May
29
Your Favorite Feature: The Solar Panels
Hey, all you solar energy fans. Today, our Super Fan is talking about the HGTV Green Home’s solar system. Take a look.
Also, hop on over to the Design Happens blog to check out our “Friday Freebies” promotion. We are giving away the coolest summer lantern. Go to the Giveaway
Nancy, that’s for your sweet comment. I’m neither a pro nor do I have a great camera. I’ve got a Kodak digital cam, nothing fancy. I put my camera almost touching the tiles though for that pic.
Hubby was taking all the pics of me. He was such a good sport when I kept making him stop to take pics in every room.
Hi again!
Colleen: After looking at your pics a second time, I have a question. What is on the top shelf of the laundry room cabinet? It almost looks like a computer screen of some sort (like a laptop).
And then that got me to thinking about those security systems that are controlled by a master computer (with the layout of the house on the screen). Does anyone know anything about the security system (if there is one)? Or did they say anything about it on the tour Colleen (or anyone else)? Just curious……
Go Green!
On the top shelf of the laundry room cabinet is in fact a computer. I believe I briefly mentioned it in my first comment with the photo link. That computer is what monitors the energy usage for the whole house and tells you how much solar power compared to grid power is being used at any one time. It also gives you complete weather information for outside the house (ie temp, conditions, chance of rain and what not). I don’t belive it has anything to do with the security system. I believe that is monitored by an outside company, but it does indeed have a security system.
Dear HGTV;
The 2009 Green Home laundry room change appears to be less eye pleasing because of the way the washer, and dryer now faceing as you come into the laundry room, and because of the change to where the folding doors use to be.
Please tell me it’s not so. You had a really good thing going with the laundry room. Why was the laundry room changed?.
Thanks Colleen!
Your info is much appreciated! 
Gail,
Thank you for being so up to date with all informations. It is very useful.
Solar energy is great, it works where is a lot of sun, also now it is possible to store the energy. There are also other sources of energy – energy pulled out of ground, wind energy, water energy….
If I will be so lucky that I win the house, I will cherish it, love it, take care of it, so it will last pretty, and functional for long long time.
I can work from anywhere in world ( web design,, aimations…), so does my husband. I work form my computer ( got the eco -earth friendly Apple). Our little girl would love the room – she exlaimed seeing it: “awsome!” Thank you to designer! It is really well designed, decorated, planned. The flow inside is very comfortable, fluid.
It feels really good to do things which are eco, which are safe, which are good for all.
It feels good to help, to preserve, to care.
This house is very vibrant, and peaceful at the same time. It breaths clear, clean, fresh, with vibrant, but not loud colors. I can almost smell the breeze, the sunshine, water, wind….it feels so happy.
I just wish everyone in world would get what they want ( only the good things), so everybody would be happy.
Gail,
I hate to burst your bubble but if the power company in Pt St. Lucie actually pays homeowners for power I would be very surprised. I live in Southern California and there are several homes in my neighborhood with solar panels. The owners say that their meter does run backwards but, unfortunately, the power company does not pay them. In months that they have negative power use, they still get a bill as there are some fees that are charged no matter what. One of my friends tells me that her bill is often $5 (the minimum). This is great as the bill for a comparable home would range from $40 to $200 depending upon power usage. However, even with the
savings in monthly charges, it would take many years for the cost of the equipment to be absorbed by the savings. Even with rebates and credits, the cost of solar panels for a 2000 foot home is still about $20,000. Hopefully that cost will come down soon.
The count down is on! The excitement is electric! Thanks for this great opportunity!
Cajun Lady
Good Morning all…well, I’m loading up the buggy for that long ride along the Oregon Trail this morning..may have to veil my bonnet and secure my shawl with all the rain coming down!! And, Coop…you do not need to miss any of your daily Green Home entries. I have my recycled envelopes ready with my entry sheets tucked inside, so I can pass them off to the Pony Express each day that I’m away!! When you’re roughing it, you have to rely on basics…no computer…yicks, or better yet, “holy hoop skirts Batman!!!!” Stay tuned for the next espisode of Marie & Coop’s adventures in Never-Never-Land…when they return…same station, same channel!!!!!
