Our experience in Phoenix has proven that high performance design and climate resilient construction does work in an extreme climate.
As recent transplants to this fast growing desert environment, we were greeted with mostly stucco and tile roof housing stock that paid little attention to energy efficiency and climate resilience. We saw an opportunity to put these practices to work in a locale resigned to climate extremes. The summer’s record number of 110+ degree days gave us the data we hoped for in terms of energy savings, indoor air quality, and overall comfort.
Our fully renovated house uses 70%+ less energy than the 1990’s rental house we lived in during construction. In dollar terms, the rental’s highest energy bill was over $800/mo (adjusted for size), compared to $240/mo for our climate resilient house. In the future, we plan to install solar. The net zero solar requirement will be 5 KW, an installed savings of at least $20k compared to the 15 KW system that installers originally proposed for a typical comparably sized Phoenix house.
What makes our house so energy efficient?
uber-insulated 16” thick cement block walls
heat reflecting metal roof and fiber cement siding
triple glazed windows and doors
heat pumps and split mini HVAC systems
energy star appliances w/induction cooking
heat pump water heater
LED lighting
We also use an Awair monitor to measure air quality. The results explain the refreshing comfort level of our house. It measures temperature, humidity, CO2, VOC chemicals, and fine dust particles. In the dry, dusty desert, a typical leaky house has unhealthy levels of low humidity and high dust. Our healthy home air quality levels consistently score between 95-100% thanks to super-sealed construction, ERV systems that constantly turn over fresh air on a 24/7 basis while filtering for particles and balancing humidity. Coming home really does feel good for our well-being!
We made all this happen with our ‘building nerds’ at Vali Homes and Apollo Builders, our contractor, after interviewing a lot of skeptics who scoffed at our crazy ideas. It takes a strong constitution to break through the building industry’s fear of the unknown. By celebrating the big impact successes of our small, but mighty partners / catalysts, I hope to spread the word. Building a home for climate resilience, energy + resource efficiency, and healthy indoor spaces is a personal decision. By sharing some of the the hows (and who can help), the easier it will be to make those choices!