Renew • Colorado's Remodeling Magazine

Saving energy doesn’t have to be about deprivation. President Jimmy Carter famously suggested that Americans put on sweaters and turn down the thermostat to save energy. Not bad ideas for cutting utility bills, but plenty of new innovations in the intervening decades have also made energy efficiency more comfortable.

Insulation, radiant heat flooring and LED lights can all make your home more comfortable and inviting while using less energy.

Insulate and seal your house

Fiberglass insulation was certainly around in Carter’s time, but various alternative products and methods were not yet in widespread use. Wool, soy-based polyurethane, and recycled newspaper and cotton are all now used to keep out the winter cold and summer heat, and help regulate temperatures throughout the house. Insulating and sealing air gaps can keep cold drafts from bothering your dinner guests, and help you avoid overheating the living room just to keep the kids’ bedroom warm enough for sleeping.

Bestway Insulation of Broomfield specializes in re-insulation. The company typically lifts pieces of siding or drills small holes in brick walls, then compresses fiberglass insulation and blows in new cellulose insulation.

Debbie Weingardt of Bestway said her company first re-insulated with cellulose during the Carter administration to reduce noise levels inside homes near the airport. The homeowners soon realized unexpected savings on their energy bills.

They didn’t sacrifice comfort either. After an early spring re-insulation, Weingardt said the homeowner turned off the furnace on Wednesday, and the family didn’t notice until Sunday. Well-placed additional insulation can help boost comfort in rooms that seem to always remain cold in winter.

Gaps around recessed lights and vent pipes, for example, can be sealed with closed-cell polyurethane insulation. At an R-value of nearly 7 per square inch, it is perhaps the most efficient insulation product on the market. Closed-cell polyurethane is good for sealing gaps, but prohibitively expensive for most whole-house insulation jobs.

Get an energy audit that includes a blower door test and infrared imaging to find air leaks and poorly insulated areas in the home. Also consider caulking and weather-stripping around windows and doors, and installing energy-efficient windows.

Radiant floor heating

Once the house is well sealed and insulated, consider upgrading your heating system for more efficiency and comfort with radiant floor heating systems. The most efficient systems run hot water through pipes to directly warm floors and radiate heat into your house.

The concept has been around since ancient Rome, when baths were heated through underground chambers. The modern version took off in the early 1990s, which is when Dave Strong launched Radiant Floors, Inc., in Aurora. He co-owns the business with his son Derek.

Derek Strong said comfort is the top reason his customers seek out radiant flooring, but energy efficiency is a major side benefit. Radiant floor heating is comfortable because heat rises evenly from warm flooring. The system is silent and it keeps from drying out interior air. It also keeps household air cleaner by not blowing dust and other particles from ducts and throughout the house.

Derek said the upfront cost of a radiant flooring system with a 95 percent efficient boiler is about double the cost of a new forced-air heating system. However, the payback in utility bill savings for radiant heat systems can be as little as five years.

Radiant floor systems can be set to the same temperature throughout the house or designed with zoning valves to optimize comfort in each room. Heated electric coils or air tubes can also be used for radiant floor systems, but they are not as cost-effective or practical for most homes.

Radiant floor heating is most effective with ceramic tile and concrete subfloors, which conduct and retain heat well. Carpets, wood, linoleum and other floor coverings can reduce the efficiency of radiant heat flooring. Wood subfloors also are not ideal, but plenty of alternatives exist for such situations.

Light up comfort

Finally, with warm floors below, add warm, rich lighting above. The right lighting can make any room more comfortable and inviting. However, the most efficient lights are not always the most beautiful. One consistent complaint about compact fluorescent light bulbs is the harsh white light. Though CFL manufacturers have eliminated the flicker of old bulbs and improved the color, many still consider the bulbs less warm than traditional incandescent bulbs.

The efficient, comfortable alternative is light-emitting diode, or LED, lighting. The bulbs, which are really an array of tiny semiconductors, use 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs. They are rated to last at least 25,000 hours, and do not

contain mercury.

LEDs can produce all colors of the spectrum, are dimmable and provide focused, directional light. However, LEDs are still significantly more expensive than incandescent bulbs or CFLs.

Steve Graham is a freelance writer from Fort Collins

Posted on 16 September 2010

Some homeowners aren’t just installing compact fluorescent light bulbs and turning down the air conditioning. They are taking energy savings further and transforming their homes to draw no electricity from the power grid.