Colleen, thank you for the pictures.. I enjoyed looking over them and reading your informative comments…. I love them… Love life by living green..
COLLEEN;
I CAN REST IN PEACE KNOWING THAT THE CLOSETS ARE WALK-IN. YOU HAVE BEEN VERY THOUGHTFUL IN SHARING YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH US. MAYBE I’LL SEE YOU ON TV WHEN THEY ANNOUNCE THE WINNER!!!! THANKS.
NANCY S FROM PORT CHARLOTTE, FL.
Carolyn You are more than welcome to borrow the phrase holy hoopskirts hahahaha enjoy!!
Forgot to give you my little tip of the day, this one is GREAT, especially for all those robust ‘grilling men’ out there:
MGTOTD: Bratwursts are great on the grill, particularly when cooked in beer. Clean out an old coffee can, fill it with beer and bratwurst, and get ready for a terrific taste treat!!
I tried that solar saving calculator using my zip code (southeast). I’d get a 40% savings on my energy bill. But it would cost 28,000 to install (net of the tax credits). It would take me 39 years to recoup the installation cost via the energy saving. It doesn’t say whether the installation cost if for a retrofit or the cost on a new home but that initial cost needs to come way down to make this viable to most. The real cost savings if for businesses, particularly those large warehouse type businesses. Wall Mart started converting to solar about 6 years ago.
Hi Gail,
I really like the Green House. My favorite are the Solar Panels and the Roof Top Garden.
I am really caught up on the Go Green Philosophy. As a matter of fact, that was the way of life for me during my early years. My family raised plants and animals for consumption and retail. Also every home some form of water catchment such as barrel or cistern.I want to win this green house!!!! It would be an awesome to share such this sanctuary with relatives, friends, and neighbors. I need this green house. I want to winnnnnnnnnnnn!!!
Hello Gail,
Thanks for the great information about the solar panels. We would love for the Utility Co. to send us money. We live in AZ & would benefit so much from solar panels. We are looking into adding solar panels in the near future unless we win our dream home. It is perfect! Even the little girl’s room is ready for our 3 yr. old daughter. She loves looking at the pictures of the home. Thanks HGTV for the Dream & Green Homes…someone will soon be living the Dream….Hopefully us! Take care & God bless
Colleen,
Thanks again for your information & slideshow….How did it fell to see the Green home in person? Better than the photo’s? Larger than you expected? It was nice of you to post them for us bloggers…
Thanks again….M
Lynn’s estimate of the cost of solar is typical. It simply is not a cost effective improvement for most homeowners at this time.
Hopefully, solar energy systems will come down in price but as of now, there really is far too little savings to make the investment cost effective. And, power companies don’t pay homeowners for producing energy.
It has been a dream of ours to move south …
Mimi from R.I.
Port St. Lucie the town of Tradition would be perfect…This green home is just perfect for us…I would be blessed & honored to win this beautiful home. We would take such good care of this property & maintain it inside & out…We are ready for the warmer climate…Our family, friends & neighbors would always be welcomed…As well as the entire HGTV team….Please pick me….
Colleen?, were there any shelves &/or drawers for storage in the master closets, or just pole/rails for hanging clothes? That is besides the iorning board & iorn … and the linnen “closet”shelves? (which are on the floor plan but shown there as opening into the hallway)
I’ve asked this question of every one who visited but no answer as yet.
Michelle – Yes, it was very nice to be able to tour the home! I was super excited! I couldn’t believe I was actually there. It was both better in person and much larger than I expected it to be. I think what made it seem bigger than I was expecting was the scale of the furniture itself. In the online tour it seems that there are lots of small pieces of furniture in each space, but in reality the furniture is not small at all. What seems like tiny walkways between the pieces in the photos are actually big enough to move around in comfortably.
Shirley –
There was a single shelf above the poles in every closet, but aside from that, the master closets had no other shelving.
