A Green Home Project in Massachusetts

We're excited to bring you details on a home of one of our customers in Concord, MA. This home was sent to us by a customer after we asked PVPower customers to "Show Us Your PV!" The customer has gone to great lengths documenting his incredible home building project, read below and be sure to check out his blog.

This energy efficient home built in Concord, Massachusetts was designed by the Building Science Corporation in partnership with the U.S Department of Energy’s Building America program and contracted by Synergy Companies Construction, LLC. Dubbed “Concord Cape”, the home is a 2-story, 5 bedroom, 3 bath, home that has a high performance enclosure equipped with a mechanical insulation system and a Solar System for its electrical needs. The 7,000 watt solar panel system, complete with 30 Sharp 235w Solar Modules on the roof and 30 Enphase Microinverters, powers the home while the exterior and interior insulation keeps the home running at an energy efficient level. The home is certified Platinum under the USGBC LEED for Homes program.

Starting from the ground up, the home sits on a foundation whose walls are built with damp proofing, preventing moisture from passing into interior space. The interior walls are insulated with spray foam and the window sills throughout the home are air tight. The home’s air sealed windows and unique wall insulation allow for easier cooling in the summer and easier heating in the winter. The heating and cooling systems add to the energy efficiency, complete with controllers and timers that monitor interior climate. Up top is the array of photovoltaic modules along with a roof runoff management system that allows for rainwater to flow away from the house, which is important for keeping moisture out, or maintaining energy efficiency. Performance testing was done on the home soon after it was occupied and further testing is scheduled in the fall. The homeowner expects the ROI on the system to be 18 years.

For more information and pictures visit: http://concordcape.posterous.com/


Again, we'd like to thank the homeowner from Concord, MA for sharing his fabulous work with the PVPower Solar Community. Do you have a project you're proud of? Let us know by sending us a couple pictures and brief write-up of the installation to anne-catherine@pvpower.com