U r b a n T r e k k e r

Don't Call it a "Green Home" Unless It's Certified

 
Yup- you read that right. I attended the 'Color Me Green Understanding within the Lines in the Green Real Estate Business' class for Realtors at NVAR Convention the other day. The first presenter, Julie (can't recall her last name, sorry..) that speak on behalf of EERE (Energy Efficiency Renewable Energy) Department of Energy, said it that "..if you are selling a house that have many of eco-friendly features -  just because it has those features - you can't call that home, is a "green" home." Unless, the house is certified via third-party verification. For example, Energy Star. Or Earth Craft. LEED. Etc.

The verification process is the most important part of a green home. This is what I write before in my previous post.

"Does it mean that without certification we won't be able to put a label that this house is green? Yes you got it right. Though, the certification itself is 'voluntary' but, you can be assured that this is almost a 100% sure thing. For labeling purposes, it is required to get the homes 'independently' certified. The thing is without certification, there won't be green homes. Who's to say that the home is in fact a 'green home?' How do we (customers) know it? "

The five features that sellers can use to market their home when their home has some of eco-friendly products:

1. energy improvements
2. water savings features
3. reused/ reclaimed
4. healthy spaces
5. green living

What you can do if your house is not certified as green, is to have a generic statement about the eco-friendly products' features. Tell a story if you will, by "quoting" the benefits of these features from the sources, i.e. for energy-efficient appliances you can use Energy Star, Watersense for water savings appliances and etc. Just don't call it green. I once saw an agent put it in a remarks that the house this agent listed has 4 geothermal systems installed, thus, it's a green home. Huh?

She also says to 'keep the receipts.' So you can show it to your buyers that your home does have some of the eco-friendly features above.

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Second Life for Most C&D Materials

You probably heard this term before the 3Rs of waste management strategy 'reduce, reuse, recycle.'  The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments has a searchable online database  for reuse and recycle construction material. (you can also download the recycling guide here -pdf).

According to MWCOG, most construction and demolition (C&D) materials are reusable or recyclable. These are things like metals, concrete, bricks, asphalt, untreated wood, cardboard, appliances, fixtures, carpet, and more.

Furthermore, by recycling, it actually helps buildings earn 'green' certification. 

Projects that recycle 50% of their waste can earn 1 point. A 75% recycling rate can earn a second point. An innovation credit point is available for projects achieving 90%+ recycling. To earn construction waste management points, projects must develop a construction waste management plan, identify recycling goals, and quantify waste generated and recycled either by volume or by weight.

[via MWCOG]

I think you can also purchase some of the construction materials from stores listed in the directory. For example, there are stores (here and here) that sell antiques and architectural salvage items, i.e. pre-1960 doors, bathtubs, stained glass, etc.

2009 Virginia New Green Laws

Legislation passed by the General Assembly in 2009 in Virginia becomes law effective July 1, 2009. The same thing with the no text message bill while driving law that will become law come 7/1.

These are the new "green" laws for 2009, that includes land development, environment and taxation:

Preservation of Historical sites (SB 1416) - allows the local governments to establish areas of known historical or archaeological significance and to require development applicants to document how they will preserve such resources.

Land Preservation Credit (HB 1891/SB 986) - reduced from $100,000 to $50,000 the amount of the land preservation credit for tax years 2009 and 2010. Affected taxpayers may claim the credit for two additional years. 

Open-Space Easements (SB 907) - authorizes estate trustees to donate open-space easements to obtain estate tax exclusions.

Green Roofs (HB 1828, HB 1975/SB 1058) - allows localities to offer incentives for green roof construction.

Certification of Buildings (SB 1004) - allows architect to certify energy-efficient buildings for local taxation purposes.

Geothermal Heating (SB 1128) - requires the Board of Health to allow the construction of wells used solely for closed loop geothermal heating systems.

Clean Energy Financing (SB 1212) - allows localities to provide loans for initial acquisition and installation of clean energy improvements.

Stormwater (SB 982) - requires localities to provide full or partial waivers of charges to any person who redevelops or retrofits property to permanently reduce stormwater flow and pollutant loading. 

[via Update]

There you have it..

For more in-depth coverage of these bills, check out Virginia Legislative Information System. And to learn more about other Virginia green initiatives, go here.

Weekly Real Estate News Roundup

The iHouse, story on Jetson Green

Home Works: Preserve Your Paint
Before electric lighting and clean heat sources, home interiors built up a layer of soot during cold-weather confinement. Back then, washing the walls was a mainstay of spring cleaning.

