Zero Energy America Part 2
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- Опубликовано: 5 сен 2024
- Zero Energy America is two one-hour documentaries that explore the quest for the zero-energy home. This look inside alternative technology and solutions for the energy crisis in America and abroad finds solutions around the world that show promise and hope for a new tomorrow in which a home of any size can be built that not only lowers overall energy consumption, but actually finds ways to create excess power. Boral Roofing was thrilled to be a part of this team creating net zero homes.
even more than renewables, energy savings are key (unplug your chargers and chase phantom loads, install a shower flow restrictor and eco-aerators for your taps, put a lid on your pots and pans, turn the heater/AC off when you're not at home, use fans instead of the AC whenever possible, reduce the temperature of your water heater to 120°F/50°C, etc.). There are dozens of things to do to reduce energy waste.
My wife and I purchased the Marc Rutenberg Homes zero energy home featured in this Zero Energy America video. While it is a beautiful home and our energy cost is very low, the biggest disappointment is the poor quality of the LG HVAC system. 4 of the 5 air handlers in the home have failed, each costing well over $2,500 with associated labor, and over $5,150.00 just to repair parts in the outdoor unit. LG has a very short warranty, and does not want to admit the problems, which mostly involve leaking coils. When a coil leaks in one unit, it drains the refrigerant from all units and none work. The indoor temperature can quickly rise to 85 degrees, and it takes weeks to get replacement parts. I have been told that similar LG units installed in Marc Rutenberg Homes in our Tampa Bay area also have experienced failures.
This is precisely why I am looking at the older passive solar technologies.
LG has some great ideas, but they are a terrible company. They flaunt the technology, but obviously do not care much for R&D, testing their products, or supporting the end user. They are in it to exploit people who want to create more energy efficient decisions. Companies like LG actually hinder the end consumer's decisions when it comes to creating a more energy efficient home.
Update: all 5 of the air handlers have been replaced. LG does nothing to stand behind their product. Also, the "zero energy home" is a myth - we have electric bills every month, and some are quite substantial.
@@mhonig34685 In the world of home appliances LG and Samsung both have issues with getting parts in a timely manner. This is partly a reason why locally, homeowners can't find companies that will work on those appliances. Also, they appear to be high end stuff but in reality the are just cheap plastic.
Not everyone has solar water heaters because they charge a fortune to install one. So many people live paycheck to paycheck. But agree we need to install them more somehow.
Ya stop funding wars in the middle East!
I see the problem of why we're slow to move toward zero energy is, 1. We don't see or care about how much we use. 2. Big energy companies want us to continue to use; if we don't, they lose profits, their not in to break even. I changed over to LED and it has help lower my electric bill but don't see LED's lasting a life time simply because if everyone bought them the company would go out of business because they aren't selling anymore. Goes back to the saying, "They don't build them like that anymore", that's because they cost and lasted a long time; can't stay in business for long without repeat business. I live alone and I turn off lights when I leave the room and my office where I spend most of my time gets a lot of day light through out the day and I think I'm doing pretty good with less than $80 for electric. Then a neighbor told me her bill has been as low as $15/mth by unplugging everything that is not being used, including cellphone chargers.
If every human in the United States watched this... We might do what matters most!
you forget the moron running america hayes the concept of global warming and his use it whilst its there attitude
I live in an adobe geodesic dome I made with my own solar dried stool. I
wash my cloths and dishes with my own urine derived from drinking 100%
rain water. I even went green with my hair gel by utilizing my
girlfriends vaginal secretions. We went 100% vegan by reseeding our
entire lawn with dandelions and soybeans organically fertilized by our
excess urine and stool available now that our unicycle garage is finally
done. The neighbors say they are getting used to the smell and praise
us for our diarrhea green footprints as long as we don't leave any of
them in their house. lol
stop having 6 kids and blaming it on the democrats when the bill problems are actually their own problems? sounds like a plan
As a consumer, I have the interest in installing PV panels and making the energy I need from the very land I live on. Maybe even accomplishing Net Zero Energy. Most Net Zero Energy homes are grid tied. Nearly all the energy produced from a PV array is during the day when you, the homeowner, are likely at work and can not use that energy. That energy gets fed back on to the grid whether the grid can use it or not. If you are in a net metering friendly environment, you get paid for that energy at the retail rate, which doesn't make business sense to the power company since they purchase most of all the energy they sell at wholesale rates. Now lets say there are several families in an area that have went to solar. It a mostly sunning day and everyone's PV array is operating at maximum capacity. Therefore the power companies have to throttle back their production. Suddenly a large cloud rolls over and everyone's PV array cuts production to nothing. There is a big drop in energy on the grid. It takes these power companies time, maybe several minutes to turn up production as brown outs start rolling through the area. Then the cloud is gone, PV arrays back at max capacity and there is suddenly to much power on the grid. This is all speculation, but seems to me a likely scenario to me. Now the area you live in has unreliable power production from the power companies. But what is the fix for this. Can say Tesla Powerwall's be installed in each home to absorb this decrease in production long enough to prevent the constant starting and stopping of these large generators that don't start and stop easily or quickly. I don't know what the answer is, but if a lot of buildings in a locally concentrated area go solar, its probably a certainty.
