geothermal..

[Vertnut]

Unless you're paying cash for the house, you're also financing you're "energy package" for 30 years. $20k @ 3.6% is $90 a month for 30 years. That's every month. Just be sure and REALLY look at the NET savings before pulling the trigger. I've people spend $8k extra to foam a house, then move out in 5 years and never recoup that investment.

[turboskull1]

Installed a 5 Ton Carrier Evolution system on a friends home a few years ago, house was roughly 3200 sq.ft. ,2x6 exterior walls, low "e" glass, foamed and sealed with a rock exterior. The house was so tight I decided it would be a good idea to bring in fresh air thru a heat recovery unit, his bills are averaging less than a $100 a month. These newer A/C systems are very efficient, less maintenance, and probably a third of the cost of anything geo-thermal.

[JordonMusser]

Wow, thanks for the info.

unfortunately I have like 800sq ft of glass on the south/west sides of the house. They will be tinted and have automatic roller shades. 80% of the glass also has sun shades above it.

[Vertnut]

Sounds very nice. Also sounds like a design for a man not too terribly concerned about his energy bills. LOL! Be sure you spec some really good windows.

[ceyko]

heh, I had no idea what really good windows could do until I got them. Holy smokes.

[JordonMusser]

Yea, I am budgeting roughly double the $$ for windows costs vs a "standard" 3600sqft home.

But I am concerned about pissing away money on utility bills, hence the automatic shading and also I am spending $$ on quality glass.

[Vertnut]

When you figure it, we're talking the equivalent of about 40 3.0X7.0 window's. That's a lot of glass.

[JordonMusser]

Using 1