liquid developed by PNNL researchers called biphasic fluid. When exposed to heat brought to the surface from water circulating in moderately hot, underground rock, the thermal-cycling of the biphasic fluid will power a turbine to generate electricity.

To aid in efficiency, scientists have added nanostructured metal-organic heat carriers, or MOHCs, which boost the power generation capacity to near that of a conventional steam cycle. McGrail cited PNNL’s nanotechnology and molecular engineering expertise as an important factor in the development, noting that the advancement was an outgrowth of research already underway at the lab.

“Some novel research on nanomaterials used to capture carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels actually led us to this discovery,” said McGrail. “Scientific breakthroughs can come from some very unintuitive connections.”

PNNL is receiving $1.2 million as one of 21 DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy grants through the Geothermal Technologies Program.

Some of the research was conducted in EMSL, DOE’s Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory on the PNNL campus.

New Energy Efficient Homes Tax Credits

Tax credits for new green homes are better than ever! A 30% tax credit (including labor and installation), with no upper limit, is available for consumers building new homes (through 2016) for:

Photovoltaics
Solar Water Heaters
Geothermal Heat Pumps
Small Wind Energy Systems
Fuel Cells (for primary residences only)

The credit for photovoltaic, solar water heaters, geothermal heat pumps, and small wind energy systems does not have to be for your principal residence; so, rental units, second homes, etc... are all eligible.
For more information, see

2008 IRS Form 5695 to help you further with this provision.

There is a $2,000 tax credit for building a new energy efficient home, but it is ONLY available to "eligible contractors"; therefore, owner/builders may not receive the builder tax credit unless employed as eligible contractors.

See Energy Star and the IRS for more information.

Wind Energy Pays Off

Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort, Hancock, Massachusetts, became the first privately-owned business in North America to own a wind turbine when it started operating August 15, 2007, fulfilling three primary goals: 1) to reduce their dependency on non-renewable energy by 24%; 2) protect the long-term viability of Jiminy Peak as a resort and therefore help to assure stable jobs not at the risk of changes in power prices; and 3) show business communities everywhere the value of taking the initiative rather than waiting for someone else to provide solutions.

Celebrating its first birthday this month, the turbine, named the Zephyr, is a 1.5 megawatt turbine capable of producing up to 2,000 horse power for Jiminy Peak’s snowmaking plant. Generating a massive 4,600,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) a year, the Zephyr reduces the resorts annual consumption of 9,404289 kilowatt hours by 24.5%, eliminating the need for 383,000 gallons of diesel fuel generated power.

After much research and collection of wind data, Jiminy proved to be the perfect location for such a turbine, as it produces significant wind in the winter when Jiminy consumes 60% of its annual energy use. Total costs for the turbine amounted to $3.9 million, which was offset by a renewable energy grant from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative in the amount of $582,000. The financing of the project includes contracting with Community Energy, Inc., a leading national wind energy marketer and project developer, to sell Renewable Energy Credits generated by the turbine, allowing CEI to provide their customers with another product choice to help keep the world clean and sustainable.

Conception to installation took 36 months. Aside from the enormous challenge of building the turbine on the side of the mountain, almost a mile of underground wiring had to be installed from the turbine to Jiminy’s buildings and machinery at the base.

The Zephyr is built to be around for quite a while having a design life of 30 to 50 years. Electrical and structural components have a much longer design life. As Jiminy continues to reap the rewards of generating its own electricity, owner Brian Fairbanks may add a second turbine to the eastern side of the mountain to continue to reduce the electric bills of the resort and lessen their reliance on fossil fuels.

More importantly is the good example it’s setting. “The future of the Earth is something we collectively hold in our hands,” Brian H. Fairbanks, President and CEO, Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort. “I hope our work here gets everyone to think about our planet and take action in their own communities.”

If you’re planning to build a green home, you, too, can take advantage of wind energy. Bonin Architects specializes in energy efficient home plans and incorporating renewable energy systems. See a list of the green home design services we provide. Click to learn more about wind turbines for green homes.

