Green Homes

Pre- Civil War homes are not generally considered energy efficient, and this was certainly the case for the home we converted into our office on Old National Pike in Middletown, Maryland. In 2007, we decided to embark on a transformation to make our old home into a model of energy efficiency for the future.

Our first goal was to install an ultra-efficient geothermal heating and cooling system. But we quickly realized that such one-dimensional thinking was shortsighted—such a state-of-the-art system was pointless without addressing the envelope of the house itself, which leaked like a sieve! To identify where improvements should be made, we hired Glory Energy Solutions LLC, an energy auditing and consulting firm.

The Home Energy Audit

A professional home energy audit is the first step to assess how much energy your home consumes and to evaluate the measures you can take to make the home more energy efficient. An energy audit shows where you could be losing significant amounts of money over time by pinpointing where the house loses energy. Audits also determine the efficiency of your home's heating and cooling systems. Using technologies like infrared cameras and conducting blower door tests, we were able to see exactly where we were losing our heating and cooling. The result of our energy audit provided us a baseline of data and comprehensive list of recommendations for energy performance improvement.

Transforming the Home

Energy audit in hand, we set about taking corrective measures. We hired Monument Foam Insulators, a Myersville-based company that uses closed cell polyurethane spray foam insulation. Installation of this type of insulation helps reduce energy costs by as much as 60% and works as a barrier to prevent moisture and air filtration.

Then we continued with additional improvements such as: new weather-stripping at all exterior doors; air-sealed duct chases; an insulated steel access door to the basement; closed cell foam added to the first floor band boards; sealing off any chases between floors; re-caulking windows; a dual-flush toilet; compact fluorescent light bulbs; timers on all bath fans; foam insulated attic rafters and gables (which gave us file and equipment storage space!); insulation above the 2nd floor porch ceiling with layers of foam; outside LCD security lighting to the outside of home and more.

The Result: A Resounding Success!

After we took the corrective measures outlined in the energy audit, our building airflow was reduced by nearly 60%, comfort has greatly improved and we expect to reduce our overall utility usage by more than 60% from our initial starting point. The project was a resounding success, and we continue to be committed to reduced consumption of natural resources in our business activities. Our next project is to install solar panels to provide the energy to power our operations.