ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Modern dream, green machine: 15 eco-conscious
ways to make your home the best that it can be

From the pages of CA-Modern magazine
By Tanja Kern

There are certain rules that parents hammered into our heads as children: turn off the lights when you're not using them; shut off the faucet while you're brushing your teeth; close the windows before turning on the air conditioning, and so on. This litany might have been a bit of a drag early on, but once you moved into your own place -- with your own bills -- 'the rules' suddenly began making sense.

Despite our best efforts to maintain cost-efficient and eco-conscious households, living in mid-century modern homes today can pose a few challenges. From searing heat to creeping cold, maintaining a constant temperature in these architectural treasures can become a tiresome chore. Designed during the golden and inexpensive years of energy, many of these homes have a reputation for being energy hogs.

Between 1952 and 1972, the span of years within which most of our homes were built, total energy usage in the U.S. doubled, and electrical energy consumption even tripled. Single-pane glass windows let in the hot summer sun, and inefficient roofing systems let out the warm air in the winter. Traditional plumbing also doesn't stand up to today's water conservation standards. What's a mid-century style homeowner to do today, faced with ever-rising energy bills and cities' every-depleting water supplies?

Thankfully, most of our readers are also progressive. Just as one might soup up a classic vintage car with a faster engine, scratch-resistant paint, and 60,000-mile tires, our homeowners are improving their original homes with better insulation, power-conscious systems, and energy-saving appliances. The term 'eco-friendly' has turned into quite the buzzword, making such improvements a cool thing to do -- not only for the environment, but also for our pocketbooks.

Here's a handy checklist of things you can do to boost the energy efficiency in your home -- and in the process save on energy bills and live more comfortably.

1. Let's begin at the rooftop

Foam roof insulation. Heat rises and looks to the roof as its first avenue of escape, making roof insulation a logical starting point for energy conservation. Homeowners who have transitioned their original Eichler roof, with its meager half-inch of fiberglass insulation, to a modern insulated roof are oftentimes amazed at how much the new roof helps keep out the heat in the summer and retains a mild temperature inside during the winter. Two inches of rigid foam or spray-on polyurethane foam provide sufficient roof insulation (R-19 value) to make an impact on energy consumption and costs.

"Eichler homes creak and groan as they expand with the heat and the cold," says Randy Feriante, owner of Dura-Foam Roofing in Menlo Park. "With a foam roof, the structure is always the inside temperature." They are also renewable and can be recoated over the years as necessary.

Spray-on foam roofs are also highly reflective, as are other white and light-colored roofing systems, such as single-plies Duro-Last and Johns Manville. In the summer, all of them are effective in reducing heat gain, as well as the need for air conditioning, inside the home.

2. Warming up the 'cold zones'

Wall insulation. If your walls feel cold to the touch in the winter, your home could probably benefit with some additional insulation in the walls. Wall insulation, especially when applied to those walls facing the exterior of your home, will reduce 'cold zones' inside rooms, mostly near walls and windows, and add additional comfort and prevention against heat energy loss. It's worth the effort: retrofitting insulation into existing walls can save you 20 percent on heating bills.

Today, standard fiberglass insulation offers approximately an R-13 value. It's a relatively easy feat to add insulation to walls when replacing exterior siding. If your walls are going to remain shut, however, consider 'blown' insulation. For Eichlers, flexible, four-inch thick fiberglass batts, an inexpensive and easy-to-install insulator, are preferred for inside installations. Wood paneling or sheet rock can be reinstalled over the insulation afterwards.

3. Orchestrating Mother Nature

Adding shade and windbreak. Ward off the hot summer sun and chilly winter wind with some help from Mother Nature. Well-placed landscape design can offer effective and energy-conscious protection. In fact, trees, a trellis with vines, and shrubs set at key spots around your home can shade the nearby walls and roof area enough to reduce heating and cooling needs up to 30 percent over the year.

It is estimated that one average full-size leaf-shedding deciduous tree positioned on the south side of your home can screen sunlight and create a cooling effect to the structure equivalent to five average-size room air conditioners.

In winter, the same tree's bare branches will allow the winter sun to raise the temperature inside the home, perhaps just enough to keep the heat controls off in daytime hours. Meanwhile, a row of two or more evergreen trees (ones that maintain their leaves) standing on the northwest side of your home can serve as an effective windbreak, preventing cold drafts from lowering the temperature inside. The Leyland cypress, strawberry, and the flowering gum are all ideal wind-breaking trees for most California climates and will provide energy savings for years to come.

