for its High Performance Buildings Database
U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Building Technologies Program - Buildings Database
Finance & Cost
Two energy grants from the State of Illinois helped pay for the photovoltaic and solar hot water systems. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs (DCCA) provided $6/watt for the solar slates (for a total of $38,311) and $5,000 towards the solar hot water system.
Financing Mechanisms
- Grant: Public agency
- Loans: Private (bank, insurance)
At current electrical rates, the net savings of the photovoltaic system is $530/year. Even with the grant from DCCA, this would lead to a payback time in excess of 50 years. However, the value in terms of carbon reduction (86 percent reduction compared to the electrical load of an average house in the same zip code) far exceeds the immediate cost.
The incremental cost of insulation and tight construction, leading to gas consumption reductions of 60 percent, are estimated to have a 10-year payback.
