Tipping Point for Home Rooftop Solar?

My fiancee and I are in the process of buying a home, which means I'm constantly worried about what amenities that are popular now will still be popular when we're thinking about selling the place. Granite countertops are the big thing now, but will they still be popular 10 years down the road, or will something else be the next big thing?

I'd never have guessed that the next big thing is rooftop solar:

Solar panels are the next granite countertops: an amenity for new homes that’s becoming a standard option for buyers in U.S. markets. At least six of 10 largest U.S. homebuilders led by KB Home include the photovoltaic devices in new construction, according to supplier SunPower Corp. (SPWR) Two California towns are mandating installations, and demand for the systems that generate electricity at home will jump 56 percent nationwide this year, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association.

“In the next six months, homebuilders in California and the expensive-energy states will be going solar as a standard, and just incorporating it into the cost of the house like any other feature,” Jim Petersen, chief executive officer of the PetersenDean Inc., the largest closely held U.S. roofing and solar contractor, said in an interview.

Lashing panels to roofs during construction is about 20 percent cheaper than after a house is built. Homeowners who can afford the extra $10,000 to $20,000 cost in return for free power threaten the business of traditional utilities such as Edison International of California or Kansas’ Westar Energy Inc. Power companies are losing business because they can’t cut their rates in line with the tumbling prices of residential solar systems. Those cost about $4.93 a watt in the first quarter, down 16 percent from a year earlier, according to the Washington-based solar association.

It makes sense to promote home solar even if you don't own a system - every home powered by solar is one less home that needs to be powered by a multi-billion-dollar central power plant.

If you're interested in home solar, check out Sungevity - you get a discount and the National Wildlife Federation (my day job) gets a donation. Oh, and the planet gets a tiny bit saved. Everybody wins!

Stand In The Place Where I Live (Now Face East)

A sliver of spring arrived in my apartment this week in the form of a ray of sunshine. It's not much, and only stays for a few minutes every morning, but considering my apartment hasn't seen any direct sun since last fall, it's enough to make me want to break out my This Is Why I'm Hot t-shirt.

The Green Miles' apartment in East Falls Church faces to the east. What that means is I got hours of direct sun in the summer & no sun at all in the winter - the opposite of what you'd want for optimal heating & cooling. Ideally, as many of your home's windows as possible should face south - that way the sun passes overhead in the summer but gives you lots of free heat in the winter.

And now I give you the video for REM's "Stand," which looks so dated it makes 1988 seem like a lot longer than 23 years ago ... wait, 23 years IS a long time. Apparently I'm just old.

How Does a Home Energy Audit Work?

Here's a video explaining the process from Arlington County:

A Thank You Note to My Neighbors for the Gift of Free Heat

I woke up the other morning and thought, "It's too warm in here, better lower the heat." When I went to the thermostat, it turned out I'd forgotten to turn it on the night before. Even though it had been in the 40s that night, my apartment was still too warm for comfort.

The Green Miles lives in an apartment building in Ballston. A great deal of the apartment's efficiency comes from the building's design -- 10-story, densely-packed, concrete & brick, double-paned windows & doors, lots of natural light & bonus heat from the sun. That design gives it a great deal of temperature inertia -- it stays warm in the winter & cool in the summer.

But this afternoon it's 55 degrees & cloudy -- and with the heat off, my apartment is 73 degrees. Clearly, I'm getting a major boost from neighbors whose love of paying to keep their apartment extra toasty is spilling over into my unit. My apartment gets a similar boost of cool air in the summer from their ravenous air conditioning consumption.

I could complain about how much money they're wasting. And I could brag about how keeping an eye on the thermostat in this efficient apartment has kept my heating bill at a ridiculously low $20-30 per month this winter. But instead, I'll just say thanks for helping me save a few dollars that I can then spend on something I enjoy.

Think Condo-Dwellers Can't Have Green Homes? Think Again.

UPDATE: Diana has a review over at Fresh AIRE.

Here's a perfect event for all those condo-dwellers lining Wilson Boulevard. Find out how you can reduce the environmental footprint of your condo building!

Greening Your Condo Association
Monday, June 25, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Arlington County Central Library

Have you been looking for ways to make your condominium building more environmentally friendly? Thinking about upgrading your unit? There are many opportunities for condo associations to reduce their impact on the planet, make resident units more livable—and save money!

Come to this workshop and find out what you can do—from reducing energy use and carbon emissions to improving recycling participation, creating eco-friendly landscapes, and retrofitting for solar panels or green roofs. Learn about the benefits of conducting an energy audit. Consider the advantages of starting a community Eco Team. Information on County support programs will be provided.

* Location - Arlington County Central Library, 1015 North Quincy Street, Arlington, VA. Ballston and Virginia Square Orange line Metro stops

* This event is cosponsored by Arlington County Fresh AIRE, Arlington County Green Home Choice Program, and Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment.

* To RSVP and for more information, contact Stella Tarnay at starnay@arlingtonva.us or 703-228-4792.