Summary: Green Living and Green Real Estate Boston
Article Keywords: Green Real Estate Boston, Green Living
Green Living
Living in an environmentally friendly manner is not only beneficial to the earth, but can be cost effective to you as an owner or renter as well. At Boston Brokerage Group, we represent many landlords, sellers, and developers who have taken the extra steps to make their properties “green.” We also feature a collection of agents who are Eco Broker certified, showing their commitment. You can find out more about living green and this designation by taking a look at the links below. We will also be updating this page with current trends and information on living green that is both interesting and can save you money. Feel free to contact us for additional information.
http://www.ecoproducts.com/ : Collection of environmentally friendly products
http://afs.nonprofitoffice.com/ : Alliance for Sustainability
http://www.buildinggreen.com/ : Information on reducing stress of building on environment
http://www.greeninstitute.org/ : The Green Institute
http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/green/ : Boston.com’s guide to green living
Current News
Plastic A, B, C’s and 1, 2, 3’s!
It crops up in everything from clothes to coffee canisters, but how much do you really know about plain, old plastic? Find out with this quiz:
http://www.thegreenguide.com/food/safety-storage/plastics-quiz
Coca-Cola and LivePositively.com
Join us in celebrating Earth Month by donating to Ocean Conservancy.
For over 15 years, we’ve partnered with Ocean Conservancy to clean litter from the world’s waterways. In 2009, Coca-Cola associates from around the world helped with the International Coastal Clean-up (ICC). In the past 24 years the ICC has gathered 8 million volunteers to remove more than 125 million pounds of marine litter from 270,000 miles of beaches and inland waterways. The data they collect is then analyzed by Ocean Conservancy staff and used to help find solutions for reducing marine debris.
There are lots of ways you can help the cause. Donate your time, your money or your My Coke Rewards® points to Ocean Conservancy. To honor your commitment, Coca-Cola will also make a contribution.
One Family Goes Green to Extreme
CBS News
One family went for a year without using many items they considered wasteful — including toilet paper — to try and live their lives with as little environmental impact as possible.
In 2006, Colin Beavan, his wife, Michelle Conlin, and their daughter, Isabella, began the experiment, which is now the subject of a new book and documentary called “No Impact Man.”
Read an excerpt of “No Impact Man”
Their experiment meant no carbon dioxides, no driving or flying. The family traveled by foot or by bicycle. They ate only unpackaged, locally grown food. They also stopped shopping for anything new.
“It’s not about deprivation. It’s not about not taking care of yourself. It’s the opposite,” Beavan said. “It’s about seeing is it possible to have a good life without wasting so much.”
And rather than ship waste to a landfill, Beavan had a compost bin in the living room, complete with worms.
But the year wasn’t always easy. Some compromises were made along the way. But when the lights were switched back on, Beavan and Conlin cheerily saw a year that meant so much more than living without toilet paper.
Beavan said, “What if we called it, ‘The year I lost 20 pounds without going to the gym once’? Or if we called it ‘The year we ate locally and seasonally.’ There are actual benefits to living environmentally.”
Beavan said the inspiration for the project was concern for the planet.
He said, “We were reading so much about global warming happening, and we were just frustrated because what can any one person do? So we thought we’d try to do what we could.”
Conlin said when her husband proposed the idea she said “yes.”
“He was really excited about it,” Conlin said, “and I had just seen the movie ‘An Inconvenient Truth,’ so that really — it was kind of perfect timing. And he was very excited about it, and I thought this is for a great cause. So I’m game.”
But how hard was the idea in practice?
Conlin said the hardest part was breaking the habits of waste.
She said, “By three months in, the (health) dividends were so enormous that it was really an incredible adventure.”
Beavan added when the family learned to turn the television off, members spent more time together as a family.
“It was interesting that we let go of the so-called conveniences and efficiencies, and found other joys,” Beavan said.
But what did the family eat?
For breakfast, the couple said they ate a lot of corn-meal porridge in the winter, but in the summertime, they ate berries and cantaloupes and other locally-grown, unpackaged foods.
“We lost weight because we were eating so much better,” Beavan said.
In addition to eating better, the couple said they also stopped using the elevator, as well.
Conlin said, “We had automatic cardio built into our day. … It was great. We didn’t have to go to the gym.”
The couple has since turned the lights back on in their home and is taking the elevator. However, they do not use air conditioning.
“It’s really not hard not to waste,” Conlin said. “It was a great joy and a pleasure that made me happier to feel like I was treating the planet with more respect, and it made our family more intimate and close to let go of the distractions.”
