Construction is underway at our Rosslyn green home project and we finally have a couple updates to share! Both the front and rear porches are now framed up, and will be finished out soon. The roof was also replaced with new asphalt shingles for the new solar panel system.
FSC-certified lumber was used for framing throughout the home, which ensures environmentally friendly harvesting. As can be expected with old homes, we ran into a couple issues before the framing could be installed. A portion of the exterior wall framing near the front porch was rotted out, so that was replaced before constructing the front porch. The front porch roof is currently supported with temporary posts until the decorative historic posts are installed. For the rear screened porch there was one foundation with bad soil that was dug deeper to get to stable bearing.
The solar panel system consists of 22 total 390W panels installed on the main roof roof, dormer and lower roof. Based on the geometry of the roof, 43% roof coverage was achieved. North facing portions of the roof did not receive panels due to negligible sun exposure, and clearance is needed for code at the edges of the roof. The total 8.58 kW system supplies 9,211 kWh/yr, which is about 60% of the current household needs. The environmental benefit amounts to 7,825lbs of coal not burned each year. The total annual cost savings is $1,300 of electricity and $348 of Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC), amounting to approximately $1,648 total annually. SREC trading prices fluctuate, and is currently trading at $38.
Check back in another couple months as we look to finish up the porches, and renovations of the two bathrooms!