When it comes time to install a new solar system, the local permitting process can be a difficult bureaucratic headache.  Or it can be a walk in the park . . . a Scottsdale park.

Vote Solar, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to bring solar to the mainstream, named Scottsdale one of the top five best cities for solar permitting.  Vote Solar cited Scottsdale as one of the best for a variety of reasons:  Vote Solar cites the “best practices” fee of $250 per permit – Scottsdale’s typical charge is $148.  In addition, Scottsdale issues most permits “over the counter” – meaning people can get it with no wait.  Lastly, people can submit plans and purchase the permit online.

For more information about Scottsdale’s solar efforts or this recognition, contact Senior Plans Examiner Dustin Schroff at (480) 312-7762 or dschroff@ScottsdaleAZ.gov, or visit the City of  Scottsdale’s Green Building Program page.

The addresses and schedule of the six Scottsdale open houses, along with a brief description of techniques used follow the city’s announcement.

ARIZONA JOINS NATIONAL SOLAR / SUSTAINABLE HOMES TOUR – OCT. 24-25 – VALLEY OF THE SUN

Arizona joins the 2009 National Solar Home Tour, the 14th annual tour coordinated nationally by the American Solar Energy Society (ASEA). The national tour is the world’s largest grassroots solar event with more than 150,000 participants, taking place in nearly every state across the U.S.  This fun event offers open-house tours to show how you can use solar energy and energy efficiency to reduce monthly utility bills, to live more comfortably within your local environment, and to help tackle climate change.

The Arizona tour, “Living with the Sun – Arizona Style” features tours across our State.  Specific information on locations, times, and types of sustainable technology applications can be found on the Arizona Solar Center web site: www.azsolarcenter.com.

The Phoenix Valley the tour will be held on Saturday, October 24th and Sunday, October 25th, from 9 am to 3 pm each day. Most locations on the tour are free. The tour provides an informal way to meet people who are using a whole range of approaches to make living in the desert more comfortable, affordable and environmentally friendly.  The tour will also include several green certified homes under the Scottsdale Green Building Program and national LEED certification program.

New for this year are homeowners who have used some of the latest technologies such as thin film photovoltaic panels, micro inverters, and rain and water capture and re-use systems.  Chuck Skidmore, ASEA chairman explains, “The sun’s energy falls on your roof every day.  It can work for you, or against you. This event is a great way to learn how it can work for you.”

You can also talk with people who have made “going sustainable/solar” more affordable by taking advantage of the latest financing methods, utility rebates, and higher tax credits.  Some systems can now be easily expanded as funds become available over time.  ASES recently noted that solar costs have decreased by close to 30% in the last year and federal incentives have increased significantly.

The tour Guide will be available on-line at www.azsolarcenter.com.   The guide contains all the information you will need for this self-guided tour.  Specific locations, sustainable/solar features, presentation times, and maps will be provided. You can also learn about other Arizona tours and upcoming events.

Scottsdale Solar / Sustainable Homes on Tour

Open Saturday, October 24th, Only

8502 E. Cactus Wren – This 30+ year-old passive and active solar residence shows shows that good ideas, design and applications withstand the test of time.

Open Sunday, October 25th, Only

8243 E. Monte Vista Road – This green remodel includes energy efficiency, rainwater harvesting, resource-efficient construction, and site landscaping as a food garden.

Open Both Saturday and Sunday

11458 E. Christmas Cholla Drive – The Solar Energy Greenhouse is used for growing orchids and utilizes the glass as the collector glazing and embodies a solar thermal collector system composed of 144 movable collector louvers. The greenhouse embodies a compact evaporative cooler and an aquaculture cell, with fish, that provides water with nutrients for the orchids.

10875 E. Bahia Drive – Located within an existing planned community, this recently renovated 11-year old residence incorporates numerous Sustainable strategies while keeping with the homeowner association guidelines.

