By Boonsri Dickinson
For the Camera
A first-time study of a large-scale production of energy-efficient homes showed that their key selling point quickly evolved from being environmentally friendly to making better investments.
"Often it's thought that the homes would cost more, but this study showed that they cost less," said lead researcher Barbara Farhar, senior policy analyst for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden and an adjunct professor at the University of Colorado.
Farhar received a 2006 Pioneer Award at the World Renewable Energy Congress recently for her social-science work in renewable energy.
The houses studied were built in two upscale neighborhoods in San Diego. One neighborhood was built with energy-efficient features, while the other development had homes powered by the grid. The homes in both developments were priced from $500,000.
The energy-efficient houses resold for $680,000 to $1.1 million. The comparison homes sold from $760,000 to $995,000.
According to the study, the owners of the energy-efficient houses gained $14,492 in value per month. The adjacent owners earned $9,301 each month.
The most important selling point for the homes was the quality of the neighborhood and financial reputation of the builders, and not necessarily energy efficiency.
The solar water heaters and 2.4-kilowatt photovoltaic systems saved the energy-efficient homeowners 63 percent on their electricity bills, according to the study.
Indoor digital meters on the walls allow homeowners to become more energy-concious, according to the study. If a resident does a load of laundry, the meter changes direction as the home pulls electricity from the grid rather than supplying it through solar panels.
But if the resident turns off lights while clothes are washing, the meter ticks backward. "People really liked seeing their meter go backward - they get a big kick out of it," said Ron Judkoff, director of NREL's Building and Thermal Systems Center.
Making sure people enjoy the technology is a huge step in promoting widespread use of renewable energy, Judkoff said.
A year after Eric Doub moved into Boulder's first zero-energy home, he said it's the most comfortable home he's lived in.
"The winter is warm and toasty. The summer is cool and refreshing." said Doub, whose north Boulder home is Colorado's most efficient. "Right now, I am feeding electricity to the grid because it's a sunny day." Retrofitting houses is a trend for residents who want more energy-efficient homes, said Doub, who also owns Ecofutures Building in Boulder.
Updated: Monday, 05-Mar-2007 20:28:47 PST