Solar Energy for the Homeowner

Solar Photovoltaic Panels

Solar Photovoltaic Panels supplement electrical power received from the local power authority. At times when the electricity generated from the panels exceeds the home's power consumption, the excess power is transferred back into the grid and the electric meter runs in reverse. Many states (including New York) have net metering laws that require power companies to purchase excess power back from their residential customers at the same market rate they charge for usage.

This type of system can further be augmented by adding a battery to store excess energy generated from the solar panels. This stored energy can then be used during power outages.

Solar Photovoltaic Panels are improving in quality and becoming more affordable every year. With the rising costs of energy we have seen in recent times, the cost benefit ratio is always improving for these systems.

Solar Domestic Hot Water Systems

Domestic hot water heating is the second-highest energy consumer in a typical household. Using solar energy to heat hot water can reduce this cost by 65% or more in the Northeastern U.S. This type of system includes two or three solar collectors which absorb the sun's energy by warming a heat transfer fluid (propylene glycol). This fluid is then used to preheat incoming cold water before it is brought to full temperature by a conventional water heating system.

Passive Solar Design

Passive solar design integrates building components to harness natural energy flows and provide solar heating and cooling. Our designs have incorporated this simple, low-cost method to increase energy efficiency for many years. Passive solar design elements include day lighting strategies to limit the use of electricity, heat control techniques such as exterior sun screens, proper solar orientation, appropriate ventilation and window placement, and passive solar heating strategies.

Please visit www.BohlArchitects.com or contact us at Chip@BohlArchitects.com for more information. Bohl Architects has assisted many clients on both large and small projects make energy efficient choices for their homes.

Wind Power

The owners of a rural property have added this wind turbine which they expect to generate much of their electricity. As wind power is still an emerging technology, they plan to monitor their energy production in an effort to contribute to the understanding of this technology. Although the payback may be years away, their investment in this green power source will help advance the market and accessibility of wind power for future consumers. Also, any power generated by green sources (ie: wind, solar, etc.) reduces the amount of coal burned by power plants and creates less air pollution for all. To see more information about this project, please visit http://www.bohlarchitects.com.

Urban Rooftop Farming

Yesterday's New York Times featured an article on urban rooftop farming. This could mean anything from putting some planters on the roof of your building and planting a few herbs or vegetables, to large-scale farming operations on the roofs of warehouses. Schools are setting up rooftop vegetable gardens to supply fresh produce to their cafeterias, and high-end restaurants are growing ingredients for their dishes. This great idea isn't only for the city - think of the benefits for suburban schools or offices buildings. To see the full article go to http://www.nytimes.com/pages/dining/index.html.

A Little Place on The Water

This custom home designed by Bohl Architects is featured in the current issue of Chesapeake Home magazine. To see the article and more photos please visit http://www.chesapeakehome.com/2009/06/03/a-little-place-on-the-water/.

The Chesapeake Life House

The Chesapeake Life House is a series of "green" homes designed by Bohl Architects. The deteriorating health of the Chesapeake Bay waters is directly related to the removal of woodland areas in the watershed. Agricultural uses, roads, yards, and building roofs all destroy the woodland areas. These fast runoff surfaces allow the immediate introduction of pollutants into the waters. The Chesapeake Life House can incorporate planted roofs that hold and filter rain water. The lot landscaping design encourages the restoration of woodlands, and the creation of indigenous wildlife habitat. The small footprint of the house and the minimal amount of hard surfaces on the lot help restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay.

The house easily integrates many low carbon features: solar hot water system, photovoltaic panels, geothermal heating/cooling, super insulation, and/or organic construction materials. These and more may be included as the budget allows, or added in the future.


If you are interested in building a Chesapeake Life House please contact us at Chip@BohlArchitects.com.

The Chesapeake Life House

The Chesapeake Life House is a series of sustainable homes designed by Bohl Architects. The square footprint provides an excellent ratio of floor area to exterior wall and roof area. The exterior wall and roof areas of a home are the parts of the house that lose heat in the winter and gain heat in the summer. As we minimize the exterior wall, we reduce the energy required for heating and cooling. A 2,500 square foot home with an "L" shaped floor plan has 25% more exterior wall area than a 2,500 square foot home with a square floor plan. A 2,500 square foot house that is one story has twice the roof area than a 2,500 square foot house that is two stories. Using these simple floor plan configuration concepts reduces energy and material consumption. The daily energy operation costs of the house are reduced by the low ratio of exterior wall to interior space. It turns out that a small house footprint is a small carbon footprint.
Please visit http://www.bohlarchitects.com/ for more information.

The Chesapeake Life House

The Cheseapeake Life House is a series of homes designed by Bohl Architects specifically for the Cheseapeake Bay Watershed.
The interior arrangement of rooms is as natural and traditional as the way the home sits in the landscape. The rooms have the classic proportions that can adjust to the various and changing needs of family life. The Chesapeake Life House is designed to last for many generations. The most sustainable feature of any home is the longevity of use. The design of the home must have the flexibility to accommodate a history of demands.

Each primary room of the Chesapeake Life House has windows on two sides of each room. This allows for natural ventilation and illumination, and a generous connection to the natureal landscape.

For more information please visit http://www.BohlArchitects.com.

The Chesapeake Life House

The Chesapeake Life House is a series of houses designed specifically for the Cheseapeake Bay Watershed. The floor plans range from 2000 to 4000 square feet. The house designs have great flexibility so that the living spaces can easily be modified for view, solar, and wind orientation, and to take the greatest advantage of natural topography and existing vegetation.

The Chesapeake Life House is inspired by the American Foursquare of the early 20th century. This design is a multi-story home with a square footprint.

Next weeks' blog posts will have more information on the Chesapeake Life House, or visit http://www.bohlarchitects.com/ for more information.