4. Windows of opportunity

Double-pane windows & sliders. Mid-century modern homes are known for their large expanses of glass, and paying attention to the quality of those windows is of utmost importance. While floor-to-ceiling glass looks great, single-pane windows of yesteryear were -- and still are -- a major source of heat and air-conditioning loss. The average home can lose up to 30 percent of its heat or cooling through its windows.

The original single-pane windows in most mid-century modern homes have an insulation level of 0.9. It's a far cry from today's better-insulated roofs and walls, which run R-14 or higher; the greater the number, the better insulated your home is.

Dave Stellman of Palo Alto Glass believes that updating an Eichler with new energy-saving windows and sliding-glass doors will help save money on energy costs and increase a home's resale value. "Higher insulating values and associated energy savings on heating and cooling, reduced condensation, exterior noise reduction, and increased safety are all things an Eichler owner can expect as a return on their investment in insulated glass," he points out.

Doors and windows today can be glazed with clear or tinted insulated glass and low-e insulated glass -- both factors for improved energy efficiency.

5. Reducing glare and heat

Window film. For homeowners who want to reduce the amount of glaring sun that streams through the expansive windows, window film can make a significant improvement. Today's versions aren't dark-tinted or shiny versions of funky car window films; they are clear, or somewhat tinted, and don't change the interior or exterior appearance of the home.

"Most of the film that we put on the Eichlers is for safety, to keep the original glass from shattering," says Dave Rathjen of Sun-Chek Glass Tinting in Mountain View. "But others put on film to keep ultraviolet rays from fading fabrics and to reduce heat coming into the house."

In fact, some window films can reduce the amount of heat coming through the glass by 50 to 70 percent, affecting the need for HVAC. The best and most expensive films run between $8 and $10 per square foot. Applied films are relatively easy to maintain; most can be cleaned with a non-abrasive glass cleaner.

6. Window treatments get results

Window coverings. Window treatments not only look great, they also help conserve energy, reducing heat loss in the winter and keeping rooms cooler in the summer. Awnings, blinds, insulated panel drapes, shades, and shutters all provide practical protection. For mid-century modern homes, many homeowners choose inconspicuous custom shades that don't interfere with the home's architecture.

Outdoor patio areas can benefit from solar screens, see-through shades which are installed on the exterior of the home to help reduce glare.

No matter which window treatments you choose, however, they won't reduce air leakage or infiltration. Installing new energy-efficient windows, or applying caulking or weather stripping to old ones, will help you save the most money in the long run.

Becky San Diego, co-owner of Rebarts Interiors in Burlingame, recommends the Architella Duette Honeycomb Shade by Hunter Douglas. This fashionable window covering uses soft, durable pleated fabrics to create hexagonal cells for an extra layer of insulation. In fact, the sheer shade can increase the R-value of a dual pane window from R-2 to R-6.02, and the opaque version will raise it to 7.73. It also helps cut down outside noise.

"Style-wise, this shade works for contemporary interiors because it's less bulky than earlier models," San Diego says. "It also comes in dozens of colors, including many shades of white."

7. Maximized radiant heating

Radiant boiler upgrade. Similar to how the sun warms outside surfaces on a chilly day, radiant heat technology keeps flooring surfaces consistently toasty without all the billowing hot air of forced-air heat, or the patchy heat of baseboard radiators. Many homeowners today are opting for radiant heat instead of forced-air because it is a quieter, dust-free option and has a quicker response time to thermostat changes. Most Eichlers originally came equipped with radiant heat, and many of their owners are thankful for it.

However, many of these same homes are at a crossroad. While most original Eichler radiant boilers have lasted 50 years and beyond, their efficiency level has steadily declined during later years -- from a desirable 85-percent efficiency to as low as 60 percent. Telltale signs of decline include poor heating in areas of the house farthest from the boiler, irregular pressure fluctuations, an unusually hot boiler and boiler room, discoloration or burns on the boiler jacket, and odors in the boiler room.

In addition to the basic mid-priced, workhorse boilers (approximately 85 percent efficiency), the super high-efficiency models (90 percent and higher) are showing a sharp increase in popularity today among eco-conscious owners. For high efficiency, expect to pay $6,500 to $7,000 (and perhaps more), including installation.

