Renewable Energy Now

My brothers passive and active solar, moderately sized, very well insulated, earth bermed home in Michigan

What Wisconsin is doing now:

The Wisconsin Energy Star home program, (in terms of energy and the environment) is it a success?

• Reduces natural gas use by 9% (+/-6%)
• Reduces electricity use by 4% (+/-7%)
• Homes are slightly larger than the average home
• Homes have slightly fewer occupants than the average home
  

What is an Energy Efficient Renewable Home?

• An enjoyable place to live
• Carefully sited and constructed
• Relatively small
• Very energy efficient
• Suitable for solar energy

Concepts that an EE RE home embraces

• Moderate size
• Natural ventilation (i.e., passive cooling)
• Tight home with controlled ventilation
• Highly insulated shell with appropriate air and water barriers
• Energy Star and energy efficient appliances
• Non-electric heating system (but could be geothermal heat pump)
• Renewable ready
  

Concepts that an EE RE home may embrace

• Daylighting
• Passive Solar/Solar Tempered
• Internal Thermal Mass (an energy storage battery)
• Solar Electric System
• Solar Water Heating System
• Wood, or Pellet Stove
• In floor Hydronic Heating

Why do EE RE home markets need support:

• Prospective home buyers unfamiliar
• Prospective home buyers want other things such as marble counter tops (what the market shows them)
• Home builders do not think the EE RE home market exists
• Home builders tend to conservative and not want to take risks
• Enhance national energy security
• Improve world and local environment
  

In Wisconsin:

• There are 2.075 million homes in Wisconsin
• Over 26,000 homes were built in 2000.
• The residential sector accounts for 21.2% of end use energy consumption (264 trillion BTU in 2000)
• Natural gas comprises 51.8% of Residential energy usage (137 Trillion BTU or $1.03 billion in 2000)
• Electricity accounts for 23.1% of residential energy usage (61 Trillion BTU or $1.35 billion in 2000)
• Homes are getting more energy efficient but they are also getting larger. New home are 22% larger and use 23% less energy per square foot for heating (when compared to the existing home stock).
• The average home built in 1950s is 1,100 ft2 while the average home built in the 1990s is 1,900 ft2.

Possible Reasons Why people would be interested in EE RE homes

• Energy cost sand supply ecurity
• The right thing to do
• Fun/interesting place to live
• Live more in touch with nature
• Help protect the environment
• Make a statement
• Status
• Reduced home energy costs
• Improved resale value

Possible reason why people would want to live in a moderate sized home

• Less to clean and maintain
• More human scale
• Reduced purchase price,
• Reduced taxes, insurance, utility costs, etc.
• Money can be put into a quality home rather than a large home

Possible early adopters

• Environmentally concerned
• People that place quality over quantity
• Prius/hybrid owners
• Elderly that want a home they can stay in (not driven out by energy costs)
• People that purchase green power
• People wanting minimize to home operating costs
• People concerned about their energy security
  

Eventual Goal:

• By 2005 getting 10% of prospective new home owners to follow the EE RE home approach would result in the construction of 2,600 homes.
• With an energy usage of 50% of the average home (currently 100,000 cubic feet/year of natural gas and 10,000 kWh/year for the average single family home).
  25% of the market by 2010
  

Needs:

• What information best moves the market
• Who is the best audience (builders, prospective home owners, general public, code officials, etc.)
• How is each audience segment addressed

# posted by niels : 10:25 AM