Moving toward an off-grid home can lead to financial savings and green bragging rights. It can also mean producing power, making the electric meter spin backwards and generating credits from the electric utility.

Here are ten steps toward moving off the electric grid — five energy-saving ideas and five new power sources. Also, look for state and federal tax credits and rebates when taking any of these steps. Several renewable energy upgrades are eligible for federal stimulus money.

Save energy

One – Insulate and seal the house
An energy audit is the best way to determine existing insulation levels and check for gaps that leak air. A qualified auditor will explain how to seal around window frames that could let out more heat than the window panes.

For Colorado, the federal Department of Energy recommends at least R-38 insulation in the attic, the most important area to insulate. The best way to maximize attic insulation is to hire a contractor and blow in insulation, which is typically made of fiber glass or cellulose. Environmentally friendly alternatives include cotton- and hemp-based insulation. Blown-in insulation is cheaper and faster for contractors to install than batting and other insulation types, and it can fill small and hard-to-reach gaps.

Two – Increase natural light
Solar skylights cut artificial light needs by trapping sunlight in a dome-shaped collector on a south-facing roof and channeling it through reflective tubes and diffusing it into room. Other models move the light through fiber-optic tubes to a room on a lower level or in the north end of the home. Compared with a traditional skylight, the new technology is less likely to leak, more energy efficient and offers more consistent lighting throughout the day. The recessed fixtures can also be combined with compact fluorescent bulbs for nighttime lighting.

South-facing windows also provide natural light and winter heat. The most efficient windows have at least two panes and are coated to reduce heat loss. However, Nancy Kellogg of Treading Lightly Energy and Design said homeowners should avoid windows that are too shaded or too efficient because they reduce the impact of passive solar heat. Insulating shades and curtains are better for reducing heat loss at night and excessive heat gain in the summer.

Three – Use energy-efficient appliances
Look for the EnergyStar label, which indicates 10 to 50 percent less energy usage than a standard appliance or electronic device. Another feature to consider is a delay timer, which allows dishwashers and other appliance to run during off-peak hours when electric demand is lower. With solar electric panels, consider running the appliances during the day when the house is generating power but nobody is home.

Some energy-efficient appliances also have other advantages. For example, a front-loading washer uses less water, reduces wear on clothing and can typically be stacked with a dryer to save space.

Finally, to switch off the grid and generate all your own power, gas stoves and furnaces will need to be replaced with electric models.

Four – Get smart with power strips
Computers, DVD players and other electronics draw power even when they are switched off or in standby mode. New power strips can gauge when such items are idle or on standby and switch off the outlet. Other strips have “smart” plugs alongside conventional plugs, allowing homeowners to ensure consistent electricity to DVRs or other devices that are always on.

Five – Automate the home
To further cut active and idle energy consumption, consider a lighting management system or full home automation system. Lighting management systems use sensors to switch off lights in unoccupied rooms, adjust lighting levels according to ambient light conditions and set lights to timers.

Home automation systems allow homeowners to control various items in the home by remote control, or from the Internet or a PDA. For example, a homeowner can turn off all the lights with the press of a button, even after forgetting to do so before leaving the house. The system can also control temperature more tightly than a basic programmable thermostat. The system can even lower automatically lower shades at sundown to reduce heat loss.

Generating electricity

Six – Go solar
Solar power is popular and constantly in the news, particularly in sunny Colorado. Enough photovoltaic solar panels can power a home of any size for many years with minimal maintenance.

There are also other ways to harness the power of the sun. Solar thermal technology is simple, inexpensive and time-tested. Dark solar panels heat water and transfer it into storage tanks for use in bathrooms and kitchens, radiant floor heating or radiators.

Another simple way to use the sun’s heat is with a small solar thermal panel that works as a space heater. The panel is mounted on the roof or wall, where a vent draws cold air out of the room. The air is heated while circulating through tubes. A fan then blows warm air back into the room.

SolarGreen in Englewood sells all three types of solar panels.

Seven – Plant wind power
Buying offsets from Xcel and other electric utilities is not the only way to use wind power. Wind turbines are now spinning in back yards and on rooftops. They generate electricity any time the wind is blowing, day or night.

The turbines are simple to install and operate with minimal moving parts and little required maintenance. New models are rated to last 30 years, according to Standard Renewable Energy, a Denver company that sells Skystream wind turbines.

This year, Ace Hardware will begin selling a rooftop wind turbine that generates power starting at wind speeds of two miles per hour.

