Jul 31 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Jennie Hobbs The Walton Sun, Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.



When it came to constructing their Santa Rosa Beach home, John and Shirley Leeper said no comfort or beauty was sacrificed to get to net-zero.

In fact, it was "a lot of fun."

"Energy conservation is sort of like a hobby, you have to be devoted to it," John said. "It's fun to go back there and watch the meter go backwards."

Net zero status is determined by figuring in what energy you buy, against what you sell. The Leepers' goal was to build an affordable medium-income home that lessened their fossilfuel footprint.

 The outcome far surpassed expectations.

"We originally counted on 50 percent reduction in utility use, and we produced about 400 kilowatts more than we purchased," John said.

While the savings from the solar panels were known to the Leepers, John attributed much of the greater-than-expected success to the LOGIX blocks and insulated concrete form (ICF) construction.

"It's not only energy efficient, but the strength of the structure 'is how homes on the coast should be built,' " John said, repeating his engineer's sentiment about their hurricane-proof home.

There are so many things that work together with this type of home, and buying local is paramount, Shirley says.

Walton County's Solar-Quest installed the panels, and Chris Ritchie Construction built the insulated foam blocks. The panels and blocks along with the edible landscaping all make up the conservation pieces of the "puzzle," Shirley said.

Another puzzle piece is the Mitsubishi Mr. Slim that heats and cools the air and the tankless water heater.

One interesting and exciting aspect of the Leepers' house is the near selfsufficiency it provides.

After they settled in a few months ago, CHELCO "apologized" for the wait to come out and hook up the house. John said he told them, "Hey, no sweat off my back; whenever you want to come out is fine with me."

Those days before CHELCO came out were the only time the Leepers were off the grid.

"We are very much believers in the grid and the concept that we are all in this together," John said.

Still, their home goes beyond the grid. Surplus energy, generated by the solar system, is sent straight over to be used by their neighbors.

"Here's your meter spinning backwards," John said, pointing to the usage meter. "Right now we are supplying our neighbors with the energy they are using; it's going right out there and into their house."

The Leepers are hoping their home points the way to a brighter, greener future. Shirley hopes Florida will institute programs that would bolster clean energy solutions. The highly popular solar panel rebate program, which expired June 30, was exhausted quickly.

"If they reinstate the program, those who were in line would get it," Shirley said. "But it is a great investment even without it."

John agreed there is "definitely room for a few incentives" and "political pressure needs to be applied," but he added that the amount of the rebate also needs to be "practical."

"We don't want to break Florida; all we want as advocates of solar power is to see enough of an incentive to give solar energy equal assistance to the subsidies going to oil and gas," John said. "The 30 percent federal tax incentive is a very helpful financial incentive."

The Leepers said they believe their house proves that affordable greenenergy technology is no longer a futuristic concept.

"It is already here, when you take into account the cost of those other energy sources," John said. "We have to stop thinking about it as something in the future -- we are there now."

 

(c) 2010, McClatchy-Tribune Information Services  To subscribe or visit go to:  www.mcclatchy.com/