Konarka did something revolutionary, I hope they had protections on intellectual property and obtained and retained their patents
Wonderful idea!
Once again the 1% which these guys look like, are the only ones who can afford these type of homes or the expensive upgrades on older home would require. When the average home owner tries to take action and use less hydro we get rewarded with higher rates in the off peak hours too.
Not sure if you watched the latter part of this video but there are a number of things people with older homes can do as well that are inexpensive or free and can make a substantial difference. My home was built in 1992, I've been able to upgrade all the lights in my house to LED for $150, insulate my attic and ducting for less than $500, and save decently on my heating and cooling with a smart thermostat for probably less than $100 after rebates. The trick is to tackle the free stuff first and re-invest that savings into more efficient products...the effect is compounding.
1. Look at your utility rate structure and usage and see what costs you the most
2. Find and implement energy saving tips and get a free energy audit if they offer it, a lot of these can be found on you utilities websites and are free (unplug things you're not using, reduce temperature on your water heater, HVAC, and refrigerator a few degree's, unplug light bulbs in overlit area's, turn off lights when you're not using them, wash clothes in cold water, etc.)
3. Research your utilities rebate programs and Re-invest your savings into additional energy saving upgrades, this can be done over time, (a light bulb here, a smart switch there) Find the most cost efficient way to reduce the largest energy using systems. (for me and most people it's HVAC, so with a smart thermostat and some attic insulation i was able to save a significant amount without the cost of replacing my furnace and A/C and i got rebates from both the gas company and electric company, I'm also looking into a whole house or attic fan for the summer.)
Do your research and be conscious about your day to day activities and you'll be surprised what you can save, i've even found a lot of good tips and trick on youtube.
Moe Wilson It's not as expensive now as it used to be a few years ago even to do solar depending on where you live. I tried to get a mini split just for one room. the contractor said it's still going to cost you $4,500 or more. and that's a shame the rest of the world it would be $400 to $750 for the unit and installed less than$1800. But here they don't give us those prices. they charge so much but not because it cost so much. we pay more than the rest of the world and sometimes don't get the quality they get.
Thank you for responding with actual things that people can take action on and listing what you did. At some point people are going to have to realize giving excuses to not do anything is not going to get them anywhere but moving forward, even a small step is a step forward.
Moe Wilson For the elite only?
What do you expect. You can't stuff their pockets. Not me either.
Perhaps Al Gore will buy one after all he seems to burn thru energy beyond belief.
Good ideas don't require force!
Saying that we need to get government to use their force to control behavior is an option that is filled with bad side effects.
Instead of trying to get the same crony benefits for renewables, we should be fighting for government to stop violating our rights in order to subsidize oil (or ANY industry, really) and then we'll have a level playing field for the most efficient and preferred businesses to truly prove themselves.
Government by it's very nature is inefficient. We all know that government is wasteful (and the USA fed gov't is the #1 polluter in the world!) To waste our time and energy trying to get government to do something about it is an inefficient use of our time as well. Support private organizations that are coming up with great solutions. Support businesses that are developing or supporting these new technologies. That is the smartest, most effective thing we can do.
google #NonAggressionPrinciple
money--dumb,inefficient,dangerous,uncreative,evil. The Venus Project---education,health,Earth,Universe. TVP for the youth, free the old. United World Youth Org, a generation,,silence inheritance like 1989 China. The new Modern Man, a line in the sand from extreme human advancement.
Government leads best by example, support and promotion of energy efficiency.
The idea that monied interest, big business's current and future economic viability rank at the top of the for what's important is insanity. Why? Would their preservation be equal or even as imortant as the environmental quality of planet and human quality of life just for starters. The only problem that we have is the those who have achieved great wealth for corruption have a problem with losing money, power, and control.
these people who own these homes how many flights a year do they take
The number of flights those people take does not have an effect on the energy benefits of a well built house. The value of those ideas are independent of those who espouse them. Otherwise that is ad hominem.
molten salt reactors show the most promise. safety, cost and environment. everything else is marginal.
that begley vs nye segment is hilarious
@15:00 look at elon musk he heard your idea haha
They repeat the same msg each product. No real fact of performance
we need tax breaks for the Consumer not business an Corporation