Eight – Go underground
In addition to turbines high above the ground, energy can be tapped from below the surface. Geothermal or geo-exchange heat pumps run a long loop of water pipes underground, where the temperature is higher. The water returns to the home far hotter and can be used to heat the home or fill hot-water tanks. Radiance Corporation in Nederland installs geothermal heat pumps. The firm estimates the pump uses only 25 to 50 percent of the electricity used in a standard heating and cooling system.

Nine – Pellet power
Wood stoves may not be a cutting-edge technology or even a renewable home-based heating source. However, pellet stoves are updating an old standby. The new stoves are highly efficient and clean-burning and they also use inexpensive, locally generated fuel. In Colorado, Confluence Energy is using swaths of beetle-killed trees to create pellets for the stoves. Other companies mix in waste products such as olive pits and walnut shells.

Some pellet stoves are not approved for use on red advisory days, so be sure to check with suppliers or contact the state health department for the approved list. Also look for low-emission stoves that are compliant with EPA Phase II requirements.

A pellet stove can reduce natural-gas heating bills by 30 percent even without other efficiency improvements, according to Staci Griffin of Boulder Stove and Flooring.

Ten – Go Micro-hydro (if you can)
Micro-hydro electricity generators are the least publicized and most selective home power systems. They only work for homes with water flowing through the property. For those rare homeowners, the idea is basically a tiny hydro-electric dam. The water spins a turbine that converts the motion into electricity.

An Energy Alternatives study found a micro-hydro system produces as least 10 times more power than PV solar or wind turbines for the same initial investment.

Photo credits to place with correct photos:

Photo Courtesy of Southwest Windpower

Photo provided by Whirlpool

Photo provided by Lennox Hearth

Posted on 03 September 2009

Increasing rebates and tax credits plus lower prices may equal a good opportunity for solar panels on Colorado homes. Mark Simmons reports 2009 is the ideal time to cut energy bills, shrink carbon footprints and increase home values by installing solar electric or hot water systems.

“I don’t think there’s going to be a better time,” he said. “This is going to be a great year in terms of prices.”

As production catches up with demand, prices for photovoltaic solar electric panels and other components keep dropping. Solar thermal panels for hot water were already relatively inexpensive. Simmons, sales and marketing director for Vibrant Solar in Louisville, expects PV prices to decline gradually throughout the year. However, he doesn’t foresee a sudden drop in price that could offset the immediate energy savings.

“It’s really doubtful that in the next three to five years that the new technology will come out and be affordable,” Simmons said. In the meantime, homeowners can save on electric bills while reducing the carbon emissions connected with the state’s largely coal-powered electric grid.

Lori Kreutzman said she believes prices for photovoltaic solar electric panels have leveled off at a low point. She is the chief operations officer for Next Generation Energy, a Lafayette company that makes and installs both PV and thermal solar products.

Vibrant Solar provided the photo of the Greenwood Village home on this page.

To be sure, other industry experts predict the PV price decline will continue. A shortage in silicon caused recent spikes in PV prices, but analyst Travis Bradford of the Prometheus Institute for Sustainable Development expects a production boom to continue the steady reduction of the price of PV panels through at least 2012.

Still, demand dropped with the global recession, so homeowners can find attractive deals this year. State and federal budget woes also could decrease the current rebates.

Xcel and Black Hills Energy give renewable energy credits, and Xcel has additional rebates. Boulder and Colorado Springs have city-specific credits, and the Governor’s Energy Office launched a new residential solar rebate program this year, specifically for areas not served by Xcel or Black Hills.

Uncle Sam also offers a tax credit for 30 percent of the final cost, with the $2,000 cap on solar hot water lifted in the stimulus bill President Barack Obama signed in Denver. Congress lifted the solar electric cap in 2008. For more information on rebates, visit www.coseia.org.

Simmons suggests optimizing available rebates and tax credits to help cover the largest possible percentage of solar panel costs. This could mean installing fewer panels and not immediately offsetting 100 percent of energy usage. Nonetheless, homeowners can drastically reduce power bills while also minimizing the cost of a solar array.

Solar hot water systems have fewer rebates but they are also cheaper and more flexible to install. Installers can put panels on east- and west-facing roof exposures, as opposed to the south-facing roof typically needed for electric PV panels. However, solar thermal panels require more complex installation, so Kreutzman recommends extra caution in finding a skilled installer.

