Green Living
Lance St. Clair and Celise Kalke’s home in Midtown had the character of a 1925 bungalow, but its lack of energy efficiency wasn’t charming to the couple.
They wanted to be more environmentally sensitive in the three-bedroom, two-bath home, which they purchased in 2007. They bought new Energy Star appliances for the kitchen and laundry area, but had bigger plans.
So did the Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Sustainability. A home energy makeover contest, through SHINE (Sustainable Home Initiative in the New Economy), a federal grant-funded program offering homeowners rebates for energy efficiency upgrades, resulted in about $25,000 worth of new systems and work this winter and spring.
St. Clair and Kalke’s winning entry – out of 500 – showed their commitment to green living (such as having only one car) and cutting high energy bills. A home energy audit examined specific areas of the nearly 1,700-square-foot home where improvements were needed, by identifying leaks and other issues. Improving the air quality for themselves and their 3-year-old daughter was important.
“I think our house may have been one of the more inefficient houses,” said St. Clair, who works for The Home Depot. “There were so many potential projects they could have done that they had a good choice of what they wanted to work on.”
The changes are expected to result in $1,000 annual savings on their utility costs.
SHINE partners in the project included which included SawHorse, Vis Viva and Georgia Air Contractors. Other companies, including, Amana, Green Building Resources and AVI Marvin, donated the supplies.
Problem 1: Duplicate systems
The first thing that stood out was that the home had three HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems, said Matt Hoots, president of SawHorse, an Atlanta-based residential remodeling firm. That had been the next thing on the couple’s to-do list for the home. It also had two gas furnaces, which added to its inefficiency.
Solution: One HVAC system and one central heat pump were installed, which upgraded the home’s efficiency. Kalke said she’s noticed that the changes have helped reduce the amount of dust in the home, which previously had been a constant issue and can be tough on families. “We’ve noticed that our daughter isn’t sneezing as much,” said Kalke, who works for the Alliance Theatre. “Here in Atlanta … anything you can do to reduce any of the allergens in the air is good.”
Problem 2: Lack of insulation
The home had little insulation, like most turn-of-the-century homes. If a home doesn’t have insulation, Hoots said it is a good place to start and one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce energy costs.
The solution: Insulation was added, including spray foam insulation in the crawl space. The attic and crawl space also were weatherized.
Problem 3: Drafty front door
The front door was old and had an opening at the bottom that was big enough that they could see through it. The door contributed to the home’s temperature and air quality issues, making it a “leaky” home. The couple was told it was equivalent to their home being open to the outdoors, which contributed to the extremely cool interior temperatures during the winter and hot summers inside. “What was surprising was some of the places the air was just pouring out of (the home). It was pouring out of the cabinets and out of the fireplaces and out of our closets,” St. Clair said.
The solution: An airtight, wooden front door in a Craftsman style, with six panels of glass, was installed, also fitting the period of the home. The new door is more solid, and the weather stripping helped seal it and protect against air blowing into the home, St. Clair said.
