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The most energy efficient home in Florida. This home, located in Orlando, received the USGBC LEED Silver rating earning 72 points, 4 points shy of the Gold rating.
The home was constructed with Eco Block ICF Walls, Peachtree Insulated Low E Laminated Windows and Doors, Polyurethane Spray Foam insulation, large overhangs, and metal roof. The combination provided the energy efficient envelope. Coupled with a dual compressor heat pump, energy star lighting and solar water heater, provided the owners with a remarkably energy efficient structure.
Environmentally friendly Low VOC products, Low Flow Fixtures, Bamboo, Stained Concrete and Cork Flooring completed the Green interior package.
UPDATE: THis house had an avg electric bill of $100 or less.
I say had. Because now they watch the meter go backwards since adding a PV system.
Our Building side of our company has decided all of our new homes will be built not only to our previous complete package detials but also to have PV systems included as standard.
Yes the overall cost is about 30% more then conventional building.
But with no electric bill and 55% savings on insurance. This is the way to go.
Welcome to the future !
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Last edited by riveree; 06-26-2008 at 10:42 PM..
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Yes the overall cost is about 30% more then conventional building.
But with no electric bill and 55% savings on insurance. This is the way to go.
Welcome to the future !
The future doesn't sound like a great return on investment.
30% of the construction price of my home would be about $60,000. My homeowners insurance is about $450 a year. My electric bill is about $100 a month.
By spending an additional $60,000 on the construction of my home, it would take me 50 years to recoup the additional investment in savings on my electrical bill. - and only if I paid cash. If I amortized that $60,000 it would be a heck of a lot longer. The PV system is probably on the pricey side as well.
well i was talking total cost for a builder. thats is different then the final appriased value of a home.
but even if we use your numbers. your now spending around 17k a year for mortgage and ins and electric. based on a 200k home. 260k home would end up costing you around 19.5k a year. now yes the higher cost home cost more up front and during the first year or so. but there is no rise in electric or monthly flucuation in the total home cost. unlike what your doing now. also the cost of electricity is not going to go down.
30% is an inflated number. without the added PV system the actual builder costs to do everything we did to that home above is only about 4-6% more then conventional building. yes a PV system will cost 20-40k but there is rabates/credits to get 1/2 the cost of the system back. so the real percentage of the overall cost changes based on the lay out of the home and the size.
There are several problems in the market. Appriasers look only at SQ/ft and what the house next door or down trhe street sold for last. Does not matter how the home was built or what it has in it for materials or features. Most builders all build the same ole way. Cheap as possible and sell for the highest they can get. nothing wrong with making a proffit. But in todays market with nothing moving. You have to set your self apart and have the better product. So were willing to spend more and sell at near the same price. Take a smaller percentage proffit. To do the right thing and give the end user the Caddillac for the price of the Chevy. Just so happens our Cadillac gets 50-70% better gas milage or with a PV Free gas.
There really is nothing revolutionary about what or how were building these houses. We have built many of them. small to large. residentail to commercial. We have even tried many different types of attic insulations and different types of walls on our own specs homes. To get to were we are today. With what we know is the best combination of materials. To build the most energy effient buildings avialable.
i could go on and on. LOL so anyway the numbers do come out that house A vs house B. A being same ole same ole sticks and bricks with oversized HVAC and power hungry lighting. vs a few more dollars to do it efficient,storm proof, healthier home. does cost less.
well i was talking total cost for a builder. thats is different then the final appriased value of a home.
but even if we use your numbers. your now spending around 17k a year for mortgage and ins and electric. based on a 200k home. 260k home would end up costing you around 19.5k a year. now yes the higher cost home cost more up front and during the first year or so. but there is no rise in electric or monthly flucuation in the total home cost. unlike what your doing now. also the cost of electricity is not going to go down.
to add to this, this type of construction is very desirable. The costs at time of sale will most certainly be recouped from added value of the home due to its desirability. The more these items are used as well in construction the more motivation for the producers of the items will be to find a way to lower the cost of producing them, thus the cost comes down for this type of construction. The cost to build this type of home say 10 years ago would have been astronomical, but they are working the way down to being more affordable.
