UCS member Jane Bindley has been deeply concerned about global warming for many years, and has lived by the guiding principle, “Look at your life—all of your daily actions—to see what you can do to reduce your carbon footprint.” So when she bought a family vacation home in Holderness, NH, Jane set a goal of renovating it to be a “zero net energy” home—one that would consume less energy over the course of a year (for heating, hot water, and electricity) than it would actually generate.

Thinking Outside—and Inside—the Box

Jane found a local builder who had experience building green homes, and the two agreed that the redesigned house would use renewable resources to meet all of its energy needs (even during the long New England winters). But first, Jane would have to reduce her energy consumption to an absolute minimum. Heating demands were reduced by super-insulating the walls, attic, and basement foundation floors, resulting in R-values (a measure of insulating capacity) two to three times higher than typical new homes.

Energy Star appliances, tripleglazed windows, and LED (light-emitting diode) bulbs that use even less energy than compact fluorescent bulbs reduce electricity demand. Jane also minimized the home’s impact on natural resources by installing low-flow toilets and bath fixtures, using Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood, and creating a vegetated (“green”) roof on her garage to reduce stormwater runoff.

Sunlight provides both electricity (via 36 solar panels mounted on the roof) and hot water, while a ground-source heat pump generates heated water (using heat transferred from underground) for a radiant-floor heating system. Excess electricity generated on sunny days is exported to the grid and then flows back to the house as needed at night and on cloudy days, a process known as net metering.

The renovations took a year to complete, coincidentally wrapping up on April 22, 2008—Earth Day. The electricity meter reading one year later confirmed that she had indeed achieved her goal of zero net energy.

Setting the Right Example

Jane believes that when you take action to reduce your environmental impact, you should “tell others all about it.” She views her home renovation as an “opportunity to put her money where her mouth is” by creating a family retreat that also serves as a hands-on educational tool for the public. She regularly gives tours of her home to the local science center, sustainable energy associations, and other community groups.

While acknowledging that the investments of time and money required to pursue her zero net energy home were significant, Jane feels that greening one’s home is no more daunting than a “normal” renovation project. Moreover, she notes that provisions in the economic stimulus bill passed earlier this year (provisions that UCS advocated) provide tax credits that make many of the technologies she utilized more affordable.