Conlin added, “This was a great lifestyle redesign for us. We’re not saying anyone else should do it, but we discovered enormous joys and benefits by redesigning our lifestyle in a way that just wasn’t wasting and harmful to the planet.”
The Guru of Green
Boston.com
Becoming a grandparent is a life-altering experience for a lot of people, but for Daniel Goleman, it was more than that. It was a planet-altering experience.
The prolific psychologist and science writer is best known for his 1995 bestseller “Emotional Intelligence,’’ which challenged existing definitions of what “smart’’ means. (He factored in interpersonal strengths, such as people skills and empathy.) He parlayed the book into a mini-industry as a researcher and lecturer promoting emotional literacy in schools and at work.
But having grandchildren propelled his work in a new direction. He has four, between the ages of 3 and 10, and like a lot of grandparents found himself thinking about the world that he’d be leaving them. Given what he does for a living, Goleman worried about things like global warming and toxic chemicals in the water and soil, problems he felt were exacerbated by his generation’s propensity for making and buying things without necessarily considering their impact on the environment.
“Unfortunately, [my grandchildren’s] world is likely to be a sadder version of the world we know now, because of our collective everyday choices,’’ said Goleman, 64. A former science writer for The New York Times who writes books about subjects he feels passionate about, Goleman was starting to feel passionate about this one. The result is his latest book, “Ecological Intelligence: The Hidden Impacts of What We Buy,’’ just out in paperback in time for Earth Day, which is Thursday.
Read more here.
Features of ENERGY STAR Homes
To earn the ENERGY STAR, a home must meet guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These homes are at least 15% more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC), and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20–30% more efficient than standard homes.
And with homebuyers increasingly interested in green building, energy efficiency is the place to start. That’s because the energy used in homes often comes from the burning of fossil fuels at power plants, which contributes to smog, acid rain, and risks of global warming. So, the less energy used, the less air pollution generated. And the easy way to make sure a new home is energy efficient is to look for the blue ENERGY STAR mark, the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency. Learn more about how Green Begins with ENERGY STAR Blue 
(130KB).
Any home three stories or less can earn the ENERGY STAR label if it has been verified to meet EPA’s guidelines, including: single family, attached, and low-rise multi-family homes; manufactured homes; systems-built homes (e.g., SIP, ICF, or modular construction); log homes, concrete homes; and even existing retrofitted homes.
ENERGY STAR qualified homes can include a variety of ‘tried-and-true’ energy-efficient features that contribute to improved home quality and homeowner comfort, and to lower energy demand and reduced air pollution:
1. Effective Insulation
Properly installed and inspected insulation in floors, walls, and attics ensures even temperatures throughout the house, reduced energy use, and increased comfort. Learn more about Properly Installed Insulation (149KB).
2. High-Performance Windows
Energy-efficient windows employ advanced technologies, such as protective coatings and improved frames, to help keep heat in during winter and out during summer. These windows also block damaging ultraviolet sunlight that can discolor carpets and furnishings. Learn more about Qualified Windows (212KB).
3. Tight Construction and Ducts
Sealing holes and cracks in the home’s “envelope” and in heating and cooling duct systems helps reduce drafts, moisture, dust, pollen, and noise. A tightly sealed home improves comfort and indoor air quality while reducing utility and maintenance. Learn more about Efficient Duct Systems (163KB).
4. Efficient Heating and Cooling Equipment
In addition to using less energy to operate, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems can be quieter, reduce indoor humidity, and improve the overall comfort of the home. When properly installed into a tightly sealed home, this equipment won’t have to work so hard to heat and cool the home. Learn more about:
- Qualified Heating Equipment (142KB)
- Qualified Cooling Equipment (178KB)
- Mechanical Ventilation (140KB)
5. Efficient Products
ENERGY STAR qualified homes may also be equipped with ENERGY STAR qualified products — lighting fixtures, compact fluorescent bulbs, ventilation fans, and appliances, such as refrigerators, dishwashers, and washing machines. Learn more about ENERGY STAR qualified products:
- Qualified Appliances (153KB)
- Qualified Lighting (170KB)
- Advanced Lighting Package (91KB)
- High Efficiency Water Heaters (177KB)
6. Third-Party Verification
With the help of independent Home Energy Raters, ENERGY STAR builder partners choose the most appropriate energy-saving features for their homes. Additionally, raters conduct onsite testing and inspections to verify the energy efficiency measures, as well as insulation, air tightness, and duct sealing details. Learn more about Independent Inspection and Testing (182KB).
