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Show HOME dm Wcafeir (ARA) - There's another hot new trend in green homebuilding and remodeling. Advances in technology, coupled with rjsing energy prices, are resulting in growing . g interest in solar systems d when consumers build or remodel homes. "Five years ago, when oil prices hovered around $20 a barrel and the price at the pump was just above $1 a gallon, enwater-heatin- green-minde- ergy costs barely registered among Americans' top concerns," says Josh Plaisted, president of Kineo Design Group, a Berkley, Calif.-base- d engineering and that specializes in consulting company and development in the product design solar industry. "Today, you will find high energy costs among the top five concerns of consumers," he says. "Whether its natural gas, electricity or gasoline prices, energy weighs heavily on their minds, and they are clamoring for solutions." According to Plaisted, consumers can have the greatest impact on their energy costs by reconsidering how they CHOICE Heiffimii is heat their water. The average household spends about 25 percent of its home energy costs on heating water, he says, offers g noting that solar homeowners not only a solution to rising energy costs, but also environmental benefits. Solar g was named one 1 of the top 0 technologies for 2007 by Housing and Urban Development's Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) Program. The U.S. Department of Energy, in its EERE Consumer's Guide, says that, "On average, if you install a solar water-heate- r, bills should drop 50 your water-heatin- g to 80 percent. Also, because the sun is free, you're protected from future fuel shortages and price hikes." VELUX America, the leading manufacturer of skylights in the United States, is introducing a solar hot water heating system here utilizing technology developed by the parent company in Denmark and proven through years of service in 2008 Friday, March 28, WEEKLY Heating Up water-heatin- water-heatin- Europe. , ,. - ..' ' 'X. ' -- '"V. x x , X V X X- :r;.r "V ... -- x "' X .X,. Ifyou install a solar . v "' X, ; ' ". XXXX , XX " - ' your water-heate- r, percent. Tim Miller, president of VELUX g America, says that every solar system installed in America will help to reduce the nation's reliance on fossil fuels while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. He points out that solar is another opportunity for water-heatiindividual homeowners to support the green movement while realizing benefits now and for years to come. The cost of an installed system will vary depending upon the volume of heated water required in a home. Two to three rooftop solar collector panels will usually be installed and solar hot water holding tanks are available in 80 and sizes. An average installation is projected to cost around $7,500. Federal tax credits can help pay 30 for a system up to $2,000 percent and some states and utilities offer additional support, resulting in credits that could offset up to half the cost. This, ' combined with savings on home energy bills, should result in an anticipated payback period of three to seven years in most areas depending on geographic location, utility rates and other factors. The solar energy roof collectors look very much like low profile skylights and integrate well with rooflines. The collectors are certified by independent testing agencies in Europe (Solar Keymark) and in the United States (SRCC). "Solar thermal water heating is not "4 - ' V Ti A"" X- r Solar energy roof collectors look very much like low profile skylights well with rooflines. and integrate ' s X, - ... -- ; I " ' i X- x water-heatin- - XH t1-- ' ARA hills should drop 50 to 80 g new to the United States - this country was the world leader in the industry following the energy crisis of the early water-heatin- 1980s," says Jim Cika, manager, solar products, for VELUX. "However, in the mid to late 1980s, as the cost of energy suddenly sank to record lows, American consumers were once again enjoying cheap oil, federal and state tax subsidizes for solar water heaters were eliminated in the U.S., and the demand for solar systems came abruptly to an end." As the American market for solar water heating products was collapsing, Germany, Austria and other European countries continued to focus on product innovation, Cika says. "European countries saw what was happening in the United States in the 1980s, took the technology and continued innovating," he says, noting that the U.S. Department of Energy reports that 120-gall- 3 i r i, ! , 82 percent of all greenhouse gas emitted by human activity is energy-relate- d carbon dioxide." "They made solar water heaters more energy efficient and more cost efficientTwenty years later, Europe is a global leader in solar water heating technology, and now this technology is returning to the United States." For more information on the benefits 1 of solar water heating, call (800) 283-283- orvisitveluxusa.comsolar. Courtesy of ARAcontent |