Re: Cost of eco building
From: Sharon Villines (sharonsharonvillines.com)
Date: Sat, 12 Nov 2005 05:40:14 -0800 (PST)

On Nov 12, 2005, at 8:02 AM, Robert wrote:

I seem to recall the upfront additional expense of a geothermal heat pumps was in the neighborhood of $5K (includes a $2K discount from economies of scale). So the payback period is about 5 years.

We also have geothermal heat pumps and they are wonderful. An added cost is having them serviced twice a year but we negotiated a group contract and lowered this significantly.

My electric bill has rarely been more than $45 a month. With the servicing added, it is $58 a month. That includes a constantly running air purifier, a fresh air vent in the HVAC system, washer/dryer, dishwasher, and home office since I work at home. And I heat and cool liberally keeping the temperature at 73 in the summer and 70 in the winter.

I have an east and south exposure which helps heat when the sun is out but also increases cooling costs.

We have one resident (in one of those middle units) whose total bill is $21 but she doesn't have a washer/dryer, works away from home, and is frequently traveling on weekends.

What I value most is the ability to have a constant temperature, without worrying about cost or raising and lowering the thermostat, and being able to work at the computer without layers of clothing to keep warm.

It's worth the investment.

Sharon
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Sharon Villines
Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
http://www.takomavillage.org


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