Green Design Trends in 2010
Carla Davis | Realty Times
The recession may have you staying put instead of moving up. Let’s look at what the experts say are some of the green design trends for your home in 2010.
The American Institute of Architects reports that “without the rapid appreciation in home values seen between 1995 and 2005, design of kitchens and bathrooms has recently been somewhat more modest. Functionality is now preferred to more and larger kitchens and bathrooms within U.S. homes. Households are placing a premium on products and features that promote energy efficiency, and adaptability in the use of space for seniors and those with accessibility concerns. … Integrating kitchens with family space remains a design priority, as does including areas devoted to recycling, pantries, computer workstations, and spaces devoted to recharging laptops, cell phones and PDAs.”
This kind of “reverse growth” is a blessing when it comes to cost savings. The average U.S. household spends around $1,900 a year on utility bills. The U.S. Department of Energy says green ways can cut your bills by up to 25 percent. Functional design is a good place to make big changes.
Some other popular green trends include:
- LED lighting: The abbreviation for “light-emitting diode,” these environmentally friendly lights give off the same light as regular 40 watt bulbs, but they last 50 times longer, making them a cost-effective option for lighting your home.
- Water saving toilets: Low flush toilets use only 1 to 2 gallons of water per flush compared to the usual 3 to 5 gallons.
- Renewable flooring: All renewables are not made the same, and a savvy homeowner should explore what option best fits their needs. You can choose from bamboo, natural linoleum, cork flooring, and even wood floors.
Other design trends take us to color. Following the green movement, color choices for 2010 reflect the return to an earthy mentality. Earth tones are very popular, using less dye and chemicals to produce. And while global colors are also popular for design, such as yellow, orange, green, and plum, there is another issue to take into consideration when choosing them.
Green hues may be optimistic and uplifting, but recent studies have shown that the color green –outside of natures — can itself be toxic. According to the New York Times article, The Toxic Side of Being, Literally, Green, “Take Pigment Green 7, the commonest shade of green used in plastics and paper. It is an organic pigment but contains chlorine, some forms of which can cause cancer and birth defects. Another popular shade, Pigment Green 36, includes potentially hazardous bromide atoms as well as chlorine; while inorganic Pigment Green 50 is a noxious cocktail of cobalt, titanium, nickel and zinc oxide.”
The best alternative to chemicals, when it comes to paint, could be low and zero voc. As well, a wealth of organic upholstery fabrics are found on the market today. Go green!
Sealing Your Home from National Geographic
Green Solutions for Kitchen and Bath Decor
Tom Kraeutler | AOL News
Whatever the style and color scheme of your kitchen or bath remodel, it’s getting easier to add a little green. Products that incorporate recycled materials and are free of harmful, off-gassing chemicals are increasing in availability and offer beautiful solutions for interior design. Following is a selection of products to consider for your own project.
Walls
Sherwin-Williams now has two lines of environmentally preferred GreenSure interior paint in its product palette. Duration Home? Interior Latex is a low-VOC (volatile organic compound), lower-odor waterborne formula with superior washability and resistance to burnish marks and mildew. Harmony® Interior Latex is completely VOC-free, as well as anti-microbial, low odor and silica-free for quick occupancy of newly painted spaces. Also a waterborne formulation, Harmony is available as both a primer and topcoat in flat, eg-shel and semi-gloss finishes.
Add unexpected texture and a contemporary twist with Jelly Bean Rocks tile, a new creation from Fireclay Tile. The Jelly Bean Glass style makes use of tumbled recycled glass pebbles, which are mesh-mounted in a field of semi-transparent glass. Varieties featuring natural stone pebbles in different colors and patterns are also available.
Countertops
Create a custom countertop or luminous vanity with selections from Oceanside Glasstile. The beautifully handcrafted result of sustainable manufacturing practices, all Oceanside tiles are composed of silica sand, an abundant natural resource, and 86 percent recycled material –in fact, that soda bottle you dropped into recycling months ago could wind up in your home again, as Oceanside uses over two million pounds per year of glass collected from curbside recycling programs. Finishes range from shimmering irridescents to matte that mimics cast ceramics, and all eight collections can be mixed and matched to suit your style.
IceStone transforms glass from computer screens, crushed windshields and more into VOC-free cast countertops available in a spectrum of appealing colors. This durable material can also be used for flooring or wallcovering.
Make surfaces sleek and unique with recycled aluminum countertops and tiles from Eleek. Thanks to a non-toxic, non-reactive sealing finish that creates a resemblance to weathered stone, they don?t fingerprint like stainless steel, and are stain-proof, heat resistant up to 300 degrees, and durable.
