With $60 million for the project already authorized, ERDA, the Federal Energy Administration (FEA), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and other federal agencies have a blueprint of the program ready to submit to Congress, with the hope that more money may be made available. "A total program of solar heating and cooling," said an official, "including research, development, and the creation of demonstration buildings," might cost $200 million over a five-year period. Within 5 to 10 years, said Dr. Seamans in an interview, many Americans should have the option of installing sun-powered systems in their homes, with builders qualified to do the work. Many variables, noted an official, will affect the cost of such systems-where the building is located, the amount of sunlight the area has, whether the system involves heating only, or also cooling. In addition to the "hardware problems”—that is, the efficiency of the units themselves a source said, the "program will look at many other aspects important to builders," including local building codes. Trade unions must be consulted. "What craft, or crafts," asked an official, “installs a solar system? Plumbers, electricians, others?' Finally, noted a source, there is the question of "sun rights." "Suppose," he said, "an owner installs solar power, then his neighbor plants tall trees, that block out the sunlight. What rights does each property owner have?" ERDA, a new federal agency charged with overall energy research, will coordinate the solar project. General Electric. Westinghouse, and other U.S. firms will be invited, through government contracts, to develop solar-powered units. Separately, the FEA-responsible for implementation of U.S. energy policy"is nearly ready with a massive effort" to tell owners of existing homes and commercial buildings how to save energy, says Roger W. Sant, assistant FEA administrator for conservation and environment. "There is," he said in an interview, "no barrier except good information" to achieving energy savings in American homes and buildings. Surveys indicate, he added, that "only 30 percent of Americans have turned down their thermostats" since the energy crisis began. By August, said Mr. Sant, 20 percent of all American households hopefully will receive FEA brochures explaining how to cut energy costs in their homesthrough better insulation, for example. Names of qualified contractors will be enclosed. "In two years," he said, "we hope to have contacted every home in the country," possibly through public utilities, as well as by direct FEA literature. h. Article by Steven Lovejoy, "Lender 'Open' on Solar Heat Funding," Wisconsin State Journal, April 10, 1975 LENDER "OPEN" ON SOLAR HEAT FUNDING (By Steven T. Lovejoy) Savings and loan associations have "open minds"-but not necessarily open pocketbooks yet when it comes to financing solar heated homes, according to a Chicago savings association official. Harold B. Olin, director of architectural and construction research for the United States League of Savings Assn. told a UW-Extension seminar "I think lenders feel right now—and the public-that they're open minded about solar energy but it will have to prove itself." In a less than sparkling endorsement of solar energy, Olin characterized as "kind of an interim thing we have to have until there is a break through to revolutionize our energy system." Olin maintained there was still a major educational job required to advance solar energy. "At the elbow of every lender is the appraiser," Olin said, "Riveting his eyes on the past. Unless the public accepts it (solar heated homes), he isn't going to give it a great value." "The lender cannot be in the avant garde of the movement," Olin added, "He's got to protect his own self-interest." Olin cited a Colorado University poll of savings and loan executives which indicated the major concerns on solar systems was their reliability and the effects on the saleability of the house. Olin said he was "frankly quite encouraged" by the indications of the polt that 71 per cent of the executives felt there was a "likely feasibility" of solar homes in five to ten years. According to the poll, however, 70 per cent of the association executives felt that the addition of solar systems should not add more than six per cent to the construction cost of a $30,000 to $40,000 home in order to be economically feasible. Olin said the savings executives also favored tax write-offs to manufacturers to encourage research and development on solar energy, along with property tax exemptions for home owners to provide incentives according to the poll. j. Article by Eva Maria Dane, "Vermont Village to Experiment With Solar Heating," the Christian Science Monitor, April 18, 1975 VERMONT VILLAGE TO EXPERIMENT WITH SOLAR HEATING (By Eva Maria Dane) BROOKLINE, VERMONT.-A new village, still in the planning stage, will latch onto the sun's power for heat and cooling; that is, unless opponents try to turn it off. Developer of Grassy Brook Village is Richard D. Blazej, for two decades a builder, cabinetmaker, and organic gardener in Brookline. Since 1971 he has put all his spare time into devising ecologically sound housing while continuing to build accepted conventional homes. Until now the main claim to fame of Brookline, Vt., was the round one-room schoolhouse built in 1873 by a British highway-bandit-turned-schoolmaster. Once more architectural innovation is engendered in this township of 250 people and a large summer colony residing in isolated farmhouses in the narrow valley of the Grassy Brook, running into the West River at neighboring Newfane. Vermont's third largest town, Brattleboro, on I-91 and an Amtrak stop for the Washington-Montrealer, lies 16 miles to the southeast. Major ski areas, colleges, and prep schools are all within a 25 mile radius. Grassy Brook Village is organized as a condominium to provide the required