Energy Program News

Want lower energy bills? Buy a solar home. Want highly satisfied homebuyers? Build a solar home. Or, so indicates a new survey by Environment California Research & Policy Center of more than a hundred California homeowners living in newly built solar homes. The report is being released as the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) gathers in Albuquerque for their “Greening the American Dream” national conference on building environmentally and economically friendly homes.

 “Solar power is no longer just for those who eat granola for breakfast,” said Bernadette Del Chiaro, clean energy advocate with Environment California. “The results of this survey show that by incorporating solar in to the construction of a new home, solar technologies can become as commonplace as insulation and double-paned windows, saving homeowners money and engendering highly satisfied customers for the builders who go this route.”

Environment California Research & Policy Center’s new study, Rave Reviews for Solar Homes: A Survey of Homeowners in California, found that 70 percent of the homeowners surveyed enjoy low energy bills. On average, homeowners reported 30-75% savings on monthly electric bills. 

  “Along with the good feeling that comes from saving energy, I’ve noticed a dramatic reduction in my energy bill,” said Chuck Wingo, owner of a new solar home in Sacramento. “I think every house in the United States should have solar panels.”

 “It would do the state good to have more alternative energy sources and homes are the perfect way to do that,” said Paul Enriquez, owner of a solar home in Orange County.

 “I wasn’t a big solar fan before buying this home. In fact, I didn’t even know it came with it,” said John Hemingway, owner of a solar home in East Palo Alto. “Now, I’m the biggest fan and I hope the governor and the legislature follow through on this issue and get more of these things on roofs across the state.”

 The survey asked 109 homeowners living in five solar home developments in northern and southern California a series of questions about their motivations and experience owning a solar home. Analysis of the results found that most homeowners, 53 percent, were motivated by the prospect of saving money, while 15% were motivated by a desire to protect the environment.  Regardless of the motivating factor, the solar system itself was an important factor for 77 percent of the homebuyers in choosing to buy a solar home over a non-solar home.

 “A growing number of homebuyers are aware more than ever of their bottom-line, and having an energy efficient home is a real selling feature,” said John Suppes of Clarum Homes, one of the top home builders specializing in environmentally friendly homes. “At Clarum, we’ve found that building solar homes helps our bottom-line as well by attracting motivated buyers.”

 Other revealing survey results include:

• Nine out of ten respondents said they would recommend a solar home to a friend and/or purchase a solar home again;
• 8 out of ten believe the solar power system would be a selling feature if they were to sell their home;
• 95 percent of the homeowners think more homes should come with solar power features;
• 86 percent have had no problems with their solar system and 90 percent say their solar system has either no effect or a positive effect on the appearance of their home.

 According to an earlier research report released by Environment California Research & Policy Center, by incorporating the cost of solar system into a low-interest mortgage and taking advantage of state and federal rebates and tax credits for solar power, the typical new homeowner will save money within the first month of ownership.   

 The California Solar Initiative recently created by the California Public Utilities Commission will help create a mainstream solar market by providing a combined $3.2 billion in funds for direct rebates to consumers, homeowners and businesses interested in investing in solar power technologies. At least $350 million will be specifically earmarked for the new solar home market. Currently, approximately 1,000 new homes have been built with solar panels incorporated into them as a standard feature. The California Solar Initiative aims to jumpstart the solar home market to the point where at least half of all new homes built in California, more than 50,000 per year, include solar power.

 The survey was conducted in 2005 on one hundred and nine residents living in newly built homes in which solar panels were a standard feature. The developments surveyed were Premier Gardens in Sacramento built by Premier Homes, Ladera Ranch in Orange County built by Shea Homes, and Vista Montana in Watsonville, Cherry Blossom in Freedom, and Shorebreeze in East Palo Alto all built by Clarum Homes.