Floors
Old wood finds new life in reclaimed flooring from TerraMai. From their Northern California base, the company’s reclamation team travels around the world to rescue rare, old-growth wood from structures slated for demolition. The resulting flooring products range in style, tone and finish, but all have incomparable beauty in common.
Teragren actually grows its own flooring products, transforming a rapidly renewable species of bamboo into solid strip, strand and wide-plank varieties. Their new Synergy product provides extra toughness by combining bamboo fibers, an environmentally safe adhesive and extreme pressure for a result that?s 100 percent harder than Red Oak — not a bad option for high-traffic kitchens.
Cabinetry and trim
Greenway Cabinetry’s Breathe Easy? line allows you to do just that with systems designed with indoor air quality in mind. Cabinets are constructed from responsibly harvested solid wood, formaldehyde-free plywood boxes, and non-toxic water-based glues and finishes. A range of door styles are available, as are custom designs.
Among BioShield’s many paint and finish offerings is Aqua Resin Stain Finish, a water-based, solvent-free, zero-VOC, low-drip product that’s resilient enough for use outdoors or in. Eight wood colors and ten vibrant accent shades are available for application to windows, doors, wood paneling and architectural woodwork.
New Smart Building Technology May Soon Help You Save Energy
Introducing the EMMA system of energy efficiency.
There’s an exciting, brand new technology aimed at reducing a building’s carbon footprint. Does it have applications for residential homes? We think so.
The technology is called EMMA (Environmental Management Solution) and it was developed by Australia-based sustainability consultancy Knowledge Global. EMMA is an automated solution for monitoring, tracking and forecasting a building’s carbon footprint. EMMA collects information about electricity use, human traffic, weather forecasts, waste and even air quality to build a daily snapshot of a building’s carbon footprint. EMMA then compares that snapshot against historical data to determine an “optimal forecast” for that day’s carbon footprint. If the energy efficiency of the building deviates from the optimal forecast, building owners and managers are alerted via cell phone or e-mail (or both) about the issues.
Perhaps the most interesting feature of EMMA is the wireless “eggs” that the systems uses to keep occupants aware of their energy efficiency. These eggs are placed at the end of hallways, in lobbies and other places and they glow green or red based upon a building’s energy efficiency. This way, people are constantly made aware of the energy they’re using and are more conscious about their affect on the environment.
It’s not a far cry to think this could be easily implemented in residential homes. Monitors could be set up in a home to track electricity use, water use and other metrics and fed into an online interface.
This way, consumers could log in to a web interface and get updates on their home’s energy efficiency at any time. You can also place the wireless egg monitors in a home, which would be a fantastic way for average consumers to keep aware of their energy efficiency.
Imagine seeing an egg glow red in your home, checking the energy statistics of your home online and making adjustments based up on that information.
Pretty neat, huh? Read more about EMMA .
Destiny: America’s First Eco-Sustainable City
A prototype for future cities, Destiny will be a forward-thinking Environmentally Planned Community of Today™ operating with minimal impact on the environment and a hub where the latest clean technology innovations will emerge.
While Destiny’s boundary is marked by 64-square miles, its footprint is much smaller, with a compact design and a focus on preservation. Destiny will preserve more land than it uses. Through its creation, many thousands of acres will be protected, forever safe from development. Destiny will only utilize previously disturbed land, leaving untouched and pristine open space intact.
The idea of creating a sustainable, self-contained urban center outside of existing city borders was developed and adopted in the Central Florida Regional Growth Vision. The consortium of organizations identified areas in the Central Florida area where independent, self-sustaining urban cores could be created to halt continued sprawl from existing cities.
Read more here: http://www.destinyflorida.com/index.php?src=gendocs&ref=about_us&category=Main
Green Financing
Energy-Efficient Mortgages | Ecobroker.com
Technology Snapshot & Benefits:Energy-efficient mortgages are one of the most beneficial and under-utilized programs the consumer can find and capitalize upon in today’s real estate market. An energy-efficient mortgage can add an additional 15% of a home’s appraised value to the principal of a new loan or a refinance, often at no additional cost, no compromise in the loan-to-value ratio for the borrower, and sometimes at a better rate. Yes, one pays a bit more in principal and interest, at today’s rates, roughly $30-50 dollars per month, over the course of the loan. However, when this extra principal is used to install energy efficiency measures, it is not uncommon for the property owner to realize $75-100 per month in energy cost savings. When working with a lender who offers and understands the energy-efficient mortgage programs available, the steps for the borrower are very straightforward.