legal structure for the use of the common facilities, including a 42-acre woodland. From a glance at a scale model, the low-rise units appear somewhat similar to the unconventional Habitat at Expo 67 in Montreal. Roof and terrace gardens are functional as well as aesthetic. Robert Shannon of People-Space Company, Boston, is in charge of the project which complies with Act 250, Vermont's environmental watchdog legislation. Fred S. Dubin, long active in the field of energy conservation and solar-energy systems, is in charge of designing and integrating the mechanical utility and support systems. A single solar collector and storage system will serve a cluster of 10 homes. More clusters are planned. Fan coil units in each house will be able to receive either warm or chilled water, depending on the seasons. Units in each room will be individually controlled by thermostat. Domestic hot water will be generated in a central location and piped to each house. In the central equipment area a 15-ton refrigeration unit with double condenser will provide hot water for heating or chilled water for cooling. The thermal storage system, located under some of the housing units, will consist of a series of steel or concrete water tanks totaling about 200,000 gallons. An oil-fired boiler will serve as a supplementary heating source during extended periods of cloudy or extremely cold weather. Water flows to separate compartments is monitored to allocate operating costs of each housing unit. In addition each house will have a small wood-burning heater. In all, eight energy-conserving features are included in the design of the units. Among them, clustering of the houses allows for common walls. Fiber glass in ceilings and floors offers heavy insulation. Exterior walls have foam urethane insulation and roof gardens give additional insulation. Double glasing of the casement and fixed windows further improves the insulation values in the design. Skylights are triple glazed; special urethane-insulated exterior doors are used. All units have insulated panels to close over large windows at night. Simplicity of the concept and operation will characterize the waste systems at the village. A conventional back-up sewerage system will be installed to meet state regulations. The only recreational facility within the community will be a man-made pond for swimming. Common laundry arrangements will further conserve space and water, rather than have appliances in each unit. It's all an exciting idea and appears to be a direction for housing in the future. k. Article by Harry B. Ellis, "Solar Heating-An Expensive Bargain," the Christian Science Monitor, April 23, 1975 ΤΟ SOLAR HEATING AN EXPENSIVE BARGAIN HEAT YOUR HOUSE WITH RAYS FROM THE SUN CAN CUT FUEL COSTS, BUT ΤΟ INSTALL A SOLAR UNIT RUNS $10,000. THE U.S. GOVERNMENT IS MAKING EFFORTS TO HELP THE INDUSTRY TRIM DOWN THAT INITIAL COST (By Harry B. Ellis) WASHINGTON. The U.S. Congress and the White House are eager to turn Americans toward the sun, not just for a vacation coat of tan, but for energy as well. Solar energy research projects, coordinated by the new Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA), may get more than $100 million to spend in fiscal 1976, beginning July 1 of this year. Aim of these programs is to bring the high cost of solar heating and cooling systems-now up to $10,000 per house, says an expert-within reach of average Americans. "No major manufacturer," says John Andelin, "will sell you a complete system today," so relatively undeveloped is the art of harnessing the sun's rays to heat and cool a building. "Some smaller companies," added Dr. Andelin, administrative assistant to Rep. Mike McCormack (D) of Washington, "will sell you what they call a turnkey system, complete installation." Even with these firms, however, "the extra costs are significant, so we have to work on the economics." "Technology is not the hurdle," commented Roger W. Sant, assistant administrator of the Federal Energy Administration (FEA) for conservation and the environment. "It's the cost of installing the equipment. We're a long way from having anything economic." DEVELOPMENT ENCOURAGED To bring "some of the big hitters" into the market-General Electric, Westinghouse, and other major firms-ERDA asked Congress for $70.3 million in fiscal 1976 to launch a solar development program, designed to have as many as 2.000 residential units and 400 commercial buildings heated and cooled by the sun by 1979. ERDA and other federal agencies, including the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Defense Department, hope to engage many U.S. firms in developing solar equipment, which might be readily obtained by local contractors. Rep. McCormack, chairman of the House energy subcommittee, thinks 4,000 buildings at least should be built. His committee proposes $143.7 million for ERDA's 1976 solar energy budget. The Senate and House must harmonize final appropriations. But, said a congressional source, "there is no opposition in principle." He foresees more than $100 million going into solar research and development in fiscal 1976, "a far cry from the $4 million budgeted two years ago." Meanwhile, a number of other nations are pushing ahead with solar energy, according to a new study by the Cambridge, Mass. research group. Arthur D. Little, Inc., Japan, for instance, has a Sunshine Project that calls for many millions of dollars to be spent over the next 25 years. A government institute of solar energy is being set up in France to coordinate the experimental work of some 300 scientists and engineers. West Germany has a three-year research project. And the Swiss Government is considering à proposal to install solar collectors for heating systems throughout the country. Of 170 U.S. firms identified by the FEA as "possible manufacturers of solar collectors," only "39 are actively engaged in production," says the FEA. |