Arlington Families Are Saving Energy, Reducing Emissions

Read how many Arlingtonians are doing their part to save energy and reduce emissions.  Read about the D'uva or Wiggins family energy audits... Learn about the Hanis-Warnecke family going solar...the Gannett family's electric meter running backwards...how the Millers downsized to one car...how the Jenks added square footage while cutting energy costs...read about the Rhyne-Coates family's energy audit....and how the Kane family, pictured at left, have cultivated an ecological habit.

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D'uva Energy Audit.  Andrew D'Uva was one of the lucky Arlingtonians that received a free energy audit as part of the Fresh AIRE program.  Read about what the energy auditors found at his townhouse and what he has done to improve his energy efficiency.

Wiggins Energy Audit.   Read about one of the winners of the County's Energy Audit giveaway!  What the Wiggins learned during the energy audit was mostly good news.  The investments they had made in double-paned windows and new heating and air conditioning systems have paid off – and their additions had created no new leaks.  But the couple also learned that aside from the big-ticket energy items in your home, many smaller, easy, low-cost improvements can make a big difference in boosting energy efficiency.

Johnson Family Strategies to Save Fuel
The Johnson Family has several strategies they use to conserve gas and save money.  Read more about it!

Rhyne-Coates Family Energy Audit
Beth Rhyne and Jim Coates conducted an energy audit on their thirty year old house to find out what they could do to save energy. The results were very interesting, and the auditor estimated that they could save over $500/year in energy costs by sealing ducts, adding insulation in the attic and around the attic door, and improving the air seal around the fireplace. Read more about their energy audit!

Hanis-Warnecke Family Goes Solar
Monique Hanis and Doug Warnecke have made their home a renewable energy demonstration house. They installed a 2.7 kW solar electric array on their roof and invested in an 80-gallon solar hot water system. Since June 2006 they have offset 2,300 kWh and 200 therms of natural gas with clean, renewable solar energy. They expect to meet 25 percent of their home energy needs with their solar systems. Homeowners can also offset conventional energy by purchasing renewable energy credits.  Read more>> (127KB, PDF format)

Arlington Home Sends Energy Back to Grid
The Gannett family can watch its electricity meter run backwards during daylight hours because their landlord invested in energy efficient appliances, bio-based foam insulation, passive solar design, Energy Star windows, and a 1.1 kW rooftop solar rooftop photovoltaic array and hot water system. The Gannetts pay $20 a month or less for their electricity, with total utility bills running under $100 most months. Reducing home energy demand during peak hours reduces the need for big, polluting fossil-fuel power plants. Read more>> ( PDF format)

Miller Family Downsizes to One Car
Their two cars weren’t getting a lot of use. So, Gail (pictured at right) and Jason Miller traded in their SUV, keeping only their small Honda del Sol. Then these Clarendon residents started using Zipcar as needed, a carsharing program with great flexibility … a sedan one time, an SUV the next. Jason also takes Metro to work. Going to one car has saved them $300+ a month in payments, taxes, insurance and gas — thousands each year! 

Jenks Family Goes Green with Remodel
Jacky Jenks (pictured at left) and her family added 700 square feet to their home while cutting their energy bills in half! Energy Star appliances and windows, cellulose insulation, air sealing and an efficient new heating/ cooling system all help to make their home more comfortable and energy efficient. The Jenks participate in Arlington’s Green Home Choice Program. They’ll also share their story on April 12 at a National Building Museum lecture.

Kane Family Takes It to the Curb
In the Kane home, recycling is a daily habit. “We place all our bottles and cans in the yellow bins. With four girls in school the paper volume is amazing, but it all gets recycled.”  All types of paper (or mixed paper) may be recycled in the county’s curbside program, including newspapers, magazines, catalogs, junk mail, cereal and food boxes and flattened cardboard broken down to 3 ft. x 3 ft. The Kane family are pictured above.  Learn more about curbside recycling.

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