Estimated Cost Savings:
There are no additional costs associated with many energy efficient mortgage options, other than the cost of the additional $15,000 in amortized principal and interest (PI). By definition, the savings created by the energy efficiency measures are greater than the additional PI. This provides the assurance lenders need to conclude loans of this nature are good business.
In fact, the attractiveness of the energy efficient mortgage options also extends to lenders. What happens is that as the borrowers make the stated energy efficiency improvements and create monthly utility bill and other savings, their monthly cash-flow improves. This improvement in monthly cash-flow makes the borrower an even more stable and reliable customer, less likely to present the prospect of default.
Issues:
Most energy-efficient financing programs require that the borrower has an energy rating on their existing or new home. A rating typically involves an inspection by a professional energy rater who is certified under a nationally or state accredited home energy rating system (HERS). The Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) provides a database of Certified Home Energy Raters by state.
Regional Issues:
Energy-efficient mortgages and other financing options for energy efficiency improvements are available throughout the U.S. and internationally.
Installation (Getting it Done):
The first easy step is to talk to a few lenders, such as the affiliates here on the site, and then prepare to have a certified energy rater come and conduct the analysis of your property. Your lender will also have suggestions as to energy raters who work with them on energy efficient mortgages, just as your lender has an appraiser with whom he/she works to conduct appraisals.
For more information on energy efficient mortgages, see the links below and the Web sites of our ECOBROKER Affiliates in the lending industry.
More Information On This Topic:
U.S. Department of Energy’s Consumer Energy Information: Elements of an Energy-Efficient House
U.S. Department of Energy’s Consumer Energy Information: Professional Home Energy Audits
RESNET’S Home Energy Rating System Information
Top 3 Boston Condo Energy Upgrades
http://bostonrealestateobserver.com/top-3-condo-energy-upgrades/
Perform an Efficiency Audit from The Home Depot
Home Depot offers a fairly comprehensive energy efficiency audit you can do yourself based on your estimates and individual living arrangement. Check it out at: http://www6.homedepot.com/ecooptions/index.html?MAINSECTION=energyaudit.
Condo Energy Efficiency
http://bostonrealestateobserver.com/condo-energy-efficiency/
Bobby Quinn Becomes Contributor to Boston Real Estate Observer
Ecobroker certified, and currently with the Boston Brokerage Group, Bobby Quinn joins the Boston Real Estate Observer as a regular contributor.
With a special interest and expertise in green building and condo developments in the environmentally friendly space, Quinn is considered a “utility agent”, and does a little bit of everything, most recently taking over the property management division of the Boston Brokerage Group. Quinn also has experience in Financial Services and real estate syndication.
The Boston Real Estate Observer continues to identify thought leaders and experts, such as Quinn, in various real estate related fields who serve as regular contributors to the publication in an effort to bring readers a comprehensive content portfolio. For more information on becoming a regular contributor to the Boston Real Estate Observer, contact us using the link at the top of this page.
Changes that pay
Aubin Tyler | Boston Globe | December 6, 2009
Households use about a fifth of the total energy consumed in the United States each year and generate 21 percent of the nation’s carbon dioxide emissions, according to the US Department of Energy. With growing concerns about climate change, government subsidies for renovating existing homes to a higher standard are rolling out as never before. Whether homeowners are looking at extra insulation, new heating equipment, or even solar panels, it’s easier — and more economical — than ever to lower monthly utility bills by a third or more. Here’s how to get started.
1 Get Audited
The first order of business in improving energy efficiency is to set up an energy audit. This is typically a room-by-room inspection, often with specific tests to assess airtightness and insulation. An audit will “quickly reveal the weakest link in the chain,” says Mark Price, a sustainability specialist with building systems consultants Steven Winter Associates in Maynard. Often, the priority is to stop leaking air. “If there’s air leakage, extra insulation won’t work.”
MassSAVE, a partnership among the state, energy efficiency contractors, and utility companies, offers free basic energy audits for homeowners in one- to four-family structures (masssave.com or 866-527-7283). It will pay up to $2,000 for weatherization and up to $1,000 for efficient gas heating upgrades. Most state residents already contribute to the MassSAVE program. “Every utility has what’s called a conservation charge of $1.50 or $2 per month per customer,” explains program manager Jerry Hanna. “All of that is thrown into a pot for energy efficiency programs.”
