The Zieglers of Flagstaff, AZ were excited to design a new home in 2016, and they knew they wanted to make it as sustainable as possible. The project included plans to go solar among other upgrades for the home, and they needed a company that would work to create the right system for them. With a lot of work, they achieved their goals and their home was awarded the Silver Award from the Coconino County Sustainable Building Program (CCSBP).
Read on to find out more about how Zieglers and Rooftop Solar designed the right solar solution for their unique home, and learn how the other features of their home work together to maximize environmental performance.
The Zieglers’ main motivation for going solar was to do their part to combat climate change and save money in the long run. They met with a Rooftop Solar specialist and discussed their options for manufacturers of equipment. The system they settled on is just 4.13 kilowatts in size and is comprised of 14 Canadian Solar brand panels and 14 Enphase microinverters. The Enphase microinverters allow them to maximize their efficiency as they convert usable household energy from each individual panel, preventing interruptions. Canadian solar panels are the right fit for this system, and now reliably generate energy for their home.
The system offsets all of the Zieglers’ summer electrical needs and about half of their winter needs. They pay less than $50 in the winter and pay only service fees for the rest of the year! Solar is a very important component but isn’t the only type of energy efficiency being harnessed by the Zieglers to combat climate change. The Silver Award from the CCSBP designates a higher level of environmental building performance, and the home is also SmartSiding FSI certified and CARB II compliant.
The home features spray foam insulation, reflective insulation installed under all of the floor coverings, a recycled crushed asphalt driveway, other material reuse, a hot water recirculation system, a 95% efficient gas furnace for heating, and laminate floors and cabinet finishes. The Zieglers reported that they were pleased with how easily the solar system was installed. Not only are they saving money, but they’re also doing their part to combat climate change!
Over the course of a year, the system offsets the carbon-dioxide equivalent of 7,603 miles driven by an average car or 3,389 pounds of coal burned. Over the course of the warrantied 30 years of the system, it will offset the carbon equivalent of what would be sequestered by 1519 trees.
Rooftop Solar did its part to provide options and considered how unique the Zieglers project was. It is always best to go with a local company that will take the time to provide a custom system, because every solar system is unique, and the value of your investment depends on it. Reach out today to meet with a specialist and learn more about how Rooftop Solar can provide the right system for you!