On a Rock in a Hard Place
On a cold, drizzly, late November morning in downtown Seattle, prefab buildings are not the first thing on most people’s minds—a roaring fire in a cozy cabin is more like it. But for Peter and Mark Anderson, of Anderson Anderson Architecture, the two aren’t mutually exclusive. Prefab, with its ambitious ideal as an everyman’s architecture, holds the promise of making that cozy cabin dream both accessible and affordable.

Easy Home Makeovers
You've stared at the bare spot above the couch for one too many years. Until you find art you can commit to―or in place of it―try a quick, inexpensive, attractive, and changeable-with-your-mood alternative: a framed piece of fabric.

5 home repairs you shouldn't ignore
You might be tempted to put off fixing your home until the economy rebounds. Rebuild the patio? Sure, right after your 401(k) rallies. But some problems, if left unchecked, can lead to thousands of dollars in repairs (rebuilding a foundation wall, for instance) and might even compromise your family's health, such as mold contamination.

RESIDENCE: Passive Solar "Cascade House"
Having moved from Arizona to Toronto, the owners of this modern home looked to Toronto-based architectsPaul Raff Studio to create a passive solar design that would maximize daylighting for a bright interior reminiscent of their previous sunny abode.

First-time buyers benefit from housing slump
Kostas Kalaitzidis wanted to buy a home when he moved to Phoenix in 2008, but between his modest salary and the expensive market, he couldn’t swing it.

Want to Sell Your Home? Lower Your Price
One of the hardest things a home seller has to do is lower the asking price. Not only does it mean making less money on the sale, but it also shows weakness in an increasingly competitive market. A price reduction is often a red flag to home buyers that the seller is in no position to negotiate and that further reductions are possible.

Recession Remodeling
AS THE LOUSY ECONOMY makes large homes tough to maintain—and the tight credit market makes them even tougher to sell—the rules for remodeling are undergoing their own extreme makeover.

Train and The City
One exciting ripple effect of President Barack Obama's commitment to high-speed rail, which he demonstrated with an $8 billion pledge in federal stimulus money, is the promise of economic development in the areas surrounding transit hubs.

ADDITIONAL NEWS FROM AROUND DC REGION:

• Wiehle Ave. Metro gets stimulus money [Washington Business Journal]
• Seller, Salesman [Washington Post]
• Letter from Baltimore: Preserving the Preakness [Metropolis POV]
• Dumpy Brightwood Building Gets $4.6 Million Makeover [Housing Complex]
• Merrifield Development Authority Seen as One-Time County Effort [Fairfax Gazette]
• America's Top 25 Towns To Live Well [Forbes]
• A recession lesson for policymakers: There's a big upside to having fewer cars on the road [Examiner]
• Emission set to double in Germantown [Gazette]
• A Waterfront Hideaway That Grows [Washington Spaces]

Weekly Real Estate News Roundup

Experian Will No Longer Offer FICO Score Access to Consumers
Borrowers have less than 10 days to see their FICO credit scores calculated by Experian Group Ltd., one of the three biggest personal credit-rating bureaus.

To buy vs. not to buy a house in 2009. At the end of the day, you made the call
5 Reasons to buy now
5 Reasons not to buy now

Investment Sales Dilemma: Anyone Want a Building?
To hear Martin Kamm describe his life as a debt broker these days, you find yourself picturing CNN’s Anderson Cooper reporting from the scene of the latest natural disaster.

Is it Possible to Combine Solar Thermal with a 'Hot Water on Demand' System?
Question: Is it possible to combine solar collectors for hot water with a "hot water on demand" system? (I know anything is possible, but installers are not interested in complications from what I can see.)

Housing Appraisals: Still Blowing Bubbles?
Home appraisers played one of the less well-known roles in pumping up home values and contributing to the current financial crisis.

Fannie Relaxes Underwriting Rules for Cash-Out Refis
Government-sponsored entity Fannie Mae (FNM: 0.65 +25.00%) announced in a memo dated from Wednesday that it has relaxed its underwriting rules for certain cash-out refinance activities for borrowers with Fannie-held mortgages.

California Real Estate Agents Provide Misinformation About Radon
A Silicon Valley real estate agent told her clients, “There is no radon in California.  You don’t need to worry about it.”

Eco-Friendly Storage Solutions
Looking to organize and de-clutter your home or workplace and want to do so with environmentally-sensitive materials? 