Phyllis and Marc Theermann, who live with their two elementary-school-age daughters in Wellesley, accelerated their efforts to improve their 1920 home’s energy efficiency in September after a call from a Woburn company, National Energy Audits, which guaranteed a 20 to 35 percent reduction in energy bills. “I almost never answer those kinds of calls,” says Phyllis, a writer who blogs on sustainable living for Sears. “But we knew we had [air] leakage, because it’s an old house, and we knew there wasn’t enough insulation.”
The Theermanns’ audit included a blower door test. A powerful fan that mounts into the frame of an open exterior door pulls air out of the house, depressurizing the inside; higher air pressure on the outside then forces air back into the home through any openings. “You can actually feel where the draft is coming in,” Marc says. An infrared camera is often used while the blower door is running to detect hard-to-find air leaks and areas of missing insulation. The blower door and infrared tests can cost several hundred dollars or more, but both MassSAVE and National Energy Audits provide it free if the homeowner opts to go ahead with energy upgrades, as the Theermanns did.
Cador Pricejones, a project manager with Newton builder Byggmeister, wanted to improve his own home’s energy efficiency even more — by 75 to 80 percent. He tapped Energy Efficiency Associates in Stow to rate his two-family in Somerville according to a scale called the Home Energy Rating System (HERS). Says Pricejones: “It’s like an advanced energy audit” that uses computer simulation to pinpoint areas for improvements.
On the HERS scale, less is more. Most new homes rate 100, whereas older, draftier houses can rate 130 or more. To earn the government’s Energy Star label, new homes must rate 85 or less, a level many in the business say is still too high. Increasingly, green building advocates and researchers at the US Department of Energy are trying to achieve Net Zero Energy homes that have HERS indices of zero or less. These super-insulated homes use no energy or actually produce energy from solar panels or some other renewable source. The Pricejones home, built in 1914, started with a HERS index of 120. The target? Thirty-seven.
2 Seal Up Your Home
The audit on the Theermann house showed it was losing heat from its foundation, which the contractor handled by applying a nontoxic insulating foam along the rim joist. The home also needed extra insulation. Because the house is clad in brick, cellulose (recycled newspaper) insulation was blown into the exterior walls from the inside through a series of drilled holes. “We had already installed many energy-efficient windows a few years [before], leaving only a few left for us to switch out as time and budget allowed,” Marc says. With tax rebates — about $2,000 from the utility company National Grid and another $1,500 in federal tax credits — the couple wound up spending nothing on the $3,500 job. “The results are amazing. There is almost no fluctuation in heat anymore,” Marc says. “I would estimate that we will save at least 25 percent on our heating bill this winter.”
In Somerville, a “deep-energy retrofit” of the Pricejones home included applying 4 inches of closed-cell polyurethane foam insulation on top of the old siding and trim. “It’s like putting a down comforter around the whole house,” Pricejones says. New wood siding and wood trim went over the foam. To stop air leaking from old, inefficient windows but still retain their original sash and rippled glass, Pricejones took the unusual approach of installing new dual-glazed windows — at about $400 each — over the old. The new windows act like super-efficient storm windows, while the old now function as a third glazing, which reduces heat transfer — the principle behind high-tech triple-glazed windows, which would have cost about $800 each, he says.
National Grid is now looking at a pilot program to help homeowners pay for deep-energy retrofits, which can range from about $30,000 to $100,000 or more.
“My motivation is for climate change, to reduce my carbon footprint,” Pricejones says. But “we’re also saving money in fuel and electric costs and the house is much more comfortable.” He adds: “The biggest proponent is my mother-in-law, who lives in a drafty old house in Cambridge. She loves to come to our house.”
3 Ditch Old Appliances
When it comes to household appliances that are 10 years old or older, replacing them with today’s more energy-efficient models is money well spent — and energy saved. (And new appliances add to the resale value of the home.) Under a proposal submitted for federal approval by the state Department of Energy Resources, Massachusetts residents could be eligible for $6.2 million in federal stimulus-funded rebates for exchanging inefficient clothes washers, dishwashers, refrigerators, and freezers for new Energy Star versions. If approved, the state rebate program would begin in late February or early March.
Energy Star does not rate clothes dryers, but newer models do come with moisture sensors that shut off the dryer when clothes are dry, saving energy and fabric wear and tear. To really conserve, dry clothes on an old-fashioned wooden rack or clothesline. A new Energy Star-labeled dishwasher uses less than half as much energy as washing by hand and saves nearly 5,000 gallons of water a year, according to the government’s Energy Star website.
