Photo by Mo's Portraits, Golden, Colorado
Dr. Barbara C. Farhar
Consultant and Advisor in Sustainable Energy Policy Analysis
Ph.D. Sociology, University of Colorado, Boulder; M.A. Sociology, University of Colorado, Boulder; B.A. Sociology, Magna cum laude, University of Colorado.
Dr. Farhar is adjunct professor at the University of Colorado, and was a senior analyst at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado. She has been directing research on technology/society interactions and diffusion of innovations for more than 25 years. A Senior Policy Analyst, she gained national recognition for her work on the human dimensions of energy efficiency and renewable energy. Dr. Farhar has worked in energy since 1977 when she initially joined the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI), now the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). She is an expert on public perceptions and preferences on energy and environmental policy. She has published on geothermal facility siting issues at federal lands, including geothermal resource assessment and policy analysis, and on Native American interest in geothermal energy. She has recently completed a comparative market assessment and utility analysis of the first production builder development of high-performance homes in the United States. Dr. Farhar has produced more than 240 publications and papers on the relevance of behavioral analysis to energy policy, strategic planning for federal research, public opinion about energy and environmental policy, societal response to weather modification technologies, energy efficiency R&D planning, and technology transfer. She also publishes on the relationship between gender and energy. She has been published in Annual Review of Energy and the Environment, Public Opinion Quarterly, and Science. Dr. Farhar is on the board of the Colorado Renewable Energy Society.
10 Tips to Increase
Your Energy Efficiency
- Turn off lights and appliances when not in use.
- Replace incandescent light bulbs with Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL's) and save 60-75% on your electricity usage.
-
Cut down on waste and phantom loads:
- Use switchable power plugs on TV's, computer monitors, and other appliances that are "on" even when they are off.
- Turn up your air conditioning a few degrees; install an evaporative cooler or whole house fan.
- Unplug the old garage refrigerator that you only need "sometimes".
- Hang dry your clothes, especially if you have an electric dryer.
- Purchase Energy Star appliances.
- Install insulated windows to reduce heating and cooling needs.
- Get an audit to discover your lifestyle carbon footprint and your next best steps for saving energy and money.
- Get an Energy Audit to evaluate how well your home is insulated and sealed, and how well your heating and cooling systems are operating.
- Purchase Renewable Energy Credits or Wind Power from your utility.
- Install solar electric or hot water (thermal) and generate your own energy at home!
Upcoming Events
SOLAR 2008!
May 3-8, 2008
Town and Country Resort & Convention Center
San Diego, California
Website
SOLAR 2008 is the premier technical conference for solar energy and energy efficiency professionals in the U.S. Now in its 37th year, this industry-leading conference series offers you the emerging trends, technological breakthroughs, industry insight, and connections you need to stay ahead.
2008
Colorado Renewable Energy Conference
June 6 - 8
Website
World Renewable Energy Congress-X
Glasgow, Scotland 19-25 July 2008
Barbara Farhar, Ph.D. is chairing the track on “Energy and Gender-Equitable Development” Other members of the technical committee include Gail Karlsson (U.S.), Dominique Lallement (U.S.), Priyadarshini Karve (India), Dr. Wendy Annecke (South Africa), Dr. May Sengendo (Uganda)
Second call for abstracts has been published.
Check the website for details: www.wrenuk.co.uk
On the Path to Zero-Energy Homes
ZEH Continuum (pdf, 468k)
In the News
Denver Post Business Interview
Recently Published
“Advancing a Market for Zero-Energy Homes.” 2008. Solar Today, 22:1, Jan./Feb., pp. 24-29.
Barbara Farhar and Timothy Coburn, “A New Market Paradigm for Zero-Energy Homes, A Comparative Case Study,” Environment/Science and Policy for Sustainable Development, 50: 18-32. Jan./Feb. 2008.
A New Market Paradigm for Zero-Energy Homes: The Comparative San Diego Case Study
B. C. Farhar and T. C. Coburn, December 2006
Executive Summary (pdf, 105K)
Vol 1 (pdf, 5Mb)
Vol 2 (Appendixes) (pdf, 15.6Mb)
Abstract
We studied the first development of 306 high-performance homes by a production builder in the United States from 2001-2006 using a diffusion-of-innovations perspective. These homes were highly energy-efficient and came with solar water heaters standard. One- third came with 1.2 PV systems standard and buyers could opt for 1.2 or 2.4 PV systems in the remaining PV-eligible homes. The study focused on the builder experience, market response to high-performance homes, increases in home values over time, and the consumption and cost of electricity and gas in the high-performance and adjacent comparison homes. The comparison community of 103 homes was built by a different builder, but was of similar vintage, size, and price. Although built to title 24 standards then in effect, the comparison homes were offered with no special energy or solar features standard. The study addresses the home sales prices, resale prices, the uptake of optional PV systems, the demographics and other characteristics of the home buyers, the role of energy in home purchase decisions, satisfaction, policy preferences, and utility consumption and costs in these homes based on data provided by SDG&E. A new way of thinking about offering new ZEHs is discussed.
Recognition
Dr. Farhar received the Solar Pioneer Award at the World Renewable Energy Congress-IX in Florence, Italy, on August 23, 2006 for her work on increasing the understanding of the human dimensions of energy efficiency and renewable energy, including gender and energy and public opinion about energy.
The West Chamber named her an Outstanding Woman of Jefferson County on November 17, 2006 for her passion for life and her accomplishments in social scientific research and her international work.
She chairs the Technical Committee on Gender-Equitable Development and is a member of the Policies Committee for the World Renewable Energy Congress-X, Glasgow, Scotland, August 2008.
Updated: Tuesday, 26-Feb-2008 21:25:42 PST