Counting Down to Zero

COUNTING DOWN TO ZERO Big, little changes cut emissions on way to carbon-neutral house By Kevin Kidder THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH n average three-bedroom central Ohio home heated by natural gas and cooled by electricity produces about 39,186 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. An al-electric house produces 65,296 pounds. We looked at the improvements an owner can 2 Install photovoltalc (solar) Install a wind turbine. 12 cells that provide supple- mental power. Solar panels are usually installed on the roof and come in kits. One Web site, solarhome.org. sells kits for $8,000 to $10,000. 16 This option is more common in rural areas, and zoning can be an obstacle. The turbines have two or three make on the way to a carbon-neutral house. Information comes from a variety of sources. Be warned that even reputable sources dis- agree on the amount of carbon dioxide eliminated by certain improvements. Up to 16,290 pounds of potential emissions averted, depending on how much energy your solar cell generates. blades and must be mounted on towers. They start at $3,000, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, but typical setups cost $32,000. 16,290 pounds of potential emissions averted. [email protected] a Install a ceiling fan. Ceiling 13 fans don't cool a room, but they Carbon neutrality catching on globally A1 give the illusion by creating a breeze. With air flowing. you feel as comfortable at 75 degrees as you Money saved can be put to good use D1 would in 70-degree still air. In winter, fans help return warm air from the celling to lower levels. With a 2-degree difference, 2,000 pounds of potential emissions Buy an Energy Star-rated O refrigerator. Appliances receiving the government rating meet enhanced standards for efficiency. averted. 16 868 pounds of potential emissions averted. Use compact fluorescent 14 light bulbs instead of incandescent bulbs. CFLS use Plant a tree indigenous to the region. Trees use carbon dioxide. 5,000 pounds of potential emissions averted. Buy an Energy Star-rated washing machine. about two-thirds less energy than regular bulbs. 440 pounds of potential emissions averted. 2,521 pounds of potential emissions averted. Buy an Energy Star-rated dishwasher. O Seal off leaks in air ducts. Up to 20 percent of the heat in a forced-air system can leak through gaps and poor connections. 341 pounds of potential emissions averted. 154 pounds of potential emissions averted. 13 Install better insulation in walls, ceiling and foundation. If the walls were not insulated, they would go from R-1 to R-13. The ceiling would go from R-30 to R-49. And the basement would go from uninsulated to R-10. Install a high-efficiency furnace and air conditioner. Technology has evolved, and these systems can be 95 percent efficient - meaning only 5 percent of the energy is wasted. 18 Walls (if previously uninsulated), 9,204 pounds of potential emissions averted; ceiling, 407 pounds; foundation, 1,762 pounds. a Install a programmable thermostat. Heat or cool the Furnace, 2,819 pounds of potential emissions averted; air conditioner, 647 pounds. house when you are home, but program the thermostat to a less-comfortable temperature when you are away. The temperature might be set lower for up to 16 hours a day when considering work and sleep time. 11 Install a geothermal system, which heats and cools by drawing on the constant temperature of the Earth, 50 degrees in Ohio. Pipes must be laid in the ground for this energy-efficient system. 18 Other ways to get neutral: If the thermostat is set 2 degrees lower than normal in the winter and 2 degrees higher in the summer, it will reduce emissions by 2,000 pounds Buy electricity from companies that generate power from renewable sources such as wind, water or the sun. If you use natural gas for heat or hot water, this would not completely offset the carbon dioxide you emit. Replace single-pane windows 15 with energy-efficlent ones. 22,395 pounds of potential emissions averted compared with an electric heating system. Newer windows feature double panes of glass, special coatings and insulating materials. Some Turn off unused appliances. O Electricity running to chargers, microwaves, televisions and other even use nontaxic gases between the panes for better insulation. Install an on-demand water heater. In tankless heaters, water is warmed only when a faucet is turned. The water circulates through burners or coils for quick heating. 10 Recycle. A two-person household recycling newspapers, magazines, glass, plastic, aluminum and steel helps put processed materials back into production. 3,320 pounds of potential emissions averted (Replacing double-pane windows with more efficient ones would save 1,114 pounds.) Buy carbon offsets from various companies. The money is used to fund clean-energy projects such as wind, water and solar energy that, in theory, prevent carbon dioxide from being emitted. devices adds substantially but subtly to energy use. m Air-dry clothing instead of using a clothes dryer. 1,000 pounds of potential emissions averted. 1,470 pounds of potential emissions averted. 1,280 pounds of potential emissions averted. 