Home is where the Green is
The upcoming 55th annual Parade of Homes is all about going green. The future’s so bright, you gotta wear shades - and put solar panels on your roof. From left, Jason Tanaka of HECO, McKibbin Mist of Gentry Builders and Tracy Nagata of D.R. Horton
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percent among buyers,” says Mist. “If you have a buyer who doesn’t use much electricity, it doesn’t make sense to put a giant PV system on your house.”
But if you do decide PV is beneficial, Mist recommends adding the cost of the system to your mortgage.
“If you have a tax liability and you put it in your mortgage, your bill every month will be less with a photovoltaic system than without it. Your total cost to own the house will be less because your electric bill will be significantly lower.”
Nagata says the PV systems are options available on all DR Horton homes, and even if the buyer doesn’t chose to add the option, the home will be PVready to make later installation easier.
A major factor pushing these technologies is the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative, which calls for 70 percent of electricity being generated by renewable resources by 2030.
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“That’s one of our driving forces,” says Jason Tanaka, account manager for HECO. “We are committed to reaching that goal.” That will take time, however, he adds, because current equipment can’t handle all of the electricity new homes with PV systems can create.
In addition to electrical savings, modern home construction can actually make the home a healthier place to live. Mist says Gentry homes feature air filtration systems and paints that are low in volatile organic compounds.
“People are thinking about healthy homes. A green home also has some health attributes, like the air in the home is filtered two different ways. It is filtered through a particulate filter, and it’s also run across an ultraviolet light that kills any sort of airborne bacteria as well as filtering out the majority of particulate in the air, so the air stays clean. It does contribute to long-term health,” he says.
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One of the big lessons the developers are hoping to share with Parade visitors is that many of the green features are found not on the roof but behind the walls and under the cabinets.
“It’s becoming more cost-effective because the manufacturers and product designers are recognizing the same freight train coming. They are upgrading and redesigning their products to be more green,” says Nagata.
The Parade of Homes only lasts a few days, but those involved are looking for an impact greater than the four days of showing.
“Whatever part we can take in helping homeowners do the right thing, whatever it is, makes us feel good, and hopefully we are doing this for our children, that they are going to have a better environment to live in,” says Nagata.
“I hope it snowballs until we all live in net-zero homes at some point. It’s just a lifestyle change that hopefully is going to occur.”
WHETHER YOU’RE LOOKING TO BUY A NEW HOME OR MAKE YOUR CURRENT RESIDENCE MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT, HECO HAS SOME SUGGESTIONS TO HELP YOU SAVE ELECTRICITY.
1 Using fans instead of air conditioners can save $73 a month.
2 Cutting two minutes of shower time can save $139 a year.
3 Solar water heaters can reduce heating costs 80-90 percent.
4 Repairing leaky faucets can save 1,661 gallons of water a year.
5 Buy Energy Star appliances.
6 CFLs use 75 percent less energy and last 10 times longer than incandescent light bulbs.
7 Use light-colored paint. Lighter-colored walls can achieve up to a 25 percent reduction in the number of watts needed to light a room.
8 Use cold water when washing clothes.
9 Don’t peek. Ovens lose about 20 percent of their heat each time the door is opened.
10 Use glass or ceramic cookware. Foods will cook faster and with less heat.
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