Solar Kits for Any Size Home

There are three main types of solar energy kits available on the market today. Each one has a specific purpose and different capabilities. The price you’ll pay for a solar kit will vary greatly depending on the size of system you require and the amount of power you want to generate.

 Make sure your kit comes with everything you need including all the wiring.  Some kits may require additional purchases or does not come with customer service. Take the time to find this out first!

Grid Tied Solar Kits – this type of solar energy system is designed to help you reduce or eliminate your power costs. Ideally, if your system is large enough, you’ll be able to store excess energy and sell it back to your power company.  Kilowatts generated from these kits can be at the lower end of 2.3 kilowatts or up to 12.65 kilowatts. Prices range from $2,000 to $50,000 for these kits.

 Off Grid Solar Kits – if you desire to be completely free from the power company or live in a remote area, an off-grid system is the answer. Off grid solar kits are designed to power everything you need, including appliances, lights, heat, and air, with a battery backup system in the case of cloudy days.

You can generate around 300 watts of power with an off-grid kit or even as much as 1800 watts of power with a larger kit! You’ll need to purchase a grounding rod, conduit, and wire separately.

The prices for off grid solar kits have a wide range, beginning somewhere around $800 for a small system to $35,000 and up for larger systems. The larger the system and the more power you want to generate, the more it will cost.

 Solar RV & Marine Kits – ideal for powering your recreational vehicle or boat, these systems are easily installed and very affordable. The kits contain solar panels, an amp charge controller, and battery, mounting hardware and output cables. These kits can produce as little as 10 watts of power or up to 340 watts of power. Prices range from $175 to $1,800.

It’s very possible for a homeowner to purchase a solar power kit and install the solar energy system without too much trouble. The directions included in the kits are very detailed and are geared toward someone who has never installed a system previously. A good customer service department should be able to answer all of your technical questions concerning the installation of your system.

Many people also opt for purchasing their own kit and then having it professionally installed. Some sellers of the solar kits will offer to install it for you for an additional price.
To learn more: http://www.go-green-solar-energy.com/solar-energy-kits.html#ixzz1xV768EZg

 

Recycle the Rain

Environmental protection can begin in everyone’s backyard so why not recycle the rain and create a beautiful nature -friendly rain garden in your yard.

What is a rain garden?  A rain garden is a specially designed landscape feature the captures excess water from roofs and lawns following a rain event.

Why Install a Rain Garden? Excess water detained by the garden can slowly filter through the soil instead of being rushed away via the nearby storm drain. Taking steps to decrease the amount of excess water entering storm drains in your neighborhood and will benefit your local streams, lakes and surrounding environment. Rain gardens are beneficial because the aid in

• Recharging ground water supplies and conservation of a natural resource
• Prevention of poor water quality and quantity issues
• Creates a natural habitat for birds and butterflies.

For determining and calculating the right size of your rain garden and  how to dig and plant your rain garden along with a list of native Arkansas plants to use contact the Arkansas Watershed Advisory Group or AWAG at www.awag.com and request their free How to Build a Rain Garden Brochure.

What is a Green Product?

 

What makes a product Green?  Multiple criteria often apply- for example a product may be considered green for more than one reason:

The website http://www.buildinggreen.com publishes Environmental Building News and Green Specs Directory that lists product descriptions for over 2100 environmentally preferable products and is assembled according to the following criteria:

i.                     Products made with salvaged recycled or agricultural waste content

·         Salvaged materials

·         Post -Consumer  materials

·         Pre –Consumer materials

ii.                    Products that conserve Natural resources

·         Products that reduce materials use

·         Certified Wood Products

·         Rapidly renewable products

·         Products that have exceptional durability or low maintenance requirements

iii.                  Products that avoid toxic or other emissions

·         Natural or Minimally processed products

·         Alternatives to ozone-depleting substances

·         Alternatives to hazardous products

·         Products that reduce or eliminate pesticide  treatments

·         Products that reduce storm water pollution

·         Products that reduce impacts from construction or demolition activities

iv.                  Products that save energy or water

·         Building components that reduce heating and cooling loads

·         Equipment that conserves energy and manages loads

·         Renewable energy and fuel cell equipment

·         Fixtures and equipment that conserve water

v.                    Products that contribute to a safe, healthy built environment

·         Products that do not release significant pollutants into the building

·         Products that block the introduction, development or spread of indoor contaminants

·         Products that remove indoor pollutants

·         Products that warn occupants or health hazards in the building

·         Products that improve light quality

·         Products that help control noise

·         Products that enhance community well -being

 

 

New Energy Building Standards

 

 

 

There continues to be a proliferation of green building initiatives nationwide. To date, there are 31 states, 112 cities and 12 federal agencies that have some sort of green building statutes.