Savings can be had for bigger-ticket items as well. For non-solar water heaters, biomass stoves, and qualified heating and cooling equipment purchased this year or next, the federal government offers tax credits of 30 percent of the cost, up to $1,500 (energystar.gov/taxcredits).
4 Use Reclaimed Building Materials
Along with their new energy upgrades, the Theermanns have been remodeling their home — one room at a time — for the past 5½ years. The result is a mix of new and old, like sleek aluminum cabinets in the kitchen paired with a wall of crates found at the Brimfield Antique Show. “New construction is great, but it wastes resources,” Marc points out. “Our home is modern and recycled.”
In one of the bathrooms, the couple replaced old floor tiles with antique terra-cotta tile. “The workman said he couldn’t install it,” Marc says. “For most vendors, it’s new for them to use stuff that’s old. You can’t rely on the architect or builder to source interesting materials. You really have to push your contractor, your carpenter, your electrician.”
Their latest project is to turn the empty attic space above their bedroom into a loft office for Marc, who works from home for a German mobile-tech start-up company. He and a friend did the demolition, ripping out the ceiling in the bedroom. He’ll recycle fiberglass insulation previously used in the attic floor and plywood salvaged from the flooring. “Reusing R30 fiberglass insulation in the rafters is not the most ideal choice, but instead of throwing it all out, we are renewing — not adding to the landfill,” he says. “Plus it was better on the budget.”
He and his wife found a vendor for reclaimed lumber during a visit to the building showroom at the Green Roundtable, a Boston affiliate of the US Green Building Council. “We may pay a little more now,” Phyllis says. “We believe in treading [more lightly] on the planet.”
Charlie Allen of Charlie Allen Restorations in Cambridge recommends the Boston Building Materials Co-op as a source for quality materials, including green products. Allen kept all the wood windows, original moldings, flooring, and plaster walls while renovating his own 1839 Greek Revival home. “Old houses . . . are inherently green, because you’re not using energy to create the fabric,” he says.
5 Consider Solar Panels
In March, Nancy Robbins Thorne-Thomsen, husband Eli, and their two young children became homeowners at Wisdom Way Solar Village, an affordable green home development in Greenfield. So far, four of 10 planned two-family homes have been built, each with its own rooftop solar panels. “Because the homes are so very efficient, this capacity will net to zero — or very close — if the owners are at all careful in their electricity use,” says Anne Perkins, who spearheaded the solar village project as director of homeownership programs for Rural Development Inc., a nonprofit based in Turners Falls. Incidentally, the Thorne-Thomsen home has a HERS index of 7 to 8. In June, the utility company gave the family $30 for generating excess solar electricity. “The kids love telling people they make their own electricity,” Nancy says.
For his retrofit, Pricejones has contracted with Nexamp in North Andover to install 25 solar panels on the roof, estimated to produce 5.25 kilowatts of electricity. “With a few additional upgrades, that should take care of 100 percent of my electricity and my tenants’,” he says. With rebates and credits from the state and the federal government, he estimates that he’ll pay only $16,500 — less than half the installed cost of $36,700.
The federal government is now offering a 30 percent tax credit — without a cap — for solar panels installed by 2016, as well as for other improvements such as solar water heaters and small wind turbines (energystar.gov/taxcredits).
But will solar work in chilly Massachusetts? The experts say yes. Compared with an average 5.5 or 6 peak hours of sunshine per day in the Southwest, New England averages about 4.5 peak hours per day over the course of a year, says Robb Aldrich of Steven Winter Associates, engineer for the solar village in Greenfield. “It’s not as sunny here, but the sun still shines.”
Big solar statement for Fenway Center
Casey Ross | Boston Globe | December 4, 2009
The developer of a $500 million complex in Boston is dramatically expanding its solar installation, creating the largest private solar facility in Massachusetts, and one that -with its prominent location next to Fenway Park – will become the most visible example of the state’s embrace of renewable energy.
John Rosenthal’s Fenway Center project will have 1,200 solar panels on the rooftops of its five buildings that will generate up to 650 kilowatts.
The panels will supply all the power needs of a new commuter rail station Rosenthal is also building, making it the first energy-neutral transit facility in the state.
Yesterday state officials granted Fenway Center its most important environmental approval, paving the way for Rosenthal to soon begin construction after more than a decade of planning and delays.
Patrick administration officials cited the expansive solar facility as a key factor in its favor.
It is also a particularly per sonal achievement for Rosenthal, a longtime environmental activist who was jailed three times in the late 1970s and 1980s for protesting nuclear power plants.
“To leverage my business to produce green power is a dream come true for me,’’ he said. “This is certainly a wonderful turn of events.’’