Even a small solar array — either thermal or electric — can increase real estate values. A 1998 study by the Appraisal Institute found a $10 to $25 increase in resale price for every dollar saved on annual utility bills. In 2008, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy estimates homes with solar PV sell up to twice as quickly as similar homes with conventional systems. Homeowners must wait five years to sell the house after installing solar panels or they must pay back a percentage of the tax credit.

Sellers are also increasingly likely to compete with new homes either pre-wired for solar panels or powered by solar. Gov. Bill Ritter called for such a requirement for any new development.

“Every new builder has to go for zero carbon if they can,” Simmons said. “It would be irresponsible to build a home today without solar.”

Finally, Simmons offers an environmental argument for installing solar sooner rather than later. “The planet can’t afford us waiting,” he said.

Steve Graham is a Fort Collins – based freelance writer.

Posted on 04 June 2009

Sustainable interior design isn’t just biodegradable couches and compact fluorescent light bulbs. The budding green design movement also includes antiques and century-old hardwood flooring.

Brian Dunbar, a green building guru at Colorado State University, defines sustainable design as any project “with a concentration on minimizing the consumption of raw materials and a focus on the reuse of existing materials.” The resulting look can be anywhere from classic to ultra-modern, as long as reuse and recycling is the foremost concern.

Homeowners and professionals can get sustainable design ideas from the American Society of Interior Designers’ green residential remodeling guidelines or the U.S. Green Building Council’s project profiles. However, much of the industry is behind the green curve.

Stephen Kohlbeck runs Tilde Design Studio in Denver and is a member of the USGBC. He said sustainability is not yet a focus for the industry or clients, but he nudges clients toward greener ideas.

“Nobody yet has even asked for it,” he said. “They’re not even really aware that they should be conscious about it. … We’re five years out from having it be the norm.”
Bink Owsley, a designer at Craftsmen Builders in Fort Collins, had the opposite experience.

“I was fortunate to work with some clients that considered environmentally sensitive design a driving force in their projects,” Owsley said. “This spurred me to continue to educate myself on ways of lessening the impact of projects.”

Photo provided by Tilde Design Studio

Kohlbeck recently helped remodel a home with two kinds of recycled components. He found a headboard and other furniture at La Puerta, a New Mexico company that reuses antique wood that might otherwise be trashed or burned. The salvaged scraps form rustic cabinets, doors, railings, bed frames and more.

The laundry room countertops were also recycled, but look new. They are made from paperstone, a strong, durable surface made of recycled paper or cardboard. Kohlbeck also will incorporate paperstone in a new line of furniture he will debut this year.

He is designing a paperstone tabletop on bronze legs made from 90 percent recycled copper. A line of cabinets will use local, sustainably forested wood. For other pieces in his line, he focused on natural fibers, including cotton, flax, linen and silk.

Likewise, Owsley suggests refinishing or reupholstering furniture, instead of replacing with new items. To take sustainability one step further, she recommends organic fibers, local upholsterers and infinitely recyclable aluminum for handles and knobs.

Similarly, older wood floors can be refinished for a beautiful surface that is even more sustainable than popular new flooring made from sturdy, fast-growing bamboo.

“I cringe when I hear about someone ripping out their shiny golden oak floors … and replacing them with bamboo to make their home more ‘green,’” Owsley said. “I’d recommend refinishing the oak, stain it dark or pickle it or even paint it.”

Lighting is another prime consideration in remodeling. Compact fluorescent light bulbs last longer and use less energy than incandescent bulbs. However, Kohlbeck sees them as a stepping stone to the next green lighting trend.

“LEDs (light-emitting diodes) are about to become a huge light source in buildings,” he said. “To me, they are the best type of showcase and art lighting.”

The bright low-power lights are widely used for traffic lights and other industrial applications, and are popular in under-cabinet accent lighting. Within five years, Kohlberg expects them to expand to the rest of the home as the lighting industry perfects the color and brightness.

Natural lighting is an important component of green design as well. Green building design standards focus on getting daylight into the core of a building, reducing the need for electric lighting while the sun is shining.

Owsley also suggests using sensors for bathroom fans and storage room lighting, eliminating worries about turning off the switch.

Finally, most building materials can be salvaged or recycled. Homeowners should insist on recycling the used furniture, flooring and other components being replaced in a redesign project. Even wall studs can be recut and used for trim or accents. In these small ways, homeowners can help make sustainability the norm in interior design.

“It’s trendy to talk about green design but critical to shift our thinking.” Owsley said. “Green design shouldn’t be a separate category, it should be a cornerstone of all design and building.”

