The calm before the storm... (originally posted on LiveModern on April 23, 2005)

The building permit has been received. The lot is staked out. The excavator is on notice. Now I am just waiting on the final price and contract for the Superior Walls. An eerie calm has set in, yet there are still lots of details to address...

The final 3-D rendering of the foundation + first floor Superior Walls has me quite excited, yet nervous at the same time. Once they are fabricated and laid into place, that's it. No more doubling back to reconsider dimension and placement. Here is the FINAL plan:



As you can see, I have deviated from the original Rapson design in some areas. Most noticeably I was forced to delete/move/resize windows to fit within the constraints of the Superior Walls. In essence, there can be no "stand alone" sections of wall (that are not attached to a corner module) and the minimum length of a wall is 18 inches. Also, we had to define an opening for the walkway/laundry room into the garage.

Anyway, next week I will have the final pricing and contracts to move forward with the fabrication. I should theoretically be into the ground by the second week of May.

SOLAR

Even though I am only a few weeks away from the construction phase of the project, I still have not made any final decisions about the HVAC, plumbing, and electrical setup. Fortunately, having a full basement affords me the luxury of going with just about any option since I will have ample space for the mechanical components, ductwork, or whatever the situation dictates.

Regarding the HVAC system, I have been doing more flip-flops than John Kerry. I originally assumed I would be using some kind of an oil or propane-based forced air system. But considering the rising prices of gas and oil and the negative political and environmental aspects of burning fossil fuels, I have seriously given some thought to solar- a hybrid system involving both photovoltaic cells and solar thermal water heating. Yes, it is tremendously expensive, but I think there is a way to make it work financially:

-My original estimate for a conventionally ducted forced air propane furnace system was $15,000 (at the low end). Going with a thermal solar hot water system will enable me to put in a hydronic radiant system vs. the conventional system. It will also double as the source of potable hot water, which replaces the tankless hot water system (approx. $1500) I was considering. I have estimated that a solar hot water system + hydronic radiant heat system(where I do most of the installation labor) will cost about about $11,500. This results in a net savings of $5,000.

-For the photovoltaic system, I was quoted a going rate of $7.80 per watt installed. This may be less depending on the ease of installation (since this is on new construction vs. a retrofit). Anyway, for a 3.5 kilowatt system, the installed price will be $27,300. NYSERDA/Long Island Power Authority is offering a rebate incentive of $4 per watt for newly-installed PV systems. Additionally, NY state is offering a tax incentive of 25% of the cost of a PV system or a maximum benefit of $3,750. For a 3.5 kilowatt system, the incentives add up to $17,750. The net cost of the system then goes down to $9,550.

-If I subtract the cost savings realized with going with the thermal solar heating system ($5,000), the net, net cost of the system goes down to $4,550.

-A 3.5 kilowatt (DC) system generates approximately 4,550 kWh per year. The going rate for electricity is $0.17 per kWh, so this means the system will generate about $774 worth of electricity per year or an average of $64 per month. The additional $4,550 added to the mortgage results in an additional monthly payment of about $22. Subtracting the additional mortgage amount of $22 from the electricity generated results in a net profit of $42 per month.

-An unknown variable in the equation here is the ability of the solar thermal collectors to provide radiant heat. Realistically this will need to be supplemented by electrical hot water heat (primarily at night), so it is likely that the net effect is that a good portion of the net electricity generated by the photovoltaic system will need to be utilized.


Of course this is all theory, but I think it makes a rational case for building in the solar systems upfront. It's going to be a lot of cash upfront along with some trial and error, but I think it will be worthwhile, even if it is just for the environmental benefits.