2010
01.18
I’m hoping that the development of smart metering/grids leads to the installation of meter monitors in homes. Latitude 38 is currently looking into options for residential utility real-time tracking. There are a bunch of companies trying to develop products in this “space,” but the demand has not yet caught on to establish an industry leader. There are a number of devices that show you kW currently used in real-time (basically the utility meter duplicated in your house looking like a beeper), as well as others that track kW usage per outlet, but I am interested in whole-house systems with a user-friendly web interface for comparing to others. Nothing like a little competition to get people to be more efficient. Here are a few I have come across (none of these track down to the circuit or outlet level):
Lucid Building Dashboard
Lucid recently installed their commercial monitoring system at Newcomb Hall at UVA. They have developed a residential model, but it does not appear to track more detail than by the meter. It also appears fairly pricy (I have a request out now). We’d love to see them to provide info down to the circuit or outlet level. Their interface is very easy and fun to track real-time energy use though. And they also track water usage, which is a big plus.
Google PowerMeter combined with The Energy Detective
Google.org has created a free tracking system (similar to tracking web stats through Google Analytics) that ties into a few different meter monitoring devices. They are currently pushing The Energy Detective. There are some other models out there, but most are sold in the UK or AU. I happen to be a big fan of Google, so I have high hopes for this system. It appears to be the lower cost option as well. Only problem is that The Energy Detective sold out all their devices when they announced their partnership with Google. I’ve put in a back order though!
PowerCost Monitor
Wireless device that looks like a digital clock. Reads from another device attached to outside meter. I like the simplicity and cost of this system, but no web interface. Sold in Canada.
Wattson
This one definitely looks better than the PowerCost Monitor, but it is also basically just a digital clock style. Sold in UK.
Silk
This one looks like it has a modem, but cannot tell much about it. They are on facebook and twitter though. Not sure what that says about them. Sold in South Africa.
Know of any others you think are effective? Know of any that track down to the circuit or outlet level? Please let me know.
Category Uncategorized |
2010
01.16
Jim Duncan from Nest Realty just had a post about the Walk Score website. Given Latitude 38’s focus on building in the City of Charlottesville, I thought I would check out how our houses rate. Of the seven houses we have built in the last three years, our average score is 71 out of 100 – the exact average that Walk Score says is the average for Charlotteville! Pretty cool. However, Charlottesville Transit System does not have an open system to integrate with the Walk Score website, so that factor is not incorporated. I am curious how it would change if this were included in the algorithm.
This score is clearly only one subjective metric, but the website does seem to be a good tool (with Google maps being the underlying power) to show how connected and walkable a house is by looking at the types and locations of businesses around it. In our experience of showing our homes, there is a high demand for connectivity in neighborhoods, particularly from people moving from other larger cities where they have experience living close to services and amenities. The City has a fair amount of mixed zoning so that one can live close to commercial districts, although I believe there could be some pocket zoning allowed to bring in more walkable scale (eg one and two story) commercial into residential neighborhoods. At least to allow for corner stores, such as the new corner grocery Market Street Market or the numerous Belmont corner stores.
Tags: Walkability Category Uncategorized |
2009
12.16
I’m a bit behind the news, but after seeing a presentation recently by a Dominion Power representative, I went and looked up what our sole electricity provider is doing for the environment. I’m excited to report that they have begun a pilot program in Charlottesville to install smart meters with the goal of creating a whole smart grid for improved electricity monitoring. I think this is a sign of the future. Our current electrical grid system is basically the same technology we had 100 years ago! It’s time that we had the ability to better gauge consumption use. One of the key advantages of smart metering is the ability to charge variable rates at different times of the day. By implementing variable rates, people can start to track energy use based on excess load times. For example, run appliances (dishwasher, dryer) at night when loads are low.
Net Metering
If you happen to generate electricity from your own home, you can put that extra energy back on the grid for others to use. With a smart grid in place, I think Dominion should encourage this technology as a means for reducing loads on the grid. For this to happen, we will need lower-cost and improved PV and wind systems. Current incentives (see other post) are currently helping get more energy onto the grid. Latitude 38 has not yet purchased renewable energy systems for our homes. Given the relatively smaller size of our houses (~2000 SF), we have found money is better spent on high efficiency heat pumps, tight ducts, proper blown insulation and insulated windows. Solar water heaters appear to be the most cost competitive of these renewable energy sources and we are considering the payback of these systems.
Dominion VA Green Power
If you are still net negative energy, you can still support renewable energy by signing up for renewable energy through Dominion. You have to pay $.015 extra per kW. For a usage of 1000 kW/month, it would be a $15.00 increase. The request does not mean that energy will go direct to your house from a renewable source. The amount you need supplied is purchased in RECs (Renewable Energy Credits). In Virginia, we must purchase RECs from other geographic areas, rather than put renewable energy directly onto the grid, as we do not have many sources of renewable energy in close proximity.
Tags: Energy Efficiency, Utilities Category Uncategorized |
2009
12.16
Energy Efficient Mortgages (EEMs) are a new development in financing affecting homeowners purchasing new construction and upgrading existing homes. Banks are starting to recognize the additional value that energy efficient building techniques bring to long-term home value. With a licensed contractor doing the work and a 3rd party tester verifying the HERS Index rating of the home and providing a report showing estimated energy savings, a lender can either add the potential energy savings onto the homeowner’s income and/or add the energy upgrades to the value of the home (dollar for dollar) to improve the Loan-to-Value ratios.
For more information, contact your mortgage lender or contact a lender listed on the Energy Star site. This link says that EEMs currently are recognized by FHA lenders and those that sells their loans to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.
