Breaking the Carbon Bond

We run the numbers on the performance of the house's clean energy systems after almost a year of operation.

Rick interviews Orion Thornton of OnSite Energy, who uses the expertise he’s gleaned from years in the solar industry to help homeowners through the process of selecting and installing a solar PV system. Orion makes recommendations about preparing to meet with solar installers; what to know in advance, what to ask, and how to get the system you want. This is episode 6 of Season 1 - the House of the Future - from the Breaking the Carbon Bond Pod.

For most homes, especially those in cold climates, converting the HVAC system from fossil fuels to electricity is the most difficult aspect of going carbon-free. We dedicate this whole episode to the HVAC conversion, with a special focus on cold climate heating. We discuss the strengths, weaknesses and operating costs of heat pumps, which are emerging as the most popular option for electric heating and cooling.

electrifymissoula.org

missoulaclimate.org

Rick talks about his first win in the electrification process—replacing the gas stove with an electric one—and uses it as an example of the ways a home’s electrical system may need to be upgraded to handle electrification. We discuss the requirements for a home’s electrical service, its load center and the individual circuits that will be needed for the new machines that will be replacing the fossil-fuel powered ones.

electrifymissoula.org

missoulaclimate.org

Wren quizzes Rick on the first steps in the retrofit; the energy-saving improvements that will reduce the house’s energy use to save money and time in the next phase.

electrifymissoula.org

missoulaclimate.org

Rick and Wren look at how a Home Energy Audit is done and how it can guide you through the decisions involved in eliminating fossil fuel use from your home. Rick reports on the energy audit he did on the house; what was good, what was bad and what was overlooked in its construction. From there we look at how the information from the audit can help you prioritize the work, including how to decide if specific energy saving improvements will be worth their cost. Project scope and costs are discussed.

electrifymissoula.org

missoulaclimate.org

Rick and Wren launch this series! They discuss the reasons to electrify your personal infrastructure and the challenges of eliminating carbon emissions from our homes. Rick introduces the house we’ll be working on, as well the house next door, an all-electric, net zero home built in 2019, that models what we’re trying to achieve with our retrofit.

electrifymissoula.org

missoulaclimate.org

This new how-to pod, in partnership with Climate Smart Missoula, shows how climate solutions can make our world cleaner, healthier and more just. In Season 1, the House of the Future, Rick and Wren take you on a practical journey to electrify a fossil fuel dependent house in Missoula Montana.