Steve Graham is a freelance writer based in Fort Collins.

Posted on 04 June 2009

When paint from the local retail chain just isn’t good enough, homeowners can easily find greener pastures. Everyone from the largest paint manufacturers to the small neighborhood outlets have begun to sell quality “green” paint that is friendly to your family and the environment.

With the lead-paint scare still fresh in people’s minds, paints without volatile organic compounds have become popular.

“We are an environmentally friendly paint store, specializing in non-toxic, zero VOC paints,” says Laurie Hessemer of New Era Paint in Edgewater. As the name suggests, you won’t find toxic substances that threaten the health of people or animals. New Era carries Safecoat, Yolo Colorhouse and Mythic Paint products and thousands of colors.

If the brands are less than recognizable, give them time. From the Aspen Art Museum to the Guggenheimm Museum in New York, Yolo Colorhouse is making its way into the mainstream.

Hessemer says her customers are best described as the “Whole Foods” demographic. Education, health and personal development are important, as are social responsibility and a sustainable economy. Additionally, as younger people begin to raise families, they want a healthy environment for their children. Hessemer cited asthma statistics, which have shown a drastic increase in the past three decades, as one of the reasons why people are careful about what products they use when they remodel. Cancer-causing chemicals found in older products are now red-lighted. “A lot people want nontoxic paint,” she says, and “they’ve done their research.”

Hessemer notes that even in tougher economic times, people still take into account a healthier approach. She cited a home she sold in Phoenix a few years back in which she used green products to spiff up the place. “It made the house more marketable,” she said. She chose Yolo Colorhouse paint, as well as Earth-friendly hardwood floors and countertops. The house sold in three days, she pointed out, to people who care about their environment.

In addition to younger people with an eye toward the environment, Hessemer said senior citizens are also susceptible to allergies and other irritants. As one who offers seminars and speaks to various organizations, Hessemer says interest also has spiked among nursing facilities and hospitals.

Designers, architects and builders are also jumping on the green bandwagon.
From a design standpoint, Christina Kittelstad of Spiral Designs in Lakewood says most clients want to consider earth-friendly options when it comes to paint. “My clients are definitely starting to use green paints on remodeling projects, especially in nurseries, children’s bedrooms, family spaces and home offices, where both adults and children tend to spend a lot of time and air quality is important.”

Although the price of no-VOC paints was prohibitive for some people, that is changing. “As the price has become more accessible, I find that many people are making the switch and enjoying the added benefits of cleaner air quality, less toxins and no fumes,” says Kittelstad, whose company provides color consulting and staging services.

Industry giant Benjamin Moore offers its Natura zero-VOC interior paints in more than 3,500 colors. And as with most of the modern paints, there is hardly any odor, they dry quickly and they are washable. Benjamin Moore products are available at outlets throughout the metro area.

So, whether you’re painting a small bathroom or having your entire house redone by professionals, the kinder, gentler paint options are available to meet everyone’s taste.

Posted on 04 June 2009

The Department of Energy estimates the average American homeowner spends $1,900 per year on energy bills, with half that total going toward heating and cooling.

In turn, more than 70 percent of Colorado electricity is generated at coal-fired power plants, with another 25 percent coming from natural gas. That’s a lot of burned fossil fuels, emitted carbon and dollars used to heat and cool homes.

Fortunately, there are an ever-growing number of solutions. As the green movement expands, the range of energy-efficient products widens and prices drop.

The first step doesn’t involve a major purchase. Adding insulation, sealing drafty windows and doors, repairing ductwork and tuning up the furnace can lead to substantial energy savings.

Most heating and air conditioning contractors can survey a home’s energy use, and other companies offer detailed home energy audits that review every aspect of your home’s energy usage.

Once the current system has reached optimal efficiency, it may be time for an HVAC upgrade. A contractor can evaluate the appropriate size of your replacement heating or air conditioning system.

The federal Energy Star program rates a variety of systems, and recommends replacing any heating system more than 15 years old with a new Energy Star model. The newer technology will quickly bring considerable energy savings, whether through a new gas furnace to fit your existing system or a whole new heating system. Here are a few options:

Efficient gas furnaces: Forced-air furnaces, which use natural gas to heat air and blow it through ceiling ducts, remain the most common heating system in Colorado. While they are typically not the most efficient systems available, the relatively low cost of natural gas makes them an economical option for most homes — and they are consistently becoming more efficient.