ADDITIONAL NEWS FROM AROUND DC REGION:

• My Home is Worth What? [Washington Post]
• Lee Highway Could be Next for Revitalization Planning [Arlington Gazette]
• Will Metro Start Closing at 10 pm? [WTOP]
• Dranesville Task Force: It's Budget Slashing Time [McLean Gazette]
• A Dubious Distinction: The Longest Ride in the U.S. [Washington Post]
• Route 123 to Lose Lane Until 2011 [McLean Connection]
• DRB Approves Stream Restoration [Reston Connection]
• Floored by Choices? [Washington Home and Garden]
• 'Palatium' Project Unveiled to F.C. Council [FCNP]
• Stage Theaters Breathe Life into Neighborhoods [Wash Biz Journal]

Montgomery County, Md. Tops 'Enlightened' Suburbs

Yup- Montgomery County, Maryland, is the number one 'enlightened' suburbs. Surprise?  The thing Utne Reader says about enlightened is "the stereotype of suburbs sometime selfish and soulless. But, there is a thing or two about spirit and livability."

Not only Mont. County is on top of the list, but it recognizes the fact that the county also has one of the very first 'New Urbanist' communities in Kentlands. (A bit history of Kentlands, here.) This is a bonus: Takoma Park counts as the leftiest burb. Maybe? They should say 'the most progressive burb' in this area. It sounds better..

Here's what Utne Reader says about the County:

A mostly affluent stretch of communities northwest of D.C., it?s home to probably the leftiest ?burb anywhere (Takoma Park) and one of the very first New Urbanist communities (Kentlands). Montgomery County stands out as a national leader in preventing sprawl by preserving thousands of acres of farmland. It has also achieved impressive results on affordable housing by requiring developers to include 15 percent lower-income units in all major projects or subdivisions.

The Top 10 'Enlightened' burbs in the nation:

1. Montgomery County, MD
2. Tempe, AZ
3. Suisun City, CA
4. Shaker Heights, OH
5. Royal Oak, MI
6. Hammond/Whiting/Gary, IN
7. Burlingame/ San Mateo, CA
8. Delray Beach, FL
9. Markham, Ontario, Canada
10. Naperville, IL

Va. 4-Day NO Tax on Energy Star & WaterSense

YOUR chance to save some money on energy-efficient appliances! Email blip from Virginia HUD Lines:

Virginia's ENERGY STAR Sales Tax Holiday October 10 - October 13.

These are some of the items qualify for NO sales tax on Energy Star products with cap on price $2,500 or less, via VDMME.

• Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs)
• Ceiling Fans
• Clothes Washers
• Dehumidifiers
• Dishwashers
• Programmable Thermostats
• Refrigerators
• Air Conditioners

$2,500 ain't much - but it's something.

In addition to the list above, per legislation, WaterSense label is also qualify. WaterSense is high-performance water efficient products that protect the environment and meets EPA's specs.

Products bearing the WaterSense label  are generally 20 percent more water-efficient than similar products in the marketplace.

To find out eligible products:

ENERGY STAR

WATERSENSE

UPDATE: Check out also Consumer Report green ratings for the Energy Star products and how they score.

Crossposted at Talking Green

Baltimore is 'Greener' than Washington DC

Yep, that's right. It's not a typo. What kind of green city is DC? According to 2008 U.S. City Sustainability rankings released by SustainLane, overall Baltimore ranks number 10 (an improvement from ranking 11 from 2006) and Washington DC ranks number 15 (a drop from ranking 12). The most green city in the nation is Portland. It takes Portland's city planners at least 30 years to make the city green. By implementing urban density growth boundary, strict land-use policies, and density.

Why rank green cities, via SustainLane.

The rankings explain how people’s quality of life and city economic and management preparedness are likely to fare in the face of an uncertain future. 

These indicators gauge, for instance, which cities’ public transit, renewable energy, local food, and development approaches are most likely to either limit or intensify the negative economic and environmental impacts of fossil fuel dependence.

Rankings by category in competition with 49 other major cities:

City commuting - #1. Interesting stats: DC has the second-highest use of public transit, walk-to-work and bike-to-work ratings, and carpool.

Green building - #2. Washington DC has 184 registered and 23 certified LEED building as of end of 2007.

Metro street congestion - #45. DC is among the five most 'congested' cities in the U.S. We know that. Just check the news in the morning and afternoon for the intensity of traffic pattern and you'll get the idea. This has something to do with housing affordability (#40). More people lives in the burbs than in the city.