Hey Gail
We are coming down to the wire. Thanks for all the helpful info. It sure would be nice to have a house that pays you! What a great green technology solar power is. You would think that with advances in technology solar power would be less expensive and more widely used. I don’t know how men are on here lobbying for a chance to win. But, my wife deserves her own home and right now at this time in our life I can’t afford one for us so I’ll enter and keep entering. Best of luck to all and I hope we win 
Gail – Thanks so much for the information about solar panels. They certainly are more appealing than they used to be back in the day.
Alma – I’m glad to hear your computer is working again that way you can enter to win this beautiful home…don’t forget!
Colleen – Thank you so much for the photos of the Green Home! They were great! Love your little blue booties…bet your hubby loved that too!
Your photos really gave me a good perspective on room sizes (and fish sizes).
Marie Miller – Thanks for the tip! Do you just put the coffee can directly onto the grill? Very cool!
Wishing you all the best of luck!
Living the Dream!
Okay, so I have a comment awaiting moderation directly above this comment…could it be because I said ‘booties’…I promise MARY I was only referring to Colleen’s little blue booties! LOL!
Living the Dream!
In the meantime, I ran across this and thought it may be of interest to everyone…
Tax credits are available at 30% of the cost, up to $1,500, in 2009 & 2010 (for existing homes only) for:
Windows and Doors
Insulation
Roofs (Metal and Asphalt)
HVAC
Water Heaters (non-solar)
Biomass Stoves
Tax credits are available at 30% of the cost, with no upper limit through 2016 (for existing homes & new construction) for:
Geothermal Heat Pumps
Solar Panels
Solar Water Heaters
Small Wind Energy Systems
Fuel Cells
Thank goodness for me…I am going to call the roofer today since some of my old slates are falling off one by one.
Living the Dream! (Or at least until I get the roofing estimate?!?!?!)
Renee loves green & to all bloggers
I’ve found a quiz in a magazine called HOW GREEN IS YOUR DIET. There are 13 questions with the results at the end. I don’t know if it will interest you. In the meantime, here is the website: http://www.eatlowcarbon.org
The diet should be GREEN too. A GREEN home along with a GREEN diet!
Good luck to all! .
But Renee I know that you don’t need the quiz to find out!It’s just for fun.
GAIL,
I’M SURE I MISSED THIS QUESTION? WAS WONDERING IF THEIR WAS INTERNET SERVICE ALREADY IN THIS GREEN HOME AS WELL AS CABLE& PHONE?
IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE BLOGGING WITH YOU THE SUPER FAN. YOU MET ALL OUR EXPECTATIONS THROUGH THIS SWEEPSTAKES. YOU WERE A PLEASANT SUCCESS! HGTV SHOULD KEEP YOU ON AS THE SUPER FAN. YOUR PART OF THEIR TEAM NOW…THANKS TO ALL FOR MAKING DREAMS COME TRUE. I WANT TO WIN THIS HOME SO BAD IT WOULD BE PERFECT & A BLESSING FOR MY FAMILY. STILL THINKING GREEN…:)MICHELE FROM R.I.
hey everyone just wanted to say not only am i dreaming of this very house but i could very well use a house like this. I have very severe asthma/allergies so a house like this would not only be my GREEN HOUSE but the DREAM HOUSE i need just to keep going with 2 small children.
Thanks so much for more great work Gail & Mary!! I’m so sorry this is late as I have been working overtime at my current job and fitting in school, where I attend online! I think the solar panels are really cool! I like how they can look sleek and almost Jetsons like! Paying less money and even getting back from the electric company is really awesome!!
-Your Confident 2009 HGTV Super Fan
Hey Gail-
Check out solar energy from Berken Solar! New technology works on cloudy days or when the sun goes down! Check out their website.
I love all the features of this eco friendly home. It has a lot to offer. The HGTV crew members are amazing and did an outstanding job.Thank you HGTV!!
wow gail all this sounds awesome!! My brother told me about this website called globalsolarcenter.com that gives free and easy to understand info on using solar energy. They provide solar roofing installations for residential and commercial customers. I speak to everyone when I say check this website out emidiately!! You'll be pleased with what you find!
thank you for making another one carrie mcgee…. you're awesome! I hope I win it…