FBC - RE Hub

Sun: 3kW solar PV system for off-grid office, 750W for off-grid house, passive solar design for both.
Biomass: all heating with wood, wood boiler produces hot water and radiant floor heating.

Efficiency: House has minimum R20 in walls, R30 in roof; office has straw bale for walls, Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) for Foundation. kars2

Cost: Installation: 3kW - $30,000, 750W - $15,000 O&M Ongoing upgrades made to system.

Date of Installation: House constructed in 2001, office currently under construction.

Type/kind: Residential (5 occupants -
3 Adults, 2 children in house); office for small business

Installer: Self-install for all systems, background in RE installations.

Supplier: Outback inverter, Surrette Batteries

Experience: Good experience overall, but need to adjust lifestyle and focus on energy conservation (turning off lights and T.V. when leaving a room, etc.)

Results: They have a comfortable living environment and enjoy living off-grid.

Description of Case Study: The owner of this home and business has been working with renewable energy for more than a decade, and decided to go on his own in 2002, when he registered his business. He incorporated in 2009 (for more info, see website: www.renewcanada.com).

The choice to live off-grid was natural given the background of the owner. They built their home in 2001 and installed 750 watts of solar PV in order to meet all of their electricity needs (lighting, appliances, instant hot water, etc.). This system meets all of their electricity needs, except for during the darkest months (Dec-Jan), when they use a diesel generator as a back up. They have a wood boiler to provide space heating (via in-floor radiant heating) and water heating (to preheat the water for the instant hot water system). They also use propane for cooking.

kars6 The owner has recently started building an office to provide space for storage and to act as a store front. The office has insulated concrete for the foundation, as well as straw bale walls for extra insulation. The office is also off-grid, being powered by 3 kilowatts of solar PV. It is expected that the office will be finished by the summer of 2010.