After a boiler change out, a 25- to 30-percent (and perhaps greater) gas savings is not uncommon. "It's a long-term investment, but you will reap the benefits immediately," says Mike LaChance of LaChance Radiant Heating.

LaChance also recommends that radiant systems get checked out regularly. "Bi-annual inspections, especially on older units, are recommended for safety and efficiency," he says. "Because even minor problems can later lead to bigger concerns, which usually become more costly in the long run."

8. Lighting that saves

Long-life light bulbs. To reduce energy consumption and save money, replacing your lighting fixtures can make a huge difference. Consider swapping out the fixtures you use most often with Energy Star models, which use 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent light bulbs. The five highest use fixtures in a home are typically the kitchen ceiling lights, the living or family room lamps, and outdoor porch or post lamps.

Energy Star-qualified lighting uses compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) that give off bright, warm light. CFLs have a lifespan of 6,000 hours instead of 1,000 hours like that of traditional incandescent light bulbs.

Many lighting manufacturers are creating fixtures that hold new technology: GU24 florescent bulbs. These Energy Star-approved bulbs don't have the usual screw base, but instead have two bayonets protruding from the bottom. These insert into matching holes in the fixture's socket and twist to lock into place. Twist and pull, and the bulb also comes right out of the socket. The benefit of the GU24 innovation is that any fixture with a GU24 socket can now take any bulb with a GU24 connection. That means a fixture is not limited to its original type of light source.

For mid-century home aficionados, lighting company Rejuvenation of Portland, Oregon offers period-style fixtures that fit GU24 bulbs. "As a lighting company, part of what we struggled with over the years has been having to modify the look of our fixtures to fit pin-based compact fluorescents," says Tony Pensca, director of marketing. "With this new technology, the GU socket and base fits into our existing fixtures, giving our customers a lot more options."

LED (light-emitting diode) lights are another up-and-coming option for today's home. They have an incredibly long life, lasting 50,000 to 100,000 hours. Although there aren't yet many residential fixtures that use LEDs, they are available for recessed applications and indirect light above kitchen cabinetry, according to Ken Plumlee, co-owner of Lumen's Light + Living in Sacramento. Plumlee also recommends putting dimmer controls on all overhead lights to extend the life of the bulb.

9. Are you ready for solar?

Solar electric systems. The sun gives off an incredible amount of energy, so why don't more of us use it? Solar-powered heating technologies allow us to harness that energy and, once installed, gain practically free electricity, heat, or heated water. When the sun is shining, your solar system generates electricity, which means you will purchase less electricity from the local utility.

To tap into the solar energy stream, residents usually install a residential photovoltaic electric system on the roof. Photovoltaic cells convert solar energy into electricity (DC voltage) with efficiencies that range from eight to 12 percent. They are mounted in groups, typically in large, flat panels several feet wide. Connecting cables tie the panels to an inverter, a device that converts the DC current into AC, which is what is used by residential appliances and lights. The inverter ties into the circuit box, and when the sun is shining, some or even all of a home's electrical needs can be met by the PV system.

The California Energy Commission and state legislature have set a goal to create 3,000 megawatts of new, solar-produced electricity by 2017. The San Francisco Solar Task Force is encouraging homeowners to install solar energy systems to make the installation easier and more cost-efficient. To help initiate more solar power installations, the state is providing property rebates of $5,000 to $6,000.

10. Venting kitchen buildup

Kitchen exhaust. Installing a new kitchen exhaust for energy efficiency might be considered an oxymoron, considering that some heating contractors say that a majority of a home's heat in the winter can be sucked through the vent in just an hour. In the summer, however, efficient kitchen exhausts can help expel heat and humidity while cooking, thereby reducing the need for extra fans or air conditioning. Kitchen range hoods directly over the range should be at least the same width as the cooking surface and mounted 18 to 30 inches above the burners.

Broan-NuTone recently introduced a 'Best by Broan' range hood, designed by F.A. Porsche, which incorporates technology that senses when too much heat is building up, and adjusts blower speeds accordingly, to help prevent fires. Retailing for $2,027, the WM24 hood features efficient HVI-certified (Home Ventilating Institute) internal or quiet external blower options; stainless-steel, dishwasher-safe filters; two-level halogen lighting that provides ample lighting for the workspace; four-speed, electronic pushbutton control with a delay-off switch; and a telescopic flue for ceilings over eight feet tall.