Rosenthal had previously planned a smaller solar installation at Fenway Center, but decided to increase it substantially after the state and federal government boosted the value of tax credits that developers can use to finance such projects. It will cost $7.5 million to build the 650-kilowatt array, but Rosenthal estimated the tax credits will allow him to recoup his installation costs within four years. He will then use the proceeds from electricity sales to pay off the debt used to purchase the panels themselves.
“The Fenway Center project is demonstrating that advanced environmental measures can be incorporated into private real estate development on a compelling economic basis,’’ said Ian Bowles, state secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs.
Rosenthal has created his own power company, Here Comes the Sun LLC, and in addition to supplying electricity to the train station, he expects to sell power to tenants of Fenway Center. He also hopes to add another 100 kilowatts of solar generation at a later date.
The complex is huge: 330 apartments, 370,000 square feet of office space, 90,000 square feet of stores, and a garage with 1,290 parking spaces, spread over 4.5 acres between Brookline Avenue and Beacon Street, on the Fenway Park side of the turnpike.
Also part of the development will be the new commuter rail station Rosenthal will build in exchange for winning the designation to build on public land, with the state picking up a portion of the cost.
The energy generated by the solar array will be enough to power not only the train station, but also about 100 apartments that are part of the development.
Rosenthal expects to begin the first phase of construction, on the train station, as early as next summer.
State and city officials believe that because of its prominent location, Rosenthal’s project will help demonstrate the possibilities of solar energy.
Several of Fenway Center’s buildings will also straddle the turnpike on a large deck, making the solar panels visible from multiple directions in an area of the city traversed by thousands of commuters daily.
The next-largest privately built solar array in Massachusetts is a 500-kilowatt facility Harvard University is building at one of its buildings in Watertown.
There are several larger solar facilities proposed for the state, but those would be at government-owned properties: The biggest is a 1.5-megawatt solar system at a waste-water plant in Pittsfield, while a 1-megawatt installation is proposed for the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.
Rosenthal first proposed the project more than a decade ago, but he repeatedly ran into planning snags and neighborhood opposition. Fenway Center’s size and makeup also changed during that period.
It received a major boost earlier this year when the Patrick administration agreed to pay for some of the additional cost associated with building over the turnpike, a large expense that has stymied developments such as the Columbus Center project nearby.
Because Rosenthal is building on and over turnpike land, he will have to lease the property from the state. So to help him get started, the state will allow Rosenthal to knock off up to $65 million from his lease payments to cover the additional construction costs. Overall, his lease payments to the state should run around $300 million over the 99-year agreement.
Fenway Center still needs several permits to proceed, including a final approval from the state Department of Transportation. Nonetheless Rosenthal expects to start on a new Yawkey commuter rail station this summer. Once finished, he is planning to put a kiosk in the station that will illustrate how the solar panels will be used to power the station.
“It’s such a centrally located site that it presents a tremendous opportunity for demonstration and education,’’ Rosenthal said. “Hopefully, people will see the power we’re generating and see a way to turn their own meters backward.’’
Energy-efficiency projects get $39m
Erin Ailworth | Boston Globe | November 25, 2009
The US Department of Energy awarded $39 million for four Massachusetts projects that will demonstrate technologies and systems to make the electrical grid more efficient and reliable. The money is part of $620 million in matching stimulus funds being doled out for similar projects across the country.
In Massachusetts, utility company NStar is receiving $7.6 million to help pay for two pilot programs. The first will allow Newton and Hopkinton residents to monitor and reduce energy use when demand is high. The second will test how to connect renewable energy sources such as electricity-generating solar panels in Boston to the grid.
Two other Massachusetts projects are getting a combined $31.4 million. One, run by battery maker Premium Power Corp., of North Reading, will show how to incorporate energy storage systems on the grid. Tyngsborough-based Beacon Power Corp. also will examine energy storage issues, by using a flywheel plant in Chicago that produces energy.
Earth friendly holiday season tips
Over the Xmas season, the western world generates a lot more rubbish than at other times of the year. Here’s a series of tips to help you reduce your upcoming Xmas impact on the environment.
1. Shop online. Sometimes online retailers will have better pricing than bricks and mortar stores, plus you’ll save fuel in travelling from store to store, time and stress! Items purchased online are often shipped straight from the factory to you, so it can also cut down on the overall freight impact.
2. When heading out to do your Christmas shopping, take your ownreusable bags rather than using the plastic ones provided by stores.
3. When purchasing gifts, try and think “earth-friendly” every step