8151 E. Smokehouse Trail – Completed in 1999, the Edwards Residence in North Scottsdale incorporates many Green Building elements in its construction. Its Southwestern design blends with the surrounding desert with an emphasis on sustainability. The Edwards residence was also the first straw bale home to be permitted in the City of Scottsdale.

25227 N. Roping Road – This currently-under-construction home is designed to optimize the passive and active solar advantages Arizona has to offer. The main building materials are autoclaved aerated concrete block (AAC), rammed earth, wood, steel and glass.

photo credit: Andreas Demmelbauer

The Arizona Regional MLS, where homes for sale in Scottsdale, Phoenix and other area cities can be found, has just added the ability to list the following green (environmentally sound / energy efficient) features to sales and rental listing descriptions.

New tracking fields include:

• Solar PV Panels
• Solar Pool Equipment
• R‐Value Upgrades
• HERS Rating
• Energy Audit
• Energy Star Appliance(s)
• HVAC (16 SEER+)
• Gray Water System
• Recirculation Pump
• Tankless Hot Water Heater
• Sustainable Flooring
• Smart Home Systems

Also, Green/Energy Certifications can be listed, but must be documented with the associated certification:

• Energy Star Certified
• LEED Certified
• LEED Neighborhood Development
• Green Program Certification Pending
• Scottsdale Green Building Program
• NAHB Green Program

To protect the integrity of the home listing information, the following definitions will be used:

• Solar PV Panels: Solar Photovoltaic Panels, panels used in the generation of building electricity from the energy of sunlight using solar cells for energy and converting sun energy directly into electricity.
• R‐Value Upgrades: upgrades from building codes, refer to builder invoice, verification may be necessary.
• HERS Rating: Home Energy Rating, a professionally certified energy analysis of the home’s design.
• Energy Audit: a professional inspection that includes IR photography, blower door test and other forms of advanced inspection techniques.
• Energy Star Appliance(s): Energy Star labeled appliances that convey with the property.
• HVAC (16 SEER+): heating, ventilating, and air conditioning in the home with a SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating of 16 or above.
• Gray Water System: a system to collect wastewater generated from domestic processes such as dish washing, laundry and bathing, for reuse.
• Recirculation Pump: a water conservation pump providing nearly instant hot water at the point of use.
• Tankless Hot Water Heater: provides hot water only as needed quickly to the point of use, also known as Instantaneous or Demand Water Heater.
• Sustainable Flooring: flooring made from natural, recycled, reclaimed or certified sources without the use of toxic chemicals in manufacturing or installation.
• Smart Home System: the integration of the residence’s various home automation systems.

So now, if you have an energy efficient home for sale, you can tout it, and if you are planning to buy green home, you can search for it, too.

The City of Scottsdale has scheduled a lecture on “design strategies incorporating Feng Shui basics and green design” for their Green Building program lecture series.  While I’ve studied a bit about the philosophies of Feng Shui and green building practices, I never thought too much about marrying the two together. Sounds pretty interesting.

Date:  June 4th

Time: 7 p.m.

Location:  Granite Reef Senior Center, 1700 N. Granite Reef Road

Cost:  Free

When we remodeled our house a couple years ago, we also visited the City of Scottsdale’s Green Building web site to make sure we were maximizing the green features we were incorporating into our renovation.  I’ve also heard that the majority of new homes built in Scottsdale are considered “green”, and while I’ve looked for statistics don’t have any specific that I can quote.

If you have any questions about the Scottsdale Green building program, you can call (480) 312-3111 or visit their Green building program web site, which has some very extensive resources on energy check lists and audits, tax credits, and more.

It seems that every other day, there’s a story about green building in the paper or on the news. And in doing a little research, you will see how dedicated the City of Scottsdale is to green building and energy efficiency.

The event has been created with for both the green builder/remodeler and for consumers interested in the latest information on energy and resource efficiency.  In addition to exhibits, presentations, and demonstrations, a wide variety of films and documentaries will be shown, covering topics such as alternative building techniques, solar energy, and green remodeling.For more information, please call (480) 312-2245 or visit www.greenbuildingexpo.com.