700 pounds of potential emissions averted. TIM MEKO | DISPATCH Sources: Comerstone Energy Conservation Services, Terry Smith; GeoSourceOne, Jeff Persons; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Energy, StopGlobalWarming.ong COUNTING DOWN TO ZERO Big, little changes cut emissions on way to carbon-neutral house By Kevin Kidder THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH n average three-bedroom central Ohio home heated by natural gas and cooled by electricity produces about 39,186 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. An al-electric house produces 65,296 pounds. We looked at the improvements an owner can 2 Install photovoltalc (solar) Install a wind turbine. 12 cells that provide supple- mental power. Solar panels are usually installed on the roof and come in kits. One Web site, solarhome.org. sells kits for $8,000 to $10,000. 16 This option is more common in rural areas, and zoning can be an obstacle. The turbines have two or three make on the way to a carbon-neutral house. Information comes from a variety of sources. Be warned that even reputable sources dis- agree on the amount of carbon dioxide eliminated by certain improvements. Up to 16,290 pounds of potential emissions averted, depending on how much energy your solar cell generates. blades and must be mounted on towers. They start at $3,000, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, but typical setups cost $32,000. 16,290 pounds of potential emissions averted. [email protected] a Install a ceiling fan. Ceiling 13 fans don't cool a room, but they Carbon neutrality catching on globally A1 give the illusion by creating a breeze. With air flowing. you feel as comfortable at 75 degrees as you Money saved can be put to good use D1 would in 70-degree still air. In winter, fans help return warm air from the celling to lower levels. With a 2-degree difference, 2,000 pounds of potential emissions Buy an Energy Star-rated O refrigerator. Appliances receiving the government rating meet enhanced standards for efficiency. averted. 16 868 pounds of potential emissions averted. Use compact fluorescent 14 light bulbs instead of incandescent bulbs. CFLS use Plant a tree indigenous to the region. Trees use carbon dioxide. 5,000 pounds of potential emissions averted. Buy an Energy Star-rated washing machine. about two-thirds less energy than regular bulbs. 440 pounds of potential emissions averted. 2,521 pounds of potential emissions averted. Buy an Energy Star-rated dishwasher. O Seal off leaks in air ducts. Up to 20 percent of the heat in a forced-air system can leak through gaps and poor connections. 341 pounds of potential emissions averted. 154 pounds of potential emissions averted. 13 Install better insulation in 4 walls, ceiling and foundation. If the walls were not insulated, they would go from R-1 to R-13. The ceiling would go from R-30 to R-49. And the basement would go from uninsulated to R-10. Install a high-efficiency furnace and air conditioner. Technology has evolved, and these systems can be 95 percent efficient - meaning only 5 percent of the energy is wasted. 18 Walls (if previously uninsulated), 9,204 pounds of potential emissions averted; ceiling, 407 pounds; foundation, 1,762 pounds. a Install a programmable 5 thermostat. Heat or cool the Furnace, 2,819 pounds of potential emissions averted; air conditioner, 647 pounds. house when you are home, but program the thermostat to a less-comfortable temperature when you are away. The temperature might be set lower for up to 16 hours a day when considering work and sleep time. 11 Install a geothermal system, which heats and cools by drawing on the constant temperature of the Earth, 50 degrees in Ohio. Pipes must be laid in the ground for this energy-efficient system. 18 Other ways to get neutral: If the thermostat is set 2 degrees lower than normal in the winter and 2 degrees higher in the summer, it will reduce emissions by 2,000 pounds Buy electricity from companies that generate power from renewable sources such as wind, water or the sun. If you use natural gas for heat or hot water, this would not completely offset the carbon dioxide you emit. Replace single-pane windows 15 with energy-efficlent ones. 22,395 pounds of potential emissions averted compared with an electric heating system. Newer windows feature double panes of glass, special coatings and insulating materials. Some Turn off unused appliances. O Electricity running to chargers, microwaves, televisions and other s adds substantially but subtly even use nontaxic gases between the panes for better insulation. Install an on-demand water heater. In tankless heaters, water is warmed only when a faucet is turned. The water circulates through burners or coils for quick heating. 10 Recycle. A two-person household recycling newspapers, magazines, glass, plastic, aluminum and steel helps put processed materials back into production. 3,320 pounds of potential emissions averted (Replacing double-pane windows with more efficient ones would save 1,114 pounds.) Buy carbon offsets from various companies. The money is used to fund clean-energy projects such as wind, water and solar energy that, in theory, prevent carbon dioxide from being emitted. m Air-dry clothing instead of using a clothes dryer. devic to energy use. 1,000 pounds of potential emissions averted. 1,470 pounds of potential emissions averted. 1,280 pounds of potential emissions averted. 700 pounds of potential emissions averted. TIM MEKO | DISPATCH Sources: Comerstone Energy Conservation Services, Terry Smith; GeoSourceOne, Jeff Persons; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Energy, StopGlobalWarming.ong