Phil Knowles, right, explains the workings of the 'solar envelope' they are standing in to visitors on the tour. (Photo By Bill Sample)
LENOX — A number of local schools, businesses and private homes opened to the public Saturday as part of the Berkshire County Solar/Green Buildings 2004 tour. The tour, organized by the Center for Ecological Technology, was designed to showcase local examples of energy-saving technology.
Nancy Nylen, organizer of the tour for CET, said Monday that the event was very successful and that exhibitors reported a steady stream of visitors to the nine sites scattered across the county.
“Many of the hosts told me that the people who visited were almost all interested in trying to incorporate some measure of energy saving into their homes, businesses and lifestyles.†Nylen said. “Things went very well. Certainly, the best way to learn about alternative-energy products is to talk to people who have gone through the design and installation process and who also can offer insight into what it is like to live with those systems over a period of time. All of the hosts were very gracious to open up their places to the public.â€
One such host was Phil Knowles, whose house on Pine Knoll Road in Lenox was designed and built in 1981 with energy conservation in mind from the start. The house was built with a “Hybrid Envelope Design†and features some striking architectural deviations from a standard house. It is actually a house inside a house, meaning that the Knowles’ 2,000 square feet of “living space†is actually surrounded by a larger wood and glass “envelope†that gathers warmth from passive solar gain. The free heat is then stored and circulated through the entire structure.
The exterior envelope is about 10 feet wide at the front [south side] of the house, with soaring glass panels that rise two stories. Attractive wood-timber framing, an oak spiral staircase and a red-tiled floor complete the picture of a very elegant but also functional grand entryway into the living space, which has its own set of windows and doors that would normally be seen on exterior walls.
In the north-facing rear of the house, the insulating envelope space is much narrower. Only a few small windows let in light, a configuration that severely reduces heat loss during cold winter months. Besides the solar envelope design, the house was equipped with a solar hot water system as original equipment. Knowles added a 1-kilowatt photovoltaic system last fall, which furnishes electricity from solar panels on the roof. The incoming current can actually make his electric meter run in reverse if Knowles is on vacation or otherwise not using much power.
“Photovoltaic cells are much more efficient and cheaper than they were 10 years ago,†he said. “I suspect that trend will continue, especially if the public starts buying more. It’s a normal process of evolution, and I wanted to be part of that — partly to be a customer, partly to be a demonstrator. I took advantage of the Massachusetts Renewable Trust Fund subsidy that helped me pay for some of the photovoltaic system. Right now, we are generating electricity, and I know it’s reducing my bill.â€
Visitors to the various sites on the tour showed up in a steady stream all day, many of them with plans to install alternative energy systems of their own, and grateful for the chance to get “inside information†on how the systems work. One such couple was Bill and Debbie Winslow of Lenox, whose son-in-law is a solar engineer currently installing a system in the Buffalo, N.Y., school district.
“We’re trying to learn more about alternative energy,†Debbie Winslow said. “Today, with so much waste, big cars and all that, it’s so important to find ways to lower our dependence on foreign energy supplies. We can’t afford to keep buying overseas and using, using, using without conserving, saving and creating our own. Every little step takes us in the right direction.â€
Another house on the tour was the Congdon residence on Swamp Road in Richmond. The 200-year-old Early American Cape showcases solar electric panels and a solar domestic hot water system mounted on the roof, as well as a 2-kilowatt ground-mounted system consisting of two 1-kilowatt photovoltaic arrays. Each array can be connected to the grid or can feed into a battery bank. To maximize the benefits of their solar power, the Congdons have installed energy efficient lights and appliances and “instantaneous hot water.â€
The Clark residence on Kirschner Road in Dalton was built in 1985. The contemporary home features passive solar gain, solar hot water, radiant heat, thermal mass to store and release heat and high levels of insulation.
The Cohen-Sacks residence on North Main Street in Lanesboro, a historically accurate "Greek Revival" home, was designed to benefit from the best of traditional and recent house-building design and technology. The house has a timber frame constructed of local oak, hemlock and cherry and handcrafted with traditional mortise-and-tendon joinery. That frame is enclosed with an innovative exterior-wall system that provides excellent insulation. Areas with high ceilings are efficiently heated and cooled using non-convection systems. Other interesting features include a pre-cast concrete foundation, steel framing, open-web wood joists, raised heel roof trusses and fiber-cement clapboard siding with recycled trim. The home is nearing completion and was built to comply with Energy Star standards.
