Homeowners face many decisions when it comes to building or improving an energy efficient home at a price that fits their budget. Preparing your home for a sustainable future involves making cost-effective changes to its structure.
Going green offers home owners ways to conserve energy and costs. A green home also benefits the health of the home’s inhabitants and may include reusing natural or manmade materials for building, insulation, furniture, paving, and other purposes. Wise use of the Earth’s resources helps to ensure the sustainability of the planet.
Vatican – going green
On November 26, 2008, the AFP (Agence France-Presse) reported that the Vatican is adding solar panels to one of its key buildings:
“The 2,400 panels on the 5,000 square metre roof of the Paul VI auditorium, near St Peter's Basilica, where popes hold general audiences, will convert sunlight into 300 megawatts of electricity a year.”
These panels will satisfy the energy needs for the entire structure, saving enormous amounts of money each year on the Vatican’s utility bill.
To enhance going green at home, consider installing solar panels. These panels help you to maintain the roof of the future. Solar panels harvest the sun’s energy and utilize it for purposes such as heating and cooling water and indoor air. The energy that you harvest from the sun is virtually free, providing you with the ability to consume less energy such as gas and electricity from the local utility company.
One type of solar panel that is more expensive is the solar PV panel. According to the National Association of Realtors www.realtor.org, “Solar PV stands for Solar Photovoltaic, which are the panels used to create electricity. PV cells are comprised of semi-conductors, most often made of silicon, which convert sun power into electricity. These are different from (and more expensive than) solar water-heating systems.”
First steps in investigating solar energy
If you are interested in the environmental and financial advantages of solar energy, one option is to contact a roofing company or solar panel company in your area. Ask for an estimate for how much it will cost to purchase and install solar panels on your roof.
Another option is to shop online for solar panels. For example, a Google search of “solar panels” reveals thousands of web sites. Homeowners can also seek information from Internet consumer guides or green building forums. Choosing the right solar panel company may also mean seeking a referral from your personal contacts (i.e. a neighbor or friend). Seek information from a person who has already used solar panels on their home for greater than a year. Or, you might know a roofer or builder who regularly sells solar panels to his or her clients.
How much roofing area do you need on your home? On August 12, 2008, EcoHome Magazine reported that “a typical residential system usually requires about 100 square feet of clear surface area per kilowatt of PV capacity.” The system will “be able to satisfy about one-half to three-quarters of the home’s electricity demand.” That is somewhere between 1 and 3 kWh for most homes.
EcoHome Magazine also reported that the cost of Solar PV panels is falling in the present market. With the cost of solar panels dropping and the financial benefit of financing the solar panels with your mortgage, solar energy is more accessible to homeowners.
From safe and clean energy to conservation of limited natural resources, homeowners can discover many advantages of solar panels. Wouldn’t you like to decrease your energy costs for heating, cooling, and hot water? You can opt for more expensive panels like Solar PV on a section of your roof with southern exposure. In going green, you can choose the roof of the future—a roof that harvest sunlight with solar panels.
You can purchase solar panels and in some states you can receive significant incentive and tax rebates and grants, check www.dsire.org, or if you are more adventurous or have less to spend you can build your own solar panels.
