Solar Home Tour:

 The 2008 tour will be guided on 14 passenger vans which will visit houses demonstrating sustainability features, including solar electricity generated from photovoltaic panels, cisterns for collecting water for irrigation, solar collectors for heating domestic water, native plant landscaping, passive solar design.

Tours will last approximately 2 hours, with departures every 20 minutes (approximately) starting at 10:00 am, with the last tour leaving at 1:00 pm. There will be hors d'oeuvres and wine tasting on the tour (for those over 21). Tickets will be available at the Sustainability Fair for $15.

Del Rey Oakes Residence, Janis and Anton Prange

“It is a matter of stewardship of the world in which we live.”

Among the green features of our house are solar panels which provide more than enough electric energy for our annual use. We completed our first year of use with a surplus of 220 kwh.

We have also installed a tankless water heater which heats the water only on demand. Our first six months of use are not sufficient to make any judgment concerning the amount of energy saved although there is an apparent change in energy used. We also have a programmable furnace thermostat. Our two wood stoves save on our use of natural gas but in the grand scheme that is undoubtedly offset by the polluting exhaust from the stoves. We also have a gas clothes dryer. This may be more efficient that an electric dryer but no longer more economical for us.

We are concerned for our carbon footprint and the availability of needed energy sources for future generations. It is a matter of stewardship of the world in which we live.

The solar panels and associated equipment have been maintenance free other than an occasional hose washing of panels. The tankless water heater does require some changes in expectations, i.e., there is a delay of several seconds between initial demand and production of hot water. This delay occurs every time the water is turned off and on again. Therefore the user must leave the water running while showering, shaving or washing dishes if he wants a continuous supply.

Monterey Residence, Bill & Mariam Meléndez

“What we generated in 11 months equaled what we used in 12 months.”

In September 1981 Larry Weingarten installed our solar hot water system: two 4’ X 8’ collector panels on the carport roof, an 82 gallon water storage tank, and an inline on-demand Paloma gas water heater. Twenty-six years later we continue to benefit from the relatively trouble free system. An electronic controller has been replaced twice, due to external problems. We also repaired a small water leak in one panel.

In August 2006 Solex installed a renewable energy photovoltaic system consisting of 15 – 190 Watt Sanyo panels, on our roof, to deliver 2.85 DC kW. A Xantrex 3.0 kW Inverter and necessary related wiring and electrical boxes are in the car port, adjacent to the PG&E meter. It was fun to see the original analog meter’s rotating disk run backward when the system was activated. Then PG&E installed a digital meter. This one was replaced when a power surge at their substation “fried” the first one. Over one year, the so called “true-up period” we have reached our goal of “zero” in about 11 months. What we generated in 11 months equaled what we used in 12 months.

.It is a one family-at-a-time effort to use renewable energy sources in order to reduce our reliance on non-renewable sources.

The history of our first year confirmed the appropriate sizing of the system by Solex. We were pleased with the installation process. We have had a one year trouble-free installation. PG&E responded quickly when we had the power surge. We received adequate compensation for electrical appliances that were “burned-out” during the power surge.

Highway 68 Residences, Los Picos Development

Solar photovoltaic electric system, solar hot water system, rainwater collection, insulated concrete form construction


“It is a wonderful feeling to watch the sun rise and to know that one is not only beginning to create valuable electricity, but one is also reducing one’s negative impact on the environment.”


The “Green Features” of 25000 Bold Ruler Lane can be broken into three categories: 1) Construction Methodology, 2) Energy Efficiency, and 3) Resource Generation.

1. 25000 BRL was constructed using Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs), which dramatically reduced the amount of lumber required to build the house. Also, reclaimed materials were used in a number of instances, namely roof tiles and most inner and some outer doors.
   
2. ICF construction, in conjunction with dual pane window technology, substantially improves 25000 BRL’s thermal efficiency. With walls having an “R” value around 60, or nearly 4 times the thermal efficiency of those in classic timber framed / fiberglass insulated houses, 25000 BRL substantially reduces the energy required to heat the house. Moreover, a radiant heating system was installed using “WarmBoard” technology (radiant heating hoses imbedded in aluminum clad pre-channeled 11/8 ” plywood), which further optimizes heating requirements as this heating methodology works especially well with high R value walls.
3. 25000 BRL has three areas in which an investment was made to generate resources:
   • 3.1. A 6.5kw photo-voltaic system, the largest possible system that could fit on the main south facing roof segment, was installed. It typically generates 50%-80% of the house’s electrical requirements, depending on occupancy and time of year, and it is frequently a net provider of electricity to the PGE grid from late morning to late afternoon, when the grid needs electricity the most.
   • 3.2. A 4 panel solar water heating system was installed on two dependent structure south facing roofs and along a south facing retaining wall to generate heated water for the swimming pool. This system is expected to provide for substantially all of the pool’s heating requirements for 8 months of the year.
   • 3.3. A rainwater management system was installed that redirects about 80% of all rainwater collected from the roofs, through a complex network of gutters imbedded within the external portion of the ICFs, to a 23,000 gallon rainwater cistern. This water is used to irrigate landscaping and is expected to materially reduce garden related water usage.
     

Carmel Residence, Safwat & Allyson Malek

“We, as Enviro International Architects Builders, have been promoting environmental stewardship for over 20 years.”

This home is the First Solar Home in Carmel-By-The-Sea. We are proud of our association with Solex who did an excellent job coordinating my design into their installation. The panels are recommended by Solex. One of the features is their translucency. We incorporated two panels in a specially built skylight in the Living Room. It is a “conversation piece”.

Twelve Panels were installed on the roof. Aside from the solar panels, we are using low VOC paints, recycled material from the original house such as framing lumber, old hardwood floors, etc. Natural materials are used whenever possible. The design incorporates 16’ wide two sliding glass doors facing South. The lower level and two bathrooms on the main level are heated by Hydronic hot water pipes supplied from a 75 Gallon high efficiency hot water heater that supplies the domestic hot water to the home. The furnace is a high efficiency with sealed ducting.

We, as Enviro International Architects Builders, have been promoting environmental stewardship for over 20 years. We believe in the Greening of the Construction Industry. We use what we know whenever we have the opportunity to do it.

We applied for ENERGY STAR & BUILD IT GREEN CERTIFICATIONS for this project

Safwat Malek
Enviro-International.com
Architects . Builders
831.626.3490