Another key element in getting energy efficient upgrades included in a home’s value, even without an EEM from the lender, is the recognition by appraisers of the increased value of the home through reduced operating costs, reduced maintenance costs, and increased quality of life in a properly commissioned home. I am not very familiar with how appraisers in Central Virginia currently value energy efficient building techniques. If you look at a Uniform Residential Appraisal Report, you will see in the Sales Comparison Approach a line called “Energy Efficient Items.” Many appraisers will just put “Standard” or “Average” for homes, even though there is not a clearly recognized standard. As more and more people have their homes scored with a HERS Index rating, the comps could become more relevant in this category. Because appraisers are data driven, it appears as though the HERS rating should be recognized by the appraisal industry, as it is in most green building performance certification programs. If you are going to have a home appraised, talk to your lender about EEMs and the appraisal process to see if you can have energy efficient features included in the value of the home.
Tags: Energy Efficiency, Financing Category Uncategorized |
2009
11.20
A Green City!
The City of Charlottesville, the Commonwealth of VA, and the federal government are all providing incentives to homeowners to make their homes more energy efficient. If you have (or have not) ever thought of improving the energy efficiency of a home that you already own, it may be worth your time to look at the paybacks of these incentives. I have tried to compile everything I know of here. If you know of anything I am missing, please let me know!
CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE
Property Tax Assessment for Energy Efficient Buildings
Scroll to bottom of City webpage for attachments
This is a creative incentive that gives homeowner’s a one-time 50% property tax credit if they are able to show the house is a 30% energy efficiency improvement over the building code standard. This can be certified if the house meets performance standards of the Green Globes Green Building Rating System, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) System or the EarthCraft House Program; or qualifies as an Energy Star home under federal Energy Star criteria. There are a few certified Home Energy Raters in the Charlottesville area that can help.
Hot Water Heater and Programmable Thermostat Rebates
Local Energy Alliance Program
The City and County worked together to win a $500,000 grant for their proposal to create a local energy program designed “to achieve unprecedented energy and water savings by retrofitting buildings and installing renewable technologies in all end use sectors. The program is designed to achieve 30% – 50% market penetration and a 20% – 40% efficiency gain in 5-7 years.” This seems pretty ambitious to me, but I support their efforts. The program should be up and running in January, so I’ll post more info on this program as it becomes available.
A Green City (City of Charlottesville Incentives for Reference)
Spark (City of Charlottesville Incentives for Reference)
VIRGINIA
Efficiency Rebate and Solar and Wind Incentive Programs
New applications to the Efficiency Rebate and Solar and Wind Incentive Programs closed on November 18. Current requests to reserve rebates have exhausted the first round of funds. A second round of rebate funds is expected to be made available at a later date to be determined.
Dominion Power Proposed Programs
Dominion seeks state approval of 12 energy-saving and demand-reducing programs. These should be approved (or denied) in February 2010. Look out for info in your bill.
DSIRE (State Incentives for Reference)
FEDERAL
Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency (Energy Star)
Tax credits are available at 30% of the cost, up to $1,500, in 2009 & 2010 (for existing homes only) for:
Windows and Doors
Insulation
Roofs (Metal and Asphalt)
HVAC
Water Heaters (non-solar)
Biomass Stoves
Tax credits are available at 30% of the cost, with no upper limit through 2016 (for existing homes & new construction) for:
Geothermal Heat Pumps
Solar Panels
Solar Water Heaters
Small Wind Energy Systems
Fuel Cells
Department of Energy (Federal Incentives for Reference)
Tags: Energy Efficiency, Incentives, Retrofits Category Uncategorized |
2009
11.20
Federal Housing Tax Credit Extended
$8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit
$6,500 tax credit for repeat home buyers
If you would like to own a home, now is a great time to take advantage of federal dollars to help you out. To qualify for the tax credit, a home purchase must occur on or after January 1, 2009 and on or before April 30, 2010. Note also that there are income restrictions.
Tags: Energy Efficiency, Incentives, Tax Credits Category Uncategorized |
2009
11.20
After four months of building, we were able to crank it up and get the Belmont Avenue family in just in time for a busy holiday season. We’ll post some more photos soon, but here’s a sneak peak. It looks like you are peering through a peephole, but that’s really a big circular door!
Category Uncategorized |
2009
10.26
Just about wrapped up down on Belmont Ave and we’re excited to have a growing family move in.
Taking just a little bit of r and r before you can find us going full tilt on our next house: an urban/country Virginia farmhouse on Mulberry Ave, just off of Shamrock and Cherry Ave. Going to try and dial this whole blog thing in again as we are adding a few wrinkles both in terms of design and construction to this next house that we’re really excited about.
Category Uncategorized |
2009
09.20
Open House
Sunday, September 20, 2-5pm
720 Rockland Avenue
MLS #466875
To visit the house any other time, please call Tom Raney at Real Estate III (434-981-2608)
Tags: Open House, Realtor Category Rockland Avenue |
2009
08.30
We’re a little more than halfway done on our sixth house and it marks our return to the heart of Belmont as we haven’t been this close to downtown since house # 1. Having a good time and enjoying biking through the back alleys of Belmont to and from the job site.
Siding is mostly up and we love the site lines the rain screen reveal provides. Other than building a front porch and back deck, we’re ready to move inside and start having fun with all the trim details.
Every house we like to be thrown a curveball and presented with a new challenge. Besides the overall challenge of the narrowness of the site and trying to fit a 1900 sq/ft house over a full basement, the large circle wall has got to be the defining characteristic of the house. Since the house is so narrow, we left the first floor almost entirely open save for the circle wall that separates the kitchen and dining area from the large living room. On the back side, shelving will be recessed into it. Anyway, as folks that mostly deal with rectangles and horizontal lines, it was a fun departure.
Tags: Belmont Category Uncategorized |