Cooper Heating and Cooling in Denver sells energy-efficient gas furnaces made by Lennox and Carrier. Both are modulated, variable-speed models that operate at various capacities in warmer and cooler days, maintaining a more constant temperature in the home, and lowering energy costs.

Cooper operations manager Dave Anderson said the units are chosen for their proven reliability and durability, and they are among the most energy-efficient gas furnaces on the market.

At an installed price of $4,500 to $5,500, Cooper systems are among the most cost-efficient options. No retrofits or other new equipment are typically needed.

Geothermal systems: For a more serious shift, geothermal systems may be the best option for energy-efficient Colorado homes. Geothermal pumps use electricity to draw heat from the earth into your home. The heat from the ground can provide heating, air conditioning and hot water in one relatively simple system.

The systems use 40 to 70 percent less energy than conventional furnaces, according to the Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium. In fact, they are considered up to 400 percent efficient because they can deliver four units of heat for every unit of electricity pumped into the system.

The California Energy Commission’s Consumer Energy Center estimates a geothermal system costs about $7,500 for an average home, plus $10,000 to $30,000 for drilling into the ground to reach the heat source. The center estimates system costs can be recouped in two to ten years through lower utility bills. The savings could add up even faster if energy prices keep rising.

The system also saves maintenance costs, and the underground pipes are often guaranteed to last 50 years. Finally, to help offset the high initial cost, the federal government has a tax credit of up to $2,000 for homeowners who install geothermal heat pump systems.

Some local companies also sell air-source heat pumps, which are very efficient and may cost less than geothermal systems. Unfortunately, they are not designed to work as efficiently during subfreezing periods. Therefore, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy and other experts do not recommend air-source heat pumps in Colorado.

Solar Heating: Solar energy is another fast-growing part of the heating industry. Even the coldest winter days in Colorado can be sunny, so why not capture some of that sunshine to heat your home and keep hot water flowing?

Solar heating systems are larger and more expensive than solar panels that only generate hot water heating, and will likely need a backup gas furnace or other more traditional heating system.

The Department of Energy estimates an installed solar heating system will cost from $30 to $80 per square foot. A larger system will cost less per square foot, and the general industry rule of thumb is two square feet of solar panels for every 10 square feet in the home.
With the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden and 300 days of sunshine, Colorado is a hotbed for the solar industry. There are plenty of resources in the area to answer questions and provide estimates for active solar heating systems.

Floor heating: Both geothermal systems and solar panels can be used ultra-efficiently in conjunction with a radiant heating — essentially, coils that directly warm the floor, with the resulting heat radiating up through the room. Floor heating is more efficient than most forced-air systems because energy is not lost in ducts. It is also better for allergy sufferers to not have air blowing through dusty ducts.

The coils can pump water, air or electricity. Water is clearly the most popular, cost-effective and energy-efficient option for radiant residential systems. The hot water coils can either be directly planted into a concrete slab or attached under the subfloor or finished floor. The most complex systems have zoning pumps and thermostats to regulate the temperature in each room. Even so, these systems use minimal electricity, so they can be a good option for homes off the grid.

Due to the variety of options and details, few companies offer generic
estimates on radiant heat flooring. Anderson Radiant Heating in California projects an installation cost of $6 to $12 per square foot.

Wood heating: A century ago, most Coloradans burned wood to heat their homes. As homes have grown larger and we have grown accustomed to greater comfort, this may no longer be practical. However, a new generation of wood and pellet stoves can help lower heating bills and reduce the household carbon footprint. A wood stove may not heat every room in a large modern home, but new pellet stoves can heat up to 2,000 square feet of space, depending on layout, said Ryan McPeak, sales manager at Rocky Mountain Stove in Lakewood.

“Our customers find the biggest savings is with zone heating,” he said. For example, he said families will often buy a wood stove to heat a living room or den while the family is gathered there. Meanwhile, the furnace can be turned down for the rest of the house, or the heat can be turned off entirely and the furnace fan can be used to spread some of the stove heat around the house.

Thanks to massive thinning of beetle-infested forests, wood is cheap and widely available throughout Colorado.

“If you’re willing to go get it, it’s free,” McPeak said. “We’re not running out anytime soon.”

For those who don’t want the hassle of getting their own fuel, wood pellets — typically compacted sawdust and other biomass waste — are widely available for home delivery. With either pellets or logs, plenty of environmentally friendly options exist. McPeak said all the stoves at his store are clean-burning and approved for use every day of the year, even on red pollution advisory days.