Air quality - #30 (right after Baltimore #29). Do we need more regs on 'air quality?' Since EPA HQ is here. This is pathetic.

Green economy - #20. The grass is greener in Portland - number 1 in ranking - with its highest rate of farmers markets, green buildings, and numerous local green biz.

City innovation - ranking number 12 - along with other cities of Dallas, TX; Tucson, Phoenix, AZ; Denver, CO; and Oakland, CA. Innovation from the perspective of its run on green money, i.e. green purchase, green buildings, residential green incentives, carpooling, and car-sharing whether it's public or private.

Energy and climate change - #23. Based on greenhouse gas emission, renewable energy use, alternative fuel use, and economic competitiveness the cities of Portland, Oregon, San Francisco, and Seattle score the highest points.

Housing affordability - #40. Housing prices over here is far affordable than in the cities of San Francisco, Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Oakland - all in California. Plus New York. Altogether.

Metro ridership - #7. New York still holds the lead as the city with the highest percentage of public transit use.

Waste management -#30. Baltimore score much better than DC -ranking #12. For diversion of solid waste, the cities of San Francisco, San Jose, Long Beach, Los Angeles and Fresno - all divert more than 60% of total waste from city landfills through recycling, green waste and composting.

Planning and Land-use - #24. Baltimore again beats DC - ranking #18. They look at data for park percentage per total city land, cities pedestrian and bicycle access and planning, transit oriented development (TOD), and regional planning. In this case, NYC came out strong for number 1.

Tap water quality - #40. Washington DC is on the 'endangered' list of cities with poor tap water quality. Tell me about it. If you live in Kansas City, you get the best water quality - according to Sustain Lane "..it has no recorded pollutants when tested."

Water supply - #21. Apparently, DC has a mixed results. Baltimore (#15) has more fresh, drinkable water supply than us here.

Read the full story here.

CROSSPOSTED at TALKING GREEN

Weekly Real Estate News Roundup

* Home Price Decline Could Make Matters Worst
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A decline in U.S. home prices is needed to attract buyers back and end the housing slump, but with no bottom in sight, more trouble lies ahead for an economy that may already be in recession.

* Is There and Eco-friendly Sealer for my Granite Countertops?
Question: It's time to seal the granite countertops in my kitchen. I am looking for a sealer that is eco-friendly, nontoxic, and effective. Do you have any suggestions?

* Hurdles for Jumbo Borrowers
If you’re shopping for a new home and plan on taking out a big mortgage to pay for, it there are a few things you should know.

* Homeowner Equity Below 50% For First Time Since 1945
Americans' percentage of equity in their homes fell below 50 percent for the first time on record since 1945, the Federal Reserve said Thursday.

* Luxury Homes Buck the Trend
The housing market might be down, but that isn't stopping movie stars, hedge fund managers, and corporate titans from paying mammoth prices for the most lavish real estate on the planet.

* Economic Stimulus' Biggest Real Estate Winners
There's some good news on the horizon for homeowners in cities like  San Diego,  Washington D.C. and  Sacramento, Calif., where the real estate boom and bust has left those markets reeling from the effects of overbuilding, bad loans and foreclosures.

* Jumbo Conforming Loan Guidelines
Are here from Fannie Mae. I must say I am really surprised. This level of speed has "political pressure" written all over it.

* Banks are Still Fueling the Fire
God bless the account executives for banks that have put me on their rate sheet and promo distribution email lists without my permission.

* Viewpoint: FICO - The Late, Great Credit Score?
Is FICO still relevant to the mortgage industry? I can see it now: no matter how this question gets answered, it’s certain to elicit some response, which in fact, is the reason for the article.

* Foreclosures Hit Another Record High
The rate of mortgages entering foreclosure was at it highest level in the history of the MBA's quarterly national delinquency survey and the percent of loans somewhere in the foreclosure process also hit its highest level.

* Mortgage Market Needs $1 Trillion, FBR Estimates
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) - Why are interest rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages rising even as the Federal Reserve slashes interest rates and yields on Treasury bonds fall? The answer is that the mortgage market is short of roughly $1 trillion in capital, according to Paul Miller, an analyst at Friedman, Billings, Ramsey.

* Paint Mini Guide

* Blacklisting Hits Home Sellers
In the nation's worst-hit real-estate markets, home sellers are suffering a new blow: They are being blacklisted by lenders.