 The National Green Building Standard is the first and only agreed-upon standard that covers residential properties, including apartments, condos and the residential portions of mixed-use developments, as well as land development and remodeling and renovation. Until now, multifamily firms interested in sustainable development have had to follow guidelines designed for high-rise commercial properties or single-family homes

Multifamily developers who want to take their projects green now have a set of guidelines to refer to, with the recent approval of the National Green Building Standard by the American National Standards Institute. The ANSI endorsement, which lends credibility to the standard, was the last necessary hurdle in its development process.

Expected to be published this spring, the standard was crafted according to ANSI’s strict guidelines by the National Association of Home Builders and the International Code Council, with input from a consensus committee comprised of builders, architects, product manufacturers, regulators and environmental experts. The NAHB Research Center directed the work of the committee and provides certification for green projects.

A number of housing bills brought forward last year sought to tie federal requirements with green building. Among the federal proposals in 2008 were new green building requirements for Hope VI projects and more energy efficiency requirements for building codes in several HUD programs. The 2009 stimulus package has a large allocation to green, and requires that states receiving grant money must update their building energy codes.  This year, comprehensive energy and climate change bills are expected to be brought to Congress.

 

Additional Links

 

 

Energy Star Programs and Products

http://www.energystar.gov/

 

 

US Green Building Council

http://www.usgbc.org/displaypage.aspx?cmspageid=147#projects

 

 

RESNET – Residential Energy Services Network

http://www.natresnet.org/

 

 

Healthy Building Supplies

 

Ultra touch is an all cotton insulation that is safer alternative to traditional fiberglass. The denim is not exactly the hand me down denim jeans, but the waste and scrap from the process of manufacturing blue jeans and other cotton textiles. The materials are cut into strips and treated with a boron solution to retard fire and mold. It is also treated with a pest repellant which his reported by the manufacturer to be non toxic.

 

The Ultra Touch Brand is manufactured by Bonded Logic and has an R value (thermal resistance value) of about 3.4 per inch which is the same as fiberglass and comes in thicknesses from 3.5 in(R-13) to 6 in (R-30) in dimensions suitable for use with 2 x 4 and 2 x 6 framing. The batts are backed with 100% foil and can be used in automatic, aviation and marine settings as well as residential and commercial construction.

Recycled denim spares the landfill additional materials and produces much less energy than other forms of insulation.

 

The denim is also free from substances like formaldehyde and resins that can cause skin and lung irritations.

 

Ultra Touch is a Class- A fire rated and meets LEEDs eligibility requirements.

 

Home Green Home lists their prices of this product for comparison or Branded logic offers a search option on their page to find distributors in your area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Energy Compliant Products

New homeowners tend to spend money on cosmetic improvements such as kitchen and bath remodeling, new floor and wall cover to make their house a home. Over time, long term owners tend to concentrate more on energy efficient upgrades, including insulation, replacing windows and doors, upgrading heating systems and maintaining the quality and condition of the structure.

 

Now all home owners can take advantage of a $1500 tax credit on energy efficient items purchased between 2009 and 2010. To qualify for the tax credit a window or door must meet strict government specifications both its U-factor (the measure of how well it insulates and the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (how well the window blocks heat from sunlight).

 

.Energy ratings indentified by the National Home Builders Association are now recognized by the federal government as energy compliant and therefore energy efficient.

Products that are recognized as having the energy compliant code are eligible for the credit. Additionally, there are also now special green energy ratings for builders of new energy efficient homes.

 

There are now several manufacturers such as Anderson windows that provide a manufacturer’s energy performance certifications for tax credit purposes. Before shopping for windows and doors, check and make sure your manufacturer’s product has been rated.

Changes in Home Construction

Homes have evolved over the years – Here are a few of the ways

Better Energy Efficiency

More windows come standard with low -E glass and vinyl glass rather than aluminum frames. Roof insulation has more than doubled to R-39 or R-42 from R-19.

Upgrades in Modular Construction

Modular homes whose components have been constructed in a factory and completed on site can be spacious, stylish and indistinguishable from the stick built houses.

Healthier Materials

Interior finish materials that contained toxic glues, stains, paint and carpeting have been replaced with healthier variations. Many are water- based rather than oil.-based.

Changes in Layout

More homes are being built with a casual living area in addition to the formal living room other popular trends include, first floor master bedroom suites, gourmet kitchens and enclosed screen porches for fall and winter use.

Smart Wiring

Improved technology now allows, sprinklers, lights, video and security system to be programmed from a remote location rather than turned on and off at the home.