
John Avenson is our expert on home energy savings at New Energy Colorado. His home was showcased in the latest PBS episode of the series “Heart of a Building”.
On January 25th, John organized a watch party for the broadcast of his episode. The event was attended by supporters and local government officials. Following the broadcast, John and Paul Krutcher, the series producer, addressed many insightful questions from the attendees.
John frequently opens his home for tours. If you're curious about his design protocols and equipment, it's beneficial to experience them in person.
He has embraced a fully electric approach for his appliances and home systems, which are showcased in his episode as well. You'll find his water and furnace heat pump installations, along with his entirely electric kitchen, featuring a new induction cooktop that operates using electricity and magnetism. Many chefs are starting to prefer these over gas.
John enhanced his photovoltaic solar setup to 14 kW and incorporated a battery backup system. His solar installation fully meets his electrical needs and supplies excess power to the grid. Additionally, he uses this system to charge two electric vehicles: a hybrid and an EV. He also has vintage hot air heat exchangers on the west and south sides of his building, installed in 2006, which distribute warm air to his office.
He extensively insulated his home using polyiso boards. This process included taking off the siding, fitting 6” thick boards, and then reapplying the siding. He crafted custom aluminum trim for the windows and doors of his home. He installed top-tier energy-efficient windows from the local Colorado company Alpen Windows, achieving an insulation value equivalent to R9/U0.12. This is exceptionally high for windows.
His house features south-facing windows designed for solar gain during the winter. To prevent excess heat absorption when it's unnecessary, he employs various automatic shading devices, such as overhangs and shades. This passive solar approach is ideal for those remodeling or constructing new homes.
He is a certified Passive House representative, adhering to the "Build it tight, ventilate right" principle, which aims to reduce air changes per hour (as determined by a blower door test) to below .9. Even the smallest unsealed openings, like electrical outlets, can significantly increase air leaks from outside. In a tightly sealed house, outside air is filtered and exchanged with the home's temperature using an Energy Recovery Ventilator. John's system has been in place since 2015 and ensures his entire home has healthy, filtered air. Many other Building Science First Principles can be observed and experienced during a guided tour.
Lastly, John, a former engineer for AT&T phone systems, is an enthusiastic data collector, fine-tuning his energy-saving systems. He utilizes a comprehensive house monitoring system with sensors that track temperature changes, weather conditions, and electricity usage. This data is compiled and displayed on a computer, with a remote monitor for easy access. The system also automates his lighting, including color LEDs for mood lighting, and his solar shades. His sound and video technology are also cutting-edge.
You can stream the episode “A Journey to a Zero Carbon Home” on Rocky Mountain PBS. Install the app on your smart streaming device at no cost.
The episode will additionally be shown at the Colorado Environmental Film Festival in Golden on February 22-23. https://ceff.net
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