30% is an inflated number. without the added PV system the actual builder costs to do everything we did to that home above is only about 4-6% more then conventional building. yes a PV system will cost 20-40k but there is rabates/credits to get 1/2 the cost of the system back. so the real percentage of the overall cost changes based on the lay out of the home and the size.
PV prices are going to come down. It's just a matter of time and productivity levels.
UPDATE: THis house had an avg electric bill of $100 or less.
That's not an unusual electric bill for a regular home in Florida. In fact, that's about what I pay for my total utility bill each month - that's electric, water and sewer. I have 2 homes, one is a standard new developer home (supposedly well-insulated, but who knows?), the other is a 1940's home with no insulation except some original cellulose-type insulation in the attic (fairly useless). Each home runs me about $100 or so a month total. I think it has more to do with being in Florida than anything (and not being a wasteful person).
Nice looking house though, and I love the metal roof.
That's not an unusual electric bill for a regular home in Florida. In fact, that's about what I pay for my total utility bill each month - that's electric, water and sewer. I have 2 homes, one is a standard new developer home (supposedly well-insulated, but who knows?), the other is a 1940's home with no insulation except some original cellulose-type insulation in the attic (fairly useless). Each home runs me about $100 or so a month total. I think it has more to do with being in Florida than anything (and not being a wasteful person).
Nice looking house though, and I love the metal roof.
well they keep the house at around 76F. and is a 3600+sqft house.
Your not tell us how large your houses are or how much time you spend at each house.
I live in a much smaller home then this one and my electric is allways around $250.
Hopefully the market and economy will pick up soon and i can start my home. I am not the owner of the company. I am the new guy at the office. So ya i still rent my house. uggggg
Come to think of it, isn't the green choice to buy a home that already exists instead of building a new one?
Not if the new one is more energy efficient. Even you don't buy the existing building, someone will, and if you buy it instead the person that might have may build a new, inefficient home.
well they keep the house at around 76F. and is a 3600+sqft house.
Your not tell us how large your houses are or how much time you spend at each house.
I live in a much smaller home then this one and my electric is allways around $250.
Hopefully the market and economy will pick up soon and i can start my home. I am not the owner of the company. I am the new guy at the office. So ya i still rent my house. uggggg
76? That's chilly! We keep it at 78, so that's part of the savings, I'm sure. We also have a city-owned utility company, so the rates are pretty cheap (though we can't be that much cheaper than Orlando).
The newer home is appx 2100 sq feet and the 1940's one is not even 1000 sq feet. So the newer one is double the size of the old one and my bills at each are nearly identical. Each house has been our full-time residence at different times with someone home during the day.
I expected there to be a huge savings on the newer one with all the insulation, better windows, all the latest code. But the 1940's house, even with its' single pane windows (original ) and no insulation, is actually more efficient. I think the brick exterior, plaster interior and thick walls (with air as the insulation) are what helps. Also the smaller roof area (less area to soak up the sun's heat).
3600 sq ft is a pretty big house, so that's good that they can keep the electric at $100.
In the 1940's house, we're going to be replacing our windows soon, the roof and the AC system - all are on their last legs - so once we do that, we'll see what effect that has.
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The most energy efficient home in Florida. This home, located in Orlando, received the USGBC LEED Silver rating earning 72 points, 4 points shy of the Gold rating. 
We keep it at 78, so that's part of the savings, I'm sure. We also have a city-owned utility company, so the rates are pretty cheap (though we can't be that much cheaper than Orlando).
) and no insulation, is actually more efficient. I think the brick exterior, plaster interior and thick walls (with air as the insulation) are what helps. Also the smaller roof area (less area to soak up the sun's heat).
