MakeHeat

Used more for new construction, Building Integrated PhotoVolaics (BIPV) is slowly gaining ground.  Rather than poking a panel on a pole and sticking it in the dirt where there’s no shade, or racks of panels on the roof, BIPV integrates solar electric, energy efficient design and archetecture:

“…Whenever you approach an industry from a different perspective, that’s when you produce very interesting products, said JD Albert of SRS Energy.  SRS produces curved roofing tiles made of PV that are designed to fit into the mission-style architecture of the southwestern region of the U.S.  Curved red clay roof tiles there are modeled after the Mediterranean roof styles found in Spain and elsewhere. …”

BIPV Market Gaining Traction | Renewable Energy World.

Up north, the ground source heat pumps are still more prevalent, and we’re hoping to see more of the design efficiencies incorporated into them as well.  The upside of the air source heat pumps is that you don’t have to dig up your yard.  The downside is when the temperature extremes kick in.  With the ground at a constant 52 degrees, heating and cooling is more efficient during the summer heat and the winter cold.

“… There have been many recent developments in air-source heat pumps. The modulating, multistage output rotary compressor design is now available in heat pumps. This design produces high efficiencies for both heating and cooling (HSPF of 10 and SEER of 22). What this means is you can get $2 to $3 worth of heat for each $1 on your utility bills. …”

via Heat pumps are popular and efficient – St. Petersburg Times.

Got an ailing fridge, a washer that shakes the house during the spin cycle, or a furnace on it’s last legs?  Now is the time to shop wisely and cash in on replacements.  Be warned: you’ve got to fork over the cash first, then you get the rebate, so look into the scratch & dent sales, and know what side of the appliance is facing the wall.

Take the Energy Star Pledge: Federal Rebates for Appliances | HULIQ.

  By using Trombe Walls (southern facing walls made of solar absorbing material like stone, metal, concrete, adobe, water, etc.), computer modelling the airflow of the building’s inner space, as well as other technologies, the Blue Ridge Parkway’s Destination Center has gotten a “10″ for energy efficiency from the U.S. Green Building Council
    Trombe walls got their name from Felix Trombe, who, with Jaques Michel improved the basic principal and built a passive solar house in Odellio, France.  Many of the basic ideas are now incorporated into solar air heaters, including using a vent at the top to create a solar chimney for use during the summer*
  There are many variations of a Trombe Wall, including using the floor of a sunroom as the heat sink, and drawing the hot air into the house during the winter, and taking advantage of an extended overhang to shade the floor in the summer (solar house plans at hubpages.com has a good overview).

Read further at Destination Center gets a 10″