Alternative energy systems were also open to the public in the following non-residential locations: The Berkshire Museum, Darrow School, Adams Visitors Center, Williamstown Elementary School, along with the Habitat for Humanity house on Hall Street in Williamstown. The Habitat for Humanity site received donated engineering services, photovoltaic panels and installation of a 1-kilowatt roof mounted system.
For more information locally, call CET, 445-4556, ext. 14, visit www.cetonline.org or stop by the CET office at 112 Elm St. in Pittsfield, Monday through Friday, 9 to 5.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
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State Fire Marshal Offers Cold Snap Heating Safety Tips
STOW, Mass. —With temperatures expected to dip into the teens overnight this week, Massachusetts State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine is reminding residents to stay warm safely and protect their loved ones from some of the most common home heating fires.
"We're expecting very cold weather in the nights ahead, and home heating appliances will be working overtime," said State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine. "Heating equipment is the leading cause of carbon monoxide at home and the second leading cause of residential fires. Whether you're using gas, oil, solid fuel, or space heaters to keep warm, be sure you keep safe, too."
State Fire Marshal Davine said there were nearly 6,000 heating fires in Massachusetts from 2019 to 2023. These fires claimed eight lives, caused 139 injuries to firefighters and residents, and contributed to over $42 million in damage. And in 2023 alone, Massachusetts fire departments reported finding carbon monoxide at nearly 5,000 non-fire incidents.
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms
Every household needs working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms on every level of their home. Check the manufacturing date on the back of your alarms so you know when to replace them: smoke alarms should be replaced after 10 years, and carbon monoxide alarms should be replaced after 5 to 10 years depending on the model. If your alarms take alkaline batteries, put in fresh batteries twice a year when you change your clocks. If it's time to replace your alarms, choose new ones from a well-known, national brand. Select smoke alarms with a sealed, long-life battery and a hush feature.
Natural Gas and Oil Heat
If you have a furnace, water heater, or oil burner, have it professionally checked and serviced each year. This will help it run more efficiently, which will save you money and could save your life. Always keep a three-foot "circle of safety" around the appliance clear of anything that could catch fire. Never store painting supplies, aerosol cans, or other flammable items near these appliances. If you smell gas, don't use any electrical switches or devices: get out, stay out, and call 9-1-1 right away.
Residents struggling to pay for heating bills or maintenance may be eligible for assistance through the Massachusetts home energy assistance program (HEAP). No matter what type of heating equipment you use, HEAP may be able to help you pay your winter heating bills or maintain your heating system. All Massachusetts residents are encouraged to explore eligibility for this free program and apply for assistance.
Solid Fuel Heating
If you use a fireplace or a stove that burns wood, pellets, or coal, always keep the area around it clear for three feet in all directions. This circle of safety should be free of furniture, drapery, rugs, books and papers, fuel, and any other flammable items. To prevent sparks and embers from escaping, use a fireplace screen or keep the stove door closed while burning. Use only dry, seasoned hardwood and don't use flammable liquids to start the fire. To dispose of ashes, wait until they are cool and shovel them into a metal bucket with a lid and place it outside at least 10 feet away from the building.
Have your chimney and flue professionally inspected and cleaned each year. Most chimney fires are caused by burning creosote, a tarry substance that builds up as the fireplace, wood stove, or pellet stove is used. If burning creosote, sparks, embers, or hot gases escape through cracks in the flue or chimney, they can cause a fire that spreads to the rest of the structure. Annual cleaning and inspection can minimize this risk. Contact the Massachusetts Chimney Sweep Guild or Chimney Safety Institute of America to identify reputable local companies.
Space Heaters
Keep space heaters at least three feet from curtains, bedding, and anything else that can burn. Plug them directly into a wall socket, not an extension cord or a power strip, and remember that they're for temporary use. Always turn a space heater off when you leave the room or go to sleep.
When purchasing a space heater, select one that's been tested and labeled by a nationally recognized testing company, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL) or Intertek (ETL). Newer space heaters should have an automatic shut-off switch that turns the device off if it tips over. Unvented kerosene space heaters and portable propane space heaters are not permitted for residential use in Massachusetts, State Fire Marshal Davine said: the risk of fire and carbon monoxide poisoning that they pose is too great.
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