INTERGRATED CONSERVATION SYSTEMS
Well-insulated, airtight, and already fitted with a Heat Recovery Ventilation system, the Maison Project provided a perfect opportunity to perform minor conservation efforts to maximum financial benefits, while incorporating renewable energy. Multiple small steps added up to significant savings of both energy and costs. Vampire or phantom loads were eliminated with the use of timer outlets and energy smart power strips. The computer was set to advanced sleep modes. Occupancy sensors were installed in closets, and compact fluorescents replaced many of the 65W incandescent light bulbs. Once we minimized the indoor electrical consumption, we added 4.2 KW Solar Photovoltaic Array to reduce the home's carbon footprint as well as the family's utility bills.
This beautiful historic home is given another life with a complete remodel and addition - A perfect time to improve its resource efficiency. It all starts with the basics: insulation and air sealing, the two most important items to help reduce heating bills in cold climates.
The Funston Project features a classic 1940s home with occupant comfort issues stemming from an improperly insulated bonus room with drafty knee-walls. These attic knee-walls are among the most commonly under-insulated areas in today's homes and routinely cause high utility bills and low comfort levels.
PowerHouse's goal is to integrate all available technologies where appropriate, and this is exactly what we did with this project. Our prescribed upgrade included LED lighting, programmable thermostats, weatherization, insulation, garage door repair, and re-placing registers to gain maximum efficiency from their existing forced air system.
The Owner's Center is a low use common use facility that historically had high utility bills, but not anymore. PowerHouse has successfully separated low use and high use areas, exchanged inefficient incandescent lamps to high quality compact fluorescents, controlled plug loads such as computers and water coolers, installed programming thermostats to control temperatures for maximum savings, switched the hot water heater with a highly efficient on-demand unit, and spray-foamed the rim joist to reduce air infiltration.