Suggestions to the Bayview Corners Group

To: Nancy and Linda

I have recently read the proposal from Alternative Energy Solutions for the Bayview Corners project. It discusses the conservation, solar and wind projects planned for your development. While interesting and creative, the consultants have not done a rigorous cost/benefit analysis or even a minimal estimation as to the power produced or the energy costs avoided. Perhaps an even more important omission is that there is no suggestion of performance monitoring after the project is up and running.

The proposed energy projects break into five general categories:

  • Conservation upgrades - insulation, energy efficient lighting, heating upgrades, and refrigeration modifications primarily for the Cash store building.
  • Direct solar for heat and light - orientation of buildings, daylighting, solar glazing and thermal mass for reduced heating loads.
  • Wind generation of electricity - a stand-alone Jacobs wind plant tied into the Bike shop power system.
  • Solar electric panel systems - for the Cash store, Craftsman house and the composting toilet building.
  • A combined solar electric and hot water panel system - for the Bike Shop.

Without an initial cost/benefit analysis or any post-construction monitoring, all the above projects might appear to be equal in terms of appropriateness. This will not be true in reality. To leave the "reality check" out of the project eliminates most of the future learning and gives no guidelines for others to follow. Is this the way to find our path towards a green energy future?

I would suggest that the Bayview Corners group ask their consultants to do a cost analysis to predict the best and most cost-effective energy solutions for the long term use of the project. Should the group chose not to do a cost/benefit analysis before deciding what solutions to follow, then I would suggest, at a minimum, you ask the contractors to install metering and provide for the collection of accurate cost data for each specific installation at the project. This could provide reliable data as to how each installation is actually working in the real world. Comparing installations in the five categories above would tell us which outlay of money has the greatest benefit to the project and to the community. In this way the project becomes a real world test bed for new energy solutions. Accurate data that tracks initial costs, operational costs and energy performance will show which techniques work best locally and which projects should be implemented first by others in their own homes and businesses.

This is not only a service to the community and to the region, but it will also magnify any amount of energy the conservation, solar or wind projects produce by influencing projects not yet planned that will ride in the wake of the Bayview experiments.

Sincerely,

John Raabe, about me
solar home designer, energy consultant and author of "Superinsulated Design and Construction"