As many Floridians will agree, one of the best parts of living in the Sunshine State is that, well, there is plenty of sunshine.  With this in mind, why are Floridians not harnessing this natural energy source to reduce household costs?  As a contractor, I need to remind myself that many may be aware of the general benefits of using solar energy resources, but most are unsure of the bottom line: what is it going to cost me and when do I see real savings? 

 

Let’s look at an average four-person household that uses an electric water heater.  According to mechanical engineers at the University of Wisconsin’s Solar Energy Laboratory, an electric water heater needs about 6,400 kilowatt hours of electricity per year to heat the water.  If the electricity is generated by a typical power plant with 30% efficiency, then the average electric water heater would be responsible for about eight tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) annually.  This is double that emitted by a typical modern car.  Even a family opting for natural gas or an oil-fired water heater, they will contribute around 2 tons of CO2 emissions each year to heat their water.  What this means to you is $100-$200 paid to your electric company every month.

 

Over the past few years, the legislature has implemented incentive programs to encourage businesses and homeowners to install solar systems.  As part of the 2006 Florida Energy Act, individuals and businesses that purchase solar photovoltaic systems are eligible for $4/watt rebate, capped at $20,000 for homes and $100,000 for businesses. (see www.solarpowerrocks.com/florida) If you choose to apply for this program, this could mean instant refund to you! Below is a portion of the rebates being offered through June 30, 2010.  For more detailed information, including the requisite equipment requirements visit www.myfloridaclimate.com

 

Rebate Amounts	Residential	Commercial
Solar Photovoltaic System	$20,000.00	$100,000.00
Solar Thermal System	$500.00	$5,000.00
Solar Thermal Pool Heater	$100.00	n/a

  

According to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), residential solar water heater systems cost between $1,500 and $3,500, compared to $150 to $450 for electric and gas heaters. This means that solar water heaters can pay for themselves within 4 to 8 years.  If that seems like a long time, think about this—solar water heaters last between 15 and 40 years (the same as any conventional systems).  You are looking at a small investment to have free hot water for years to come. Don’t forget that you have a 30% Federal Tax rebate for the system’s cost!

 

In an article of the March 2010 issue of Kiplinger’s, there is a story about a couple in Santa Fe, New Mexico that installed a 2-kilowatt system with nine panels.  The system amounted to $18,000, but they received their federal tax credit and a 10% credit from the state.  Their monthly electric bill is zero and the electric company sends them a check for the energy they send back to their power grid. The couple stated, “we get a check for about $46 a month.  We expect our system to pay for itself in about nine years-less if the company raises its rates.”  Wouldn’t it be nice for the electric company to owe YOU?

 

Contact BRC Builders today for more information regarding installation of solar systems.  We are licensed solar contractors and can assist in answering any questions you may have. If you would like to read more about solar power and federal and state rebates, visit these websites:

 

www.eesi.org

www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/

www.solarpowerrocks.com/florida

ORLANDO, FL (December 28, 2009)  BRC Builders was recently mentioned in the Orlando Business Journal's Book of Lists 2010.  BRC Builders has been ranked #17 Largest Custom Homebuilder, the companies are ranked by total dollar value of custom homes closed in 2008.  BRC Builders tied for #12 in the Largest Home Remodelers category, which is ranked by 2008 contracting revenue for Central Florida. 

BRC Builders values the relationships we have built within the community and welcome any opportunity to introduce who we are and how we may be of service. To find out more about how BRC can help you please visit www.buildbrc.com

ORLANDO, FL (October 25, 2009)  BRC Homes, a sister company to BRC Builders, LLC, started work on a complete renovation of a home on the Lake Conway chain of lakes.  Improvements include new kitchen, new flooring, remove and relocate partition walls, outdoor living space, and boat dock improvements. 

BRC Builders values the relationships we have built within the community and welcome any opportunity to introduce who we are and how we may be of service. To find out more about how BRC can help you please visit www.buildbrc.com

Over the past year, I have observed the lows that businesses are willing to stoop to maintain and earn new clients.  Specifically, many companies in the construction industry are bidding jobs only to keep their doors open, not to earn a profit.  While I do commend the valiant effort businesses are taking to keep their people employed, this business model paints an unrealistic standard for the client that is oblivious to this business practice; they just think they are getting a good deal.  But are they? 

