Patchogue home wins prestigious energy awards
The energy-saving improvements on this 1970s ranch in Patchogue could save a homeowner $2,496 per year. The photo is undated. Credit: United Way of Long Island
This unassuming three-bedroom Patchogue ranch is actually an award-winning powerhouse of energy efficiency — in fact, the house produces more energy than it consumes, earning a monthly check for the homeowner.
The 1970s home was gutted and remodeled by United Way of Long Island with a host of green features designed to maximize air quality, minimize heat loss and conserve water. Even without a renewable energy source, the improvements would save the homeowner $351 and 456 kWh per year; adding a solar array boosted those savings to $2,496 and 5,314 kwh.
The project achieved the lofty energy-efficiency performance criteria of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Zero Energy Ready Home, earning it a Housing Innovation Award in the Affordable Homes category.
“The critical design elements impacting health, safety, durability, energy efficiency and technology for homes built now and in the future will be transformative for our region,” says Theresa A. Regnante, president and chief executive of United Way of Long Island. “These are just better built homes.”
There’s no cost to the homeowner for heat or hot water, thanks to a solar thermal system; water is heated by the sun and stored in a basement tank. The upgrades earned numerous green building certifications, including the Energy Star Certified Homes Version 3.0, EPA Indoor airPlus, EPA WaterSense and the National Association of Home Builders National Green Building Standards, gold level.