Planning to be in the Berkshires soon? Zephyr tours are scheduled in September and October. For tour details and more information on the wind turbine at Jiminy, click on Zephyr.

Jackie Lampiasi, Marketing Director

Bonin Architects & Associates, PLLC

Wind Energy is Gaining Popularity!

Another renewal energy system that is gaining popularity is WIND ENERGY. You might want to consider using this type of system in your energy efficient home.

Scientists estimate that wind energy could produce 20% to 30% of the United States’ energy by the year 2030 (Check out the National Renewable Energy Laboratory website). It is possible to incorporate wind energy into your new green home by installing a wind generator, also called a wind turbine, to harvest the movement of air and convert it to electricity. In some areas, small wind turbines can generate enough energy to keep a new green home off the grid.

A wind turbine is, in effect, simply a windmill. The difference is that a windmill converts kinetic energy into mechanical energy used directly by machinery, like the pump to a well, while a wind turbine converts kinetic energy into electricity. In most designs, blades are attached to an axle that runs into a gearbox. The gearbox controls the blades’ rotation speed – the faster the rotation, the more AC electricity produced.

As air is heated by the sun, it expands and rises as colder air rushes in to take its place, creating winds and causing the turbines blades to spin and generate electricity which is delivered to the home by cables. Tail fans keep the blades oriented into the wind while a computer system in the turbine controls the direction of the blades.

The wind velocity in your area plays an important part in the cost to generate electricity. Scientists have divided wind velocity into seven classes (class one being the lowest and class 7 being the highest). Generally the wind turbine needs to be in class three areas or above to economically generate power.

Cautions: Electricity must be produced at the right frequency and voltage to be compatible with a utility grid. Also, since wind speeds can vary greatly, so can the speed of the generator, meaning fluctuations in the amount of electricity produced. Wind turbines have equipment choices to solve this issue. Check with a professional regarding your specific property location and equipment requirements.

Benefits: Wind energy is free, and is gaining momentum across the world in commercial and residential applications. Only minimal equipment is required and the return on investment can be substantial!

For wind maps of the United States with individual state information, check out "Where is the wind?" from the Department of Energy.

For help in incorporating a renewable energy system into your new sustainable home design, give us a call or send an email. We'll be happy to answer any of your questions and get you started on designing a green home that fits your site, your sustainable lifestyle, and your budget!

Jackie Lampiasi, Marketing Director

Bonin Architects & Associates, PLLC

Incorporating Solar Energy into a Green Home (Part 3)

Here’s the third blog in our solar series. We’ve already talked about how you can heat the space and heat the water in your home using solar energy. You can also use solar energy to light the inside & outside of your green home through a design technique called daylighting. By using daylighting, you can make the most of the home’s placement on your site as well as the location of skylights and windows to bring sunlight into the home.

South- and even north-facing windows are advantageous for daylighting. In the northern hemisphere because of the earth’s tilt on its axis, south-facing windows are the most beneficial for daylighting. South-facing windows allow direct winter sunlight into the home and with proper design minimize solar heat gain in the summer while allowing for indirect southern lighting. North-facing windows allow even, natural lighting with little glare and minimal summer heat gain.

Outdoor solar lighting & way-finding are not only inexpensive and easy to install, they consume no electricity! Sunlight is converted to energy in solar cells and stored in batteries for use at night. Lights vary in design according to the climate and geographical location, so make sure you get the right kind for your area. The lights, when exposed to direct sunlight for the recommended number of hours, can be used for security or to light a pathway. Performance will vary according to placement, outdoor temperatures, and brand and style of light selected.

If you still aren’t sure about including a solar energy system into your new home, check out the U.S. Department of Energy’s website on “Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy”. They have a tremendous amount of information, charts, and calculations to browse through to help you make the right decision.

Jackie Lampiasi, Marketing Director
Bonin Architects & Associates, PLLC

Incorporating a Solar Energy System into a Green Home (Part 2)

Our last blog on renewable energy explained how you can heat your green home through passive solar design and/or an active heating system, as well as generate electricity through solar power with a photovoltaic system. You can also heat water for your home or swimming pool. How?