Efficient cooling: Again, geothermal systems offer efficient cooling, but other options exist for those not ready for the geothermal plunge. New central air conditioning models are far more energy efficient than older units, but they can’t top a swamp cooler, according to the federal Department of Energy.

Also know as evaporative coolers, the machines won’t drop temperatures to the arctic climes of an air conditioned home, but they also use roughly one quarter of the energy, according to the DOE. Colorado’s dry, mild climate is ideal for a swamp cooler, which draws hot air from outside the home and blows it over cold water. The cooler, more humid air then displaces warmer air in the house, making for a constant stream of cool, fresh, humid air.

The energy usage can be further optimized with small openings in shaded windows and shades over sunny windows.

Swamp coolers should be drained and cleared of sediment regularly, which is more regular maintenance than air conditioners need. They also continually use water, so they should be used sparingly during drought summers.
Steve Graham is a Fort Collins-based freelance writer.

Solar panel image provided by Namaste Solar

Posted on 07 March 2009

Ask David Andrews what he thinks about the rise in popularity of Energy Efficient (green) Mortgages, and he’ll respond with a chuckle. The branch manager of Cherry Creek Mortgage Co. finds humor in the fact that no mortgage can really be green. “The mortgage itself isn’t green, but the improvements made to the home are,” Andrews points out. While one can question whether a mortgage can actually be green, it is impossible to deny the rise in popularity of Energy Efficient Mortgages and Energy Improvement Mortgages in today’s ever-changing world. As homeowners push to become more green, the lending landscape is adapting accordingly.

According to Forbes Media’s Investopedia, “a green mortgage is a mortgage that sets aside money for home improvements that will increase energy efficiency within the home. This increase in energy efficiency will lower the homeowner’s monthly energy costs, improving their chances of being able to service the mortgage.”  In other words, green mortgages are based on the premise that a more energy efficient home will result in lower monthly utility bills. Because a person will pay less in utility bills, the savings will translate into income, allowing the homeowner to qualify for a larger loan. That person can either buy a bigger home, or increase the size of the remodeling job they’ve planned.

The process for establishing an energy efficiency rating on a home is fairly simple. First, the home is appraised to determine its value. Then, as Andrews explains, an energy rating is performed on the home, typically using a blower door test. “A big fan is placed in the front door, all the other doors are shut, and air is blown out to see where it is leaking from,” he says. “Smoke sensors are used to determine where the air is leaking.” Once this process is completed, an E-Star rating is given to the home. E-Star ratings are part of a certified national program that measures efficiency on a scale of 0-100. The E-Star rating is incorporated into the loan, which increases the loan-to-value rating, raising the amount of money that the homeowner is able to borrow from the lender.

There are a number of examples of what can be incorporated into a green mortgage, says Jim Van Buskirk, Mutual of Omaha’s vice president of mortgage lending for Colorado. “Examples include straw-bale construction and using solar energy outside the power grid by installing solar panels onto the roof of the existing home,” he says. Replacing windows, reducing drafts by sealing air leaks, sealing leaky ductwork, sealing the crawl space, adding insulation and purchasing a high-efficiency water-heater, furnace or heat-pump are other examples of ways to save energy.

Green mortgages have been around since the late 1970s, but for a number of reasons have never really blossomed. One reason is that banks and lenders simply haven’t raised awareness of the product.

The green loan requires a lengthy and detailed process for underwriters.

In some cases, they do not promote energy mortgages in order to save themselves the hassle. Andrews believes that while loan originators are trained on the subject of green mortgages, they rarely use them, so they aren’t top of the mind. “An analogy is when a sales person is trained on a certain product, but doesn’t sell the product. Eventually, they will forget what the product is about,” Andrews explains.

Andrews is able to lend even more insight as to why green mortgages aren’t more popular in the remodeling world. “If a homeowner wants to replace their windows, then they think about energy savings. If they want to upgrade their kitchen, bath, etc., then they aren’t really thinking about energy savings,” he says. However, because nearly every appliance and fixture has some type of efficiency rating, there are ways to save more energy within every project.

Those interested in pursuing a green mortgage should know that all of the national secondary mortgage markets offer energy mortgage products. From Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae to the FHA and VA, energy mortgages are available.

Remember, the best reason for home remodeling is to make your family more comfortable. Every home improvement project – whether or not it’s a green remodel – offers a different return on investment, based on a number of factors. So make sure to put a smile on everyone’s face when doing your part to save the environment.