* Buying in a Rocky Housing Market
INDIFFERENT TO THE bleak real estate headlines, 26-year-old Michael Klauer and his fiancée recently bought a two-bedroom condo in the desirable Lake View neighborhood in Chicago. They weren't in a rush to buy, but when an opportunity presented itself only a month after they started looking, they jumped on it.

* Self-Help Often Best When Fixing Credit
Dear Dr. Don, Is there a person or corporation specializing in analysis of credit reports and mapping out specific actions to be taken to improve credit scores?

*Open Season for Bargain Hunters
Intrepid home shoppers are venturing back into some of the nation's hardest-hit real-estate markets, convinced they can cherry-pick good deals amid broad price declines.

REGIONAL NEWS: DC-MD-VA

* Tysons Taskforce on the Home Stretch
After scores of public meetings, several rounds of analysis and three years of disagreements and information sessions and legos stacked on table maps, the Tysons Land Use Taskforce's plan for thirty years of development in Tysons Corner is starting to take shape.

* Court Ruling Could Imperil Arlington's Transit Projects
Last week's action by the Virginia Supreme Court to invalidate much of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority's power to tax local residents for transportation improvements could have a big impact in Arlington.

* Fairfax Tax Officials Will Take New Look at Land Values
The county government's Department of Tax Administration (DTA) has announced it will take “a second look” at the allocation of the assessed value between land and buildings for 2008 assessments.

* DC USA Opens Its Doors
With the opening of the District's first Target, DC USA's doors were officially open to the public today. 

* Study: Mass Transit Saves Marylanders $346 M in Gas
BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Mass transit provides a big benefit to the environment and keeps millions of dollars in the pockets of its users, according to a new study released Thursday by the Maryland Public Interest Research Group.

* Builders Pull Out of Arundel Project
A national homebuilder has abandoned plans to raise what started as a 16-story condominium tower at the Annapolis Towne Centre at Parole, blaming an inability to finance the project amid the nationwide slump in the real estate industry, the developer of the $400 million center said yesterday.

* Buying? Here's What to Ask Agents
Would-be buyers in the market for an agent as well as a house should choose just as carefully as a seller.

* Students Take On Preservation of Historic Bladensburg Mansion
Prince George’s County (Map, News) - Architecture students at the University of Maryland have signed an agreement with the town of Bladensburg to preserve Bostwick, a 1746 mansion that is one of the oldest buildings in Prince George's County.

* Groundbreaking Due by Summer on $317 Million F.C. City Center
The biggest development project ever seen, much less enabled by government re-zoning and special exceptions, in the City of Falls Church was approved unanimously by its City Council last Thursday night, paving the way for the Atlantic Realty Company to spend $317 million building a new hotel, Class A office building, supermarket, blocks of retail, six-level parking deck, street, sidewalk and parkland improvements, and hundreds of residential condos, rental units, and townhouses.

* Developer Present Plans for Tenleytown Project
Three developers made their pitches to the Tenleytown community Thursday for the rights to expand Janney Elementary School, new housing and, possibly, a new Tenley-Friendship Heights neighborhood library.

* Don't Let Abusive Neighbors Ruin More Open Houses
Q: We listed our home for sale about a month ago, and our real estate agent has been conducting open houses. More than once, our next-door neighbor has made derogatory or rude remarks to the agent, potential buyers or other agents visiting.

       

A Peek Into Metro DC Solar-Powered Homes

-- Thanks to Alden Hathaway, an accomplished solar and renewable energy professional, who informed me about the DC Solar Homes tour.

I went on a DC Solar Homes tour over the weekend. It was very interesting tour. I learned a lot in just in a short two days how those homeowners were able to get their energy bill either to zero or a little bit above zero. DC, MD, and VA have the Net Metering in place, which means that if your solar-powered home produces more electricity that you need, you can sell it back to the utility company at market value. However, talking to these solar geeks, they said that "..Virginia won't allow you to go down better than zero energy or going negatives, because if you go negative for 12 months, at your anniversary the utility company will keep your credit for the money." In other words, going negative for a year won't help anyone but the utility company. It helps fatten their bottom line.

The best advice I heard from these energy geeks before anyone explores solar option, is:

".. don't even think about going solar until you utilize the energy efficiencies of all your appliances first. Because putting solar panels on your roof is cost prohibitive."