Heating your home:
Solar water heaters can be used in any climate. There are two choices for solar water heating systems – passive and active. Active systems have circulating pumps and controls; passive systems do not. Solar water heating systems usually require one or two storage tanks and use one of three types of collectors: flat plate collectors, integral collector-storage systems, or evacuated-tube solar collectors. Again, there are different kinds of each system. Active solar heating systems are more common than passive.

Active Solar Heating systems can be either direct or indirect circulation systems. A direct system works well in moderate climates where it rarely freezes. Indirect circulating systems are more common, and pump an anti-freeze through collectors and a heat exchanger, which then heats the water that flows through the home.

Passive Solar Heating systems are not as common, but studies show they are more reliable and are less expensive than active solar heating systems. Two basic types of passive systems are available: integral collector-storage systems and thermosyphon systems.

o Integral collector-storage systems are typically used in areas with above-freezing temperatures and in households that have significant daytime and evening hot-water needs.

o Thermosyphon systems – water flows through a collector to a storage tank above it, where warm water rises as cooler water sinks. These are usually more expensive than integral collector-storage systems, and the storage tank on the roof must be taken into consideration structurally and aesthetically.

Heating your swimming pool:
If you’re planning to heat your swimming pool, solar is the way to go. They’re not only comparable in cost to gas and heat pumps, they are effective in most areas of the country. Most systems include collectors, a filter, a pump, and a flow control valve. The theory is fairly simple: pool water flows to the filter then to the solar collector, where the water is heated and returned to the pool. In warmer climates, the system can cool the water by circulating the water at night. One topic to research & consider is that heating pool water usually does not qualify for rebates.

Bonin Architects & Associates is happy to answer any questions you might have about incorporating a solar energy system into your home! Our partners at The Clear Mountain Solar Store are ready to help, too! Up next in our solar blog series is lighting the inside and outside of your home.

Jackie Lampiasi, Marketing Director
Bonin Architects & Associates, PLLC

Solar Energy System in Your New Green Home (Part 1)

Are you building an energy efficient home? Bonin Architects & Associates can incorporate a solar energy system into most any home, whether it is conventional construction, structural insulated panel, timber frame, or post and beam. Here are the several ways to use solar energy in your new green home:

1) Heat the space of your home (passive solar design and/or an active solar heating system);
2) Generate electricity (Photovoltaic);
3) Heat water for your home or swimming pool;
4) Light both the inside and outside of your home

Some of the listed methods may be complicated or involve initial first cost investments, but are well worth the investment -- and you don’t have to live in sunny Arizona to reap the benefits. We'll talk about the basics on the first two ways use you can incorporate a solar energy system into your new green home -- heating the space of the home and generating electricity. (These are basic descriptions – look to future blogs for in-depth descriptions of these various solar energy systems.)

1. Passive & Active solar design to heat the space in your home:

Passive Solar design:
Passive solar doesn’t require electrical or mechanical equipment. The basic laws of nature make heat move from warmer materials to cooler ones until there is no longer a temperature difference between the two. A passive solar design makes use of this principal by utilizing the solar-facing windows (south, in the northern hemisphere). When sunlight comes into contact with a building, the building materials can do one of three things: reflect, transmit, or absorb the solar radiation. The heat produced by the sun also causes air movement, convection, in these spaces. These predictable responses lead to specific design elements, material choices and placements that provide heating and cooling effects in your home.

Active solar heating systems:
There are two basic kinds of active solar heating systems – one based on liquid and the other on air. Both collect and absorb solar radiation and then transfer the heat directly to the interior space of the home or to a storage system. Air-based systems heat air in an “air collector”. Liquid systems heat either water or an antifreeze solution in a “hydronic” collector and are most often used with a storage system. Liquid systems are great for radiant heating systems, boilers with hot water radiators, and heat pumps and coolers. Both systems may also supplement forced air systems.

