This moderately sized house was built in 1956, and has added a number of solar additions. The owners both work at NREL, so if anyone knows what technologies are available, it is these owners.

Owner writes:

What I like:
• Being able to contrast the look of the two products (a-Si looks much better) and performance (c-Si has much more W/area).
• The new covered deck helps keep the house cooler, less cooling.
• The sunroom keeps cool in the summer (east-west breeze) and the overhangs work perfectly.
• The solatube gets a lot of positive feedback.
• Both kinds of PV are mounted without roof penetrations.
• Balcony off master bedroom allows close up viewing of the c-Si PV.

What I would do differently:
• Not mount the solar thermal to roof pitch. I would tip it up much closer to vertical than horizontal. In fact, I might have one panel at roof angle and one vertical on a wall.
• Site the solatube in kitchen over the sink instead of central in the kitchen.
• Make some accommodation to keep snow coming off the a-Si PV from falling on deck steps.

Why do you think your house should be on the Tour?
• It is a pretty successful remodel job, all things considered.
• It shows multiple solar technologies (daylighting, passive solar, active solar, and two kinds of PV)
• Climbing up a wall-mounted ladder on balcony allows one to see the a-Si and solar hot water.

Tell us a little about you and the family that is living in the house.
• Empty nesters (son and daughter have moved out)
• Wife is an administrative assistant supporting the Computational and Materials Sciences Center at the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL)
• Husband is a manager in the National Center for Photovoltaics at NREL integrating R&D tools that make, process, and characterize PV materials and cells. Most his carrier was spend studying a-Si materials and devices (the motivation for having a-Si on his roof).
• This is the house the wife grew up in and was purchased from her mother after her father passed away.

How did you become interested in the technologies you used in your house?
• Spent my career trying to “save the world” by developing PV technologies.

What could be better?
• Focus PV on appearance, all a-Si on metal roof… OR
• Focus PV on power, more efficient c-Si and push the 10 kW Xcel limit.
• The existing envelope is brick on block, it is difficult to improve the wall insulation without either significantly changing the exterior look or loosing interior room area.

Passive Solar
Sunspace
Mass is 5” thick concrete
Solatube into the kitchen

Photovoltaics
5.7 kW
Grid tied

Solar Hot Water
2 panels
80 gallon holding tank
For domestic hot water

Thermal Envelope / Thermal Comfort
Low – e windows
Evaporative cooling
Night setback thermostats

Lighting
CFL

Transportation / Lifestyles
Prius car
Car pooling daily to work, but as the owner says, “it’s cheating, my wife works at the
same company”
Recycling