Thursday, December 27, 2012

Home Energy Makeover Semi-finalist: Sarah and Don

Thanks so much to everyone who participated in the EnergySmart Home Energy Makeover contest!  Over the next few weeks we will share the stories of all our semi-finalists.  Enjoy!


Win-Win-Win, by Sarah and Don
Yes, we would very much like to win the contest, but that’s not the meaning of the title above. It does, however, refer to the outcome achieved by applying EnergySmart solutions to homes in the Boulder area. Everyone benefits, including: the community, local governments, utility companies, local businesses (especially installation trades), homeowners, and of course the environment.

We are Sarah and Don. We make an effort to live as sustainably as we can. A few things we do: use public transportation (RTD), recycle and compost with Western disposal, choose low water landscaping, shop locally (Lucky’s), and choose appropriate materials and methods when remodeling our home. We also incorporate these ideas into our workplaces.

Our home is like many of the homes in Boulder of the same era. Our interest in improving the efficiency of our home stems from the fact that it was built in 1969 and has had very few upgrades since then. We purchased the home in 2010 from the original owner, who lived there for 41 years. The previous owners kept it very well maintained over the decades. When we bought it, stepping inside was like entering a time machine set for 1969. That certainly has its appeal, but we are interested in bringing the home into the 21st century. That includes upgrades to improve efficiency and reduce the consumption of energy and other resources.

The energy audit report completed by Peter Machen from Populus and Randy Bates at In-or-Out was very informative. There were some items we were aware of such as the need for a new refrigerator, heating system upgrade, and programmable thermostat. Then there were other items we weren’t sure about such as the need for more insulation and if and where there were any air leaks.  The team has been of great service by following up and communicating clearly, keeping us up to date on the type of rebates and deadlines, reviewing the report results, and providing a list of qualified contractors. Boulder has done a great job with this program, and we would recommend it to any local resident.

We are truly interested to be another success story for the EnergySmart program in Boulder! It’s a Win-Win-Win situation.

Sincerely,
Sarah and Don

Posted by Shawn Lindabury