2. Solar energy can generate electricity for your home:

Solar energy can be converted to electricity in a Photovoltaic system. Photovoltaic panels consist of silicon cells which have both a positive and negative layer. When sunlight is absorbed, electrons in these layers become free and travel through the wire as electricity. Using both direct and scattered sunlight to create electricity, the amount of power generated typically depends on how much of the sun’s energy reaches it along with the size and efficiency of the collectors.

Some advantages of photovoltaic systems are:
a. Bulky mechanical generator systems are unnecessary because conversion from sunlight to electricity is direct;

b. PV systems can be installed quickly and in any size required or allowed. PV systems do not require water for system cooling and do not generate any by-products, therefore, environmental impact is minimal.

The American Solar Energy Society, the Solar Electric Power Association, Energy Matters LLC, and the U.S. Department of Energy have solar estimators to calculate the price, savings, and system size of solar energy systems in your area. All you need to do is enter your location and some information from your utility bill. Check it out today!

Jackie Lampiasi, Marketing Director

Bonin Architects & Associates, PLLC

Geothermal Equipment in your Green Home

Our last blog discussed the kinds of geothermal energy systems available. Whichever system you choose, you will need equipment inside your house, called a "geo-exchange system".

A geo-exchange system replaces your furnace and your air conditioner. They are very quiet and compact and are typically installed in the basement. Some are small enough to fit on a closet shelf. The system uses electric compressors and heat exchangers in a vapor compression cycle to concentrate the earth’s energy and release it into the home at a higher temperature either through a forced air or hydronic system. In summer, the geo-exchange system takes the heat from the home, circulates it to the earth where it is expelled and absorbed into the ground (the same principle used in refrigerators).

There are many types of geothermal heat pumps available (like the Bryant® Legacy Gas Furnace and Air Conditioner pictured above), many having integrated water heaters. For an ENERGY STAR™ geothermal heat pump products list plus additional information on renewable energy, visit the ENERGY STAR™ website. There you can download specific product and manufacturer information - and even find a contractor.

Consider an all-in-one system that provides year round comfort which heats through the winter months and cools all summer. These types of systems replace the traditional indoor furnace/outdoor air conditioning applications.

There are also numerous federal and state incentives for renewal energy systems as well. Visit the US Department of Energy’s website for more information.


Jeremy Bonin, AIA NCARB LEED AP

Bonin Architects & Associates, PLLC

Geothermal Energy Systems in your new Green Home

Thinking of incorporating a geothermal energy system into your conventional, post and beam, timber frame, or structural insulated panel home?

Geothermal Heat Pumps, the most common use of geothermal energy systems in homes, use stable ground or water temperatures near the earth’s surface to provide heating, air conditioning, and in most cases, hot water. Because they use the earth's constant temperatures, they are among the most efficient and comfortable (not to mention sustainable) heating and cooling technologies currently available – and are becoming a popular alternative to oil, coal, and gas. With the ability to deliver comfortable heat even on the coldest days, cost effective equipment, and requiring only a small amount of electricity to operate, geothermal systems are a good consideration for a green home.

Three kinds of systems – Open Loop, Closed Loop, and Standing Column Well Systems – circulate water in pipes below the earth, where water is heated then delivered into the home for use.

Open Loop Systems are the easiest to install, but because of local codes and the amount of ground water available, are not the most popular kind of geothermal system. In this system, ground water from an aquifer is piped directly to a heat pump inside the home. After it leaves the building, the water is pumped back to the same aquifer by a second well, called a discharge well, located a good distance from the first.

There are three types of Closed Loop Systems available depending on your site characteristics: horizontal ground, vertical ground, and pond systems.

Horizontal ground closed loop systems: If your site permits and trenches are easy to dig, this may be the best system for you. Backhoes or trenchers are used to dig trenches three to six feet below the ground surface and a series of connected plastic pipes are laid in long loops or in a slinky pattern, depending on the amount of area available. A typical system will be 400 to 600 feet long per ton of heating and/or cooling capacity. This system is easy to install while the home is under construction, but can also be installed as a retrofit to an existing home with minimal site disturbance.