Mitch Chrismer is a Denver-based freelance writer.

Photo provided by Hunter Douglas

Posted on 29 September 2008

Once upon a time, in order to feel luxurious in a bathroom one would simply light some candles and settle into the bath with a good book. Oh, how the times have changed. In today’s world, luxury is expected in contemporary bathrooms. From flat screen televisions set behind mirrors to warming drawers for towels, the pampering possibilities are endless. And as modern bathrooms continue to emulate luxurious spas, the growing trend is to go green.

Energy and water savings are paramount in today’s luxury bathrooms, as the world concerns itself with the environment much more so than in years past. Bathrooms are the biggest user of water in the entire house, so any reduction helps. Modern toilets use less water per flush, shower heads mix air bubbles into the water stream to reduce water flow, and tankless water heaters are becoming increasingly commonplace, saving both energy and water. For obvious reasons, the trend toward the green side is here to stay, and manufacturers of bathroom fixtures are producing more products that reflect this change in ideology.

While the trend is apparent to most, what exactly is spurring this evolution to spa-like bathrooms? Only a few decades ago, bathrooms were as small as closets and only served a functional purpose. Now, bathrooms are tripling and quadrupling in size in order to include the myriad luxurious amenities. According to Eric Balstad, a certified kitchen designer with Parrish Construction, a cultural shift in America is inspiring this movement toward extravagance in the bathroom. “Women are driving this, because they enjoy the spa-like experience more than men. Today there are more working women with more money than in years past. Guys just spend 20 minutes, do their business, and they’re out. Women want to be pampered and have more time to themselves.”

Though women may be the motivating force behind this trend, men certainly can’t complain because they are reaping the benefits as well. What guy wouldn’t enjoy watching the Rockies beat the D-Backs on a flat screen television hidden behind a mirror? Or, who wouldn’t appreciate LED lights hidden inside the floor tile? As one heads to the bathroom in the middle of the night, the soft lights come on to illuminate the path. And is there anybody who wouldn’t enjoy having a heated towel waiting as they step out of the shower onto their hydronically heated tile?

Perhaps the best thing about updating the bathroom to more closely resemble a spa is that in doing so, it is possible to help the environment, in addition to making the bathroom experience more hygienic as a whole. A Rinnai Tankless Water Heater will deliver hot water to fixtures twice as fast as old water tanks, saving time, energy and water.

The Hansgrohe company is introducing touchless technology into the home, allowing users to turn on water from a faucet simply by placing their hands under the spout, thus making the bathroom more hygienic by reducing potential contact with nasty germs. Not to mention, as Balstad states, “it just looks cool.”

Speaking of new showers, one of the coolest features available today are rain heads coupled with body sprays. Lefty Longa, general manager of Hutter Wholesale, terms this “the full-body car wash.”  This technology makes for a completely unique shower experience with streams of water coming from all directions using multiple jets and heads. A Kohler Digital Programmable Water Controller only enhances the experience by controlling the temperature and intensity of each individual showerhead with a master panel that is programmable to fit each user’s desired specifications. As Longa points out, why not turn the bathroom “into a spa experience?”

The popularity of greener and more luxurious bathrooms is chiefly inspired by Japanese design and technology, according to Balstad. While remote-controlled toilets that talk to their “masters” have yet to make a splash in the U.S., many other aspects of the Japanese bathroom are showing up in American bathrooms. One such example is Toto’s Aquia Dual Flush Toilet. When the user selects No. 1, the toilet will flush using only 0.9 gallons of water. When the No. 2 function is selected, the toilet flushes with 1.6 gallons of water.

As Balstad states, “personal hygiene is taken more seriously in Japan, and is now catching on the United States.”   Another Japanese feature that is destined to balloon in popularity in the U.S. is a new, powerful, touchless hand dryer that dries hands in seconds. Thomas Perito, manager of Dream Home Designs in Denver, said his is “the only showroom in the United States to feature the Japanese Toto hand dryer.” The showroom features other fixtures and innovative products that would freshen up any design.

When it comes to the bathroom, there are limitless options that one can incorporate when remodeling. Doing so with an eye toward saving some of Colorado’s limited water resources and energy supplies is a great way to save some green while greening the bathroom.

Mitch Chrismer is a Denver-based freelance writer.

Photo provided by Kohler Co.

Posted on 18 September 2008