 

I am empathetic with all businesses that are trying to survive in this struggling economy, however, I lose respect when a legitimate company decides to implement desperate and compromising business practices to remain competitive.  All this does is muddy the waters for the clients that are trying to discern between a company that is “inexpensive” and one that is just plain “cheap.”  It is a shame how many phone calls we have received from clients that need our help in repairing or completing a job from a contractor that got a job over us because they were ‘cheaper.’  This is not to mention the clients that have come to us with horror stories about contractors that quoted one price in a bid and then hit them with change orders later.  Sometimes by choosing the cheaper contractor it still ends up costing more.  The moral of this story is to choose your contractor very carefully.  Ask questions, consider their work history and ask for references.  All contractors should have a valid license and insurance (visit www.myfloridalicense.com).  Lastly, if a contractor is not working for profit, you have to consider what incentive they have to perform the job well.  If you have any other questions with regards to common pitfalls in choosing a contractor, feel free to contact us.  

For the first time in nearly 14 years, the median size of a new single family home decreased to 2,215 square feet from 2,277 square feet in 2007, according to the US Census Bureau. Since 1991, houses for single families have been consistently getting bigger and bigger, mirroring the housing bubble and good economic conditions. Those good economic conditions are now over and we are dealing with an ever-changing market. Builders are scrambling now to re-work conceptual drawings with a downsized foot-print with less living space. The National Association of Home Builders found in a survey earlier this year that 9 out of 10 builders are putting up smaller homes, a trend that has accelerated since May 2008. There are a few reasons why homebuyers are attracted to a smaller house in the present state of today’s economy. One reason is most homebuyers are first time homebuyers. They are making the jump from an apartment or a friend’s house to their own piece of the American dream. These potential homebuyers do not want or need a 4,000 square foot “McMansion”. With a larger home comes with larger maintenance and upkeep expenses—something that most first time homeowners are not ready to deal with, especially when they are used to having these issues taken care of as a renter. Another major reason for the spike in smaller home sales is the attractive energy costs. Air conditioning a large home is a large bill to pay every month. While high ceilings and walk-in closets are nice, many do not want to air condition wasted space. Besides the common sense understanding that a smaller house equals fewer costs, it is my opinion that the market crash has been a reset button for most Americans. Everyone has been living way beyond their means and it took a major economic disaster to open everyone’s eyes to the fact that going into debt to have a larger more extravagant home does not always make for a good investment. It is good to see the general public getting back to what is important and scaling back from an inflated lifestyle to one that is more reasonable and responsible. It is nice to have luxuries in life, but never at the expense of forgetting that which we take for granted.

There has been much speculation on whether the green building movement is just a publicity stunt for vendors or an actual attempt on saving mother earth. There are many out there that think it is just another marketing tool used by big business to try and get us contractors on board with selling a whole bunch of unnecessary products to the end user. Then, there are those who think that reducing our carbon footprint is the only way to save our planet from peril and create products that cater to that goal. In an article that I read from ‘Builder’ magazine this month, a survey stated that the concern over the state of the economy outweighed the concern for the environment (59% to 8%). So what is the true motivating factor of vendors behind choosing to ‘Go Green?’ My opinion falls somewhere in the middle; while there is a desire to save the earth, vendors will not waste money making products that tout this notion if it was not a popularized concept and didn’t put money in their pocket in the end. I agree that construction waste is out of control. Just by sorting our jobsite debris, we can make a difference in our bottom line and reduce the amount of waste being sent to the landfill by reusing or recycling materials. However, there are some things I do not agree with. For example, the ‘payback’ guarantees made by choosing one material over another or by one ‘method’ over another. We don’t know if spray foam insulation will payback the homeowner in 20 years or even ever. It’s an approximation, at best. Another example is solar paneling. While it may save money each month in power bills, there is usually a large upfront cost and there is maintenance to consider. Ultimately, you can’t always think that a reduction in monthy bills equates to the investment being sound when looking at the big picture. So, as a consumer, what do you do? At BRC, we find it important to always make informed choices. Going Green does not mean you are just wasting your money or being duped by vendors trying to bank on the green movement. There are viable methods to save money (in the ‘big picture’ sense) and to save the environment. I think the best places to invest money when going green are in Water efficiency and Lighting. Water efficiency is not only good for the environment by making the most of water sources, but in most cases, implementing water efficient fixtures reduces costs to the homeowner with little initial investment. Just the simple act of installing a low-flow showerhead, that costs around $8, you can slash your water consumption by 50-70%. This means less water wasted and more water for the benefit of our environment. With lighting, we all know how many light bulbs we can go through in a year’s time. Just by switching to LED light fixtures, at an average $13 a bulb, you are saving yourself money not just in power bills, but also just in the mere fact you won’t have to change or buy another light bulb for another 2 years. As with any industry, the Green movement will have its share of vendors just looking to make money. However, there are vendors that are making money AND doing something to better the world we live in. It is always recommended to do your research or contact a LEED AP contractor to help you make informed choices.