Vertical ground closed loop systems are favorable for sites where yard space is limited or rocky, or for retrofitting projects with the least amount of site disturbance. Vertical holes are bored into the ground between 150 and 450 feet deep. Each hole contains a single loop of pipe with a U at the bottom and a horizontal pipe under the ground near the home which carry fluid to and from the geoexchange system. While these types of systems can be more expensive to install, they require less piping than the horizontal loops.

Pond closed loop systems are very economical if your site is near a lake or pond. Polyethylene piping is run underground to the water source, and then long sections of pipe are submerged under the water. While pond closed loop systems do not have any adverse affects on the water source, experts do recommend using this system only if water levels never drop below six to eight feet at its lowest level for sufficient heat-transfer capability.

Standing Column Well Systems are common in the northeast United States. Standing wells are typically six inches in diameter and as deep as 1500 feet. Temperate water is drawn from the bottom of the well, circulated through the heat exchanger, and returned to the top of the water column. Most of the year, they re-circulate water between the well and the water pump, but during peak temperature months, they can bleed some of the water from the system. This causes the groundwater to make up the flow, cooling the column and the surrounding ground in summer and conversely heats the column and surrounding ground in winter, restoring the well water temperature.

Be sure to discuss your plans to implement a geothermal energy system with your local environmental board, check with local authorities regarding permits, and always use experienced contractors. In our next blog we’ll discuss the equipment you need inside your home when installing a geothermal energy system.

Jeremy Bonin, AIA NCARB LEED AP

Bonin Architects & Associates, PLLC

Thinking About A Solar Energy System?

Solar energy is gaining popularity as more and more people look to alternative energy systems to replace our dependency on oil. Have you considered a solar energy system in your plans to build an energy efficient home?

The advantages of utilizing solar energy in timber frame homes are nearly endless! Here are just a few:

1) Solar energy is clean, the power of the sun is free, and unlike gas, coal, and oil, it is sustainable, which helps to protect our environment and does not contribute to global warming, acid rain, or smog.

2) Solar energy causes no pollution by releasing carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide or mercury into the atmosphere used by many forms of electrical power generation. Incorporating solar energy into a post and beam, structural insulated panels (SIPs), or sustainably-designed home allows for the possibility of independence from power companies.

3) The systems can be configured to meet virtually any power demand load.

4) Over recent years, technological advancements in solar energy systems have made them extremely cost effective. While the cost for things such as natural gas and petroleum continue to rise, solar energy technology continues to fall in price, allowing for a cost effective alternative energy source for a new timber frame home, or home remodeling projects.

5) Most systems do not require any maintenance during their lifespan, many systems carry warranties which cover their life spans of twenty to thirty years.

For those concerned about the aesthetics of integrating solar technologies into the design of a home, Bonin Architects & Associates designs with systems such as evacuated solar tubes (see photo), which could be concealed by dormers or shed roofs allowing for cleaner exterior views of the home.

Better yet, did you know there are federal tax credits available for Solar Energy Systems?

Tax credits are available for qualified solar water heating and photovoltaic systems. The credits are available for systems "placed in service" from January 1, 2006 through December 31, 2008. The tax credit is for 30% of the cost of the system, up to $2,000. This credit is not limited to the $500 home improvement cap. See IRS Form 5695 at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f5695.pdf.

Solar Water Heating: 30% of cost, up to $2,000
Requirements: At least half of the energy generated by the “qualifying property” must come from the sun. Homeowners may only claim spending on the solar water heating system property, not the entire water heating system of the household. The credit is not available for expenses for swimming pools or hot tubs. The water must be used in the dwelling. The system must be certified by the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC).

Photovoltaic Systems: 30% of the cost, up to $2,000
Requirements: Photovoltaic systems must provide electricity for the residence, and must meet applicable fire and electrical code requirements.

For more information, visit http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_tax_credits

Kimberly Bonin, Executive Project Manager

Bonin Architects & Associates