Page 31 - Green Builder January 2017 Issue
P. 31
appliances can still function when regular power is down,” Olinsky- CREDIT: CLEAN ENERGY GROUP Green team. McKnight Lane’s grand opening in Waltham,
Paul says. “Of course, if they get carried away, the battery won’t last CREDIT: VERMOD HOMESVt., drew dozens of clean energy enthusiasts and
as long as it could. But if people are conservative, they’ll do alright.” project-related groups.
Once grid power has been restored, the system’s automatic transfer Group Effort
switch reconnects the home to the utility grid in about five minutes.
THE McKNIGHT LANE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT resulted from
Combined, the energy efficiency, solar PV and battery storage collaboration by numerous organizations, including:
systems bring economic and energy security benefits to tenants, ¦¦ Project developers Addison County Community Trust and
developers note. Meanwhile, Green Mountain Power can manage
peak energy demand and reduce cost for all customers. Cathedral Square, architect Pill-Maharam Architects, general
contractor Champlain Construction, and builder VERMOD Homes.
Solar PV-battery storage systems—a.k.a. solar + storage—are ¦¦ Project funding contributors Vermont Housing Finance Agency,
relatively new, and offered by companies such as Sonnen and Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, Vermont Community
Tesla (www.tesla.com/energy). But most customers tend to be from Development Program, HOME Investment Partnership, People’s
wealthier households. The systems haven’t made their way to lower- United Bank, VLITE, Clean Energy Development Fund, Vermont
income families, who in many cases need the product even more, Community Loan Fund, Vermont Department of Environmental
according to CEG President Lew Milford. Conservation, Agency of Commerce and Community
Development.
“There’s a lot more attention paid to housing for people with low ¦¦ Additional funding by the City of Vergennes, National Association
to moderate income in cities,” Olinsky-Paul says. “For those in the of Realtors, Efficiency Vermont, the Town of Waltham and the
rural areas, it’s a lot tougher. It’s important that people who are City of Vergennes.
underserved—who typically don’t get new technologies until they ¦¦ Solar battery storage system funding by Green Mountain Power,
trickle down through the wealthier classes—get those benefits now.” Sonnen, Efficiency Vermont, High Meadows Fund, the Vermont
EXTRA PERKS Community Foundation Sustainable Future Fund through Clean
In addition to the solar array and battery, each home has numerous Energy Group, and the Clean Energy States Alliance.
energy-saving amenities that make the solar + solar system even more ¦¦ Inspiration by former ACCT Executive Director Terry McKnight,
efficient. These include triple-pane windows, Energy Star appliances, who died in November 2014. The project was named after him
extra insulation and cold-climate heat pumps, according to Chris in honor of his desire to transform the old mobile park into
Faulk, Cathedral Square’s director of media communications. something modern that residents would be proud to call home.
Saved for a rainy day. Each modular home’s solar array charges up January/February 2017 GREEN BUILDER 29
a sonnenBatterie smart energy storage system, in case the local
grid goes down.
www.greenbuildermedia.com