It makes a lot of sense. The money matters: Heating and cooling take as much as 45% of your utility bills. Therefore, the first step towards designing energy-efficiency for your home, should be to replace the current power hungry appliances to energy-efficient appliances, such as the Energy Star appliances. Washer. Dryer. Refrigerator. Etc. That is the start before even going solar.

Some of the simple things we all can do to reduce energy consumption and not spend a fortune.

1. Energy efficient lighting. Use fluorescent bulbs since energy to provide light in a home is typically as high as 20% of energy bills. 
2. Utilizes passive solar technique before going on active solar by installing solar panels. You can use the power of the sun to warm your house, specifically if your house is on southern exposure. 
3. Help circulate the cooling air by using ceiling fans. 
4. Use window shutters to keep the heat from the sun to warm the rooms, or keeping it cool in the hot summer days. 
5. Collect rain water to water your garden. 
6. Weather strip windows, doors and joints.

Of course, there are many more things you can do to conserve and save.

Touring different houses, you somewhat get an idea that there all kinds of possibility that we all can do, not only to conserve energy consumption, but also do good for the environment. I am sure the energy companies are not happy when more people getting into solar and other alternative renewable energy. Because, the energy industry is a "$3 Trillion" business, according to the Clean Tech Revolution. They won't give away their shops anytime soon, okay...

But, if we, the people along with alternative energy companies keep putting pressure on them with our demands for clean, renewable energy.. one of these days, they will have to provide it whether they like it or not. They have to adapt to the new clean technologies, for example in this case is solar. Otherwise, they'll be left out in the dust..

Though, there were 40 homes on the tour, you can't possibly see every home because of time constraint. These are the homes I was able to get a peek of what they do to their homes that make it energy-efficient. These homes below are not totally off-the-grid but rather grid-tied. You got to. Or else, you won't be able to take advantage of the Net Metering program. Also the homes you are about to see below are either built from the ground up or retrofitted homes.

Home #1: 15126 Shannondale Road in Purcellville

Features: PV (Photovoltaic) cells, solar hot water, passive solar, geothermal heating/cooling, energy star appliances, battery backup.

This house is a near zero energy house. A true south facing home to maximize the benefit that it gets from the sun.

click to see larger (+) image

Home #2: 12606 Trillium Glen Lane, Lovettsville

Features: passive solar, active solar, efficient appliances, super insulation, geothermal heating/cooling, environmentally friendly construction materials (a true green home).

 

Solar inverter by Xantrex

Home #3: 5909 Calla Drive, McLean

Features: PV, solar air heater, clothesline, skylight, efficient appliances and lighting, rainwater collection, organic garden composting.

   

 

<< Solar powered oven

 

 

 

What's interesting about this tour is that the owner decided to use the extra energy and plug it in to power their electric car. So that they will use all the extra energy produces by its solar. Otherwise, the electric company is the one that will enjoy the benefits. The front loading dishwasher from Fisher & Paykel that you see above -- is a common fixtures in all of the energy-efficient homes that I toured.

Home #4: 706 N. Ivy Street, Arlington

Features: PV, solar water heater, sunspace, wind turbine, fuel cell, solar heated greenhouse, display of solar products.

 

 

<< Wind power turbine is use in this house. The house belongs to a truly "energy nerd!" He's got all the energy related gadget in the world on display.

 

   

The view from a neighbor's house. Solar panel is installed above the second floor addition on this Sears kit house >>

 

 

 

<< GridPoint Connect, a web-enabled technology from GridPoint, a Washington DC based company, that enable the customers to monitor the energy performance and have everything in one place.

Home #5: 861  N. Jefferson Street, Arlington

Features: PV, rain-barrel, solar oven, recycled blue jean insulation, electric lawn mower, line dry laundry.

The line dry laundry or clothesline is the technique people use in the other parts of the world, where the sun warm the environment on most days of the year, including country of my origin. We use the sun to dry our clothes because we couldn't afford to buy washer and dryers.

Overall, the solar homes tour had been a great learning experience for me. I learned so much about solar energy in just two days! I am looking forward to see the upcoming Solar Decathlon in DC this weekend.

Technorati Tags:  PG&E, gridpoint ,  photovoltaic , PV ,  fuel cells ,  electric car ,  solar oven ,  solar homes ,  clothesline ,  fisher & paykel ,  wind power turbine ,  solar inverter ,  xantrex ,  active solar ,  passive solar ,  dc solar homes tour ,  solar panels ,  battery backup ,  net metering ,  standard solar ,  energy star appliances ,  energy efficient appliances ,  zero energy home