11. Eco-friendly with a chill

Energy Star refrigerator. The energy efficiency of refrigerators and freezers has greatly improved over the past 30 years. Typical new refrigerators with automatic defrost and a top-mounted freezer uses less than 500 kWh per year, whereas typical models sold in 1973 used over 1,800 kWh per year.

Federal efficiency standards first took effect in 1993, requiring new refrigerators and freezers to be more efficient, and a new set of stricter standards took effect in July 2001. As of 2004, full-size refrigerators that exceed the federal standard by 15 percent or more qualify for the Energy Star label.

Bosch recently introduced the Integra refrigeration system, which are Energy Star-qualified refrigerator, freezer, and wine units. This eco-friendly refrigerator has different modes for better energy savings. For example, the Sabbath Mode uses no energy, Economy Mode runs extra efficient, and Vacation Mode adjusts the temperature and disables water and lighting. Prices for the system start at $2,799.

When purchasing a new refrigerator, consider getting rid of your existing one rather than moving it to the garage for extra storage. By sending the older unit for recycling, you will reap all the savings without adding to your bottom line.

12. Heating water on demand

Tankless water heater. With all the showers, dishwashers, and laundry going on at home, having enough hot water can often be a challenge in older California residences. New technology in water heaters can help solve that problem. "Today's on-demand water heaters allow for an endless supply of hot water -- and a smart gas valve only turns on when needed, which can save resources in the long run," says Mike LaChance of LaChance Radiant Heating.

Rather than holding water in a tank, tankless heaters circulate it through a series of burners or electric coils that heat the water as it passes through. Though they often cost more than most conventional water heaters, tankless models are cheaper to operate because energy isn't required to maintain a large tank of hot water 24 hours a day.

A big bonus: they rarely run out of hot water -- unless, of course, the flow surpasses the unit's ability to heat it. This can happen if a household has two showers running or multiple hot-water appliances functioning at the same time. Many whole-house tankless heaters are gas-fired and require some venting that's larger than conventional gas water heaters. Like conventional water heaters, however, some units have power vents that allow you to exhaust gasses out a sidewall.

LaChance points out that newer tankless models have many safety features. When new units are installed, almost everything gets replaced -- the pump, vent pipe, copper, electronic components, and fittings. Homeowners can also consider a combination boiler and water heater unit that puts heated water and household heat into one appliance.

13. Go 'low flow' in the bathroom

Low-water consumption toilet. The bathroom is one of the busiest rooms in the home, and toilets are some of the greatest water users. When it's time to remodel, consider using water-conserving bathroom fixtures to reduce the amount of water usage. Low-water consumption toilets are great for homeowners seeking the benefits of water conservation, and many of these toilets also qualify for water rebate programs.

Residential 1.6-gallon toilets have been shown to reduce toilet water use by 23 to 46 percent in studies conducted in a number of major cities. A study published in 1999 by the American Water Works Association Research Foundation that looked in detail at the water use in nearly 100 homes in each of 12 North American cities concluded that high-efficiency toilets save an average of 10.5 gallons per person daily. Nationally, the use of high-efficiency toilets through new construction and normal replacements is estimated to save in excess of 7.6 billion gallons per day by 2020.

If you're looking for an option, the Highline Pressure Lite toilet ($508) by Kohler has a low 1.1-gallon flush setting that reduces water consumption by more than 30 percent, or more than 5,000 gallons of water per toilet, per year.

14. Cleaner clothes, less water

Laundry appliance upgrade. Make a dent in your water and electric bill with new energy-saving washer and dryers. Manufacturers say that front-load washing machines save the average family $90 per year and use half of the water needed in conventional top-loaded models -- that's a savings of 9,000 gallons of water. Major appliance makers, like Maytag, Amana, Kenmore, LG, Miele, and Samsung, all offer horizontal-axis washing machines that not only help conserve water, but also clean clothes better because items aren't sloshing around in a tub of dirty water. Europeans have been using these models for years.

Introduced this year, the LG Stainless Steel Steam Laundry Pair not only helps conserve water and energy, it also uses steam to deep-clean clothes and reduce wrinkles. For the tech-obsessed, this duo also has an optional remote monitoring system that will let you keep track of a laundry cycle's progress without repeated trips to the laundry room.

The washer and dryer each retail for a hefty $3,499. For a more conservatively priced option, consider the front-loading Maytag Neptune washer for $699.

15. Storehouse for 'lost' power

Power-Save 1200 Unit. Another way to conserve energy and money is by reducing the amount of electricity your appliances draw from public utilities. Power-Save Energy Corp. has marketed a new energy-savings device, the Power-Save 1200, which is intended to reduce homeowner electricity consumption and electric utility bills.

Major appliances, such as air conditioning units, refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers, dishwashers, pool pumps, and fans all have inductive motors that draw a large starting current. The local utility delivers the power to your home without knowing how much you really need. Your appliance motors use what they need and send the rest back to your electric panel, where it is forever 'lost' and not used. This loss is called I2R loss, or 'line loss.' These line losses cost homeowners -- because as the electric current travels through the meter, it is measured, and ultimately billed on your next energy bill.

In a nutshell, the Power-Save 1200 Unit is a small, gray box that stores the reactive power (non-working power) that would otherwise be lost. This allows your appliance motors to push and pull power from the unit, using stored power instead of drawing more from the utility. This process decreases demand from the utility, thereby decreasing Kwh usage and lowering your bill each month.

Power-Save Energy claims that homeowners can save about 25 percent on their energy bill with the 1200 unit. The device may also help with surge protection. The unit is attached to a new 20-amp circuit breaker in any standard 200-amp service panel, located outdoors or indoors. It has a 60-day money-back guarantee and a five-year manufacturer's warranty. Cost is $300.

Photos: Ernie Braun, John Eng, Don Kellog, David Toerge; and courtesy Abril Roofing, BSH Home Appliances Corp., Broan, Hunter Douglas, Lumens Light + Living, Rebarts Interiors, Rejuvenation, Triangle Tube

RESOURCES

Broan: broan.com
Bosch: boschappliances.com
California Energy Commission: energy.ca.gov
Dura-Foam Roofing: dura-foam.com
Go Solar California: gosolarcalifornia.ca.gov
Kohler Co.: kohler.com
LaChance Radiant Heating: 800-246-5246
LG Appliances: us.lge.com
Lumens: lumens.com
Palo Alto Glass: paloaltoglass.com
Power-Save Energy: power-save1200.com
Rebarts Interiors: rebarts.hdwfg.com
Rejuvenation: rejuvenation.com
Sun-Chek: sun-chek.com

For your next energy efficiency upgrade project, consider the Eichler Network's team of ' 'Preferred Service Companies':

Radiant heat boilers & tuneups:
• LaChance Radiant Heating (SF Peninsula): 800-246-5246
• Bay Area Plumbing & Heating (Palo Alto to San Mateo): baph.com
• Jerry Rothfeld Hydronic Heating Service (Marin & East Bay): 800-478-3060
• Lipp Hydronics (San Jose-Sunnyvale): 650-327-1943
• Reid Heating & Energy, Inc. (Marin & SF): reidheatingand energy.com

Plumbing upgrades:
• Benjamin Franklin Plumbing (Marin & SF): benfranklinplumbing.com

Roofing insulation:
• Abril Roofing, Inc. (foam): abrilroofing.com
• Aussie Roofing, Inc. (modified): aussieroofing.com
• Cal-Pac Roofing (single-ply): cal-pacroofing.com
• Done-Rite Roofing (single-ply): 916-801-6550
• Dura-foam, Inc. (foam): dura-foam.com
• Responsible Roofing, Inc. (tar & gravel): 650-569-5980
• State Roofing Systems, Inc. (single-ply): stateroofingsystems.com

General contractors for wall insulation:
• Keycon, Inc. (S.F. peninsula): 650-965-1256
• Bay West Enterprises (Palo Alto): baywestbuilders.com
• Calvert Ventures (San Mateo area): exclusivelyeichlers.com
• USA Builders (San Jose): 925-778-5331
• Diamond Building & Construction, Inc. (Marin & S.F.): homediamond.com

Windows:
• Palo Alto Glass (SF peninsula): paloaltoglass.com
• Blomberg Window Systems (Sacramento): 916-428-8060

Insulating window treatments:
• Rebarts Interiors (Palo Alto to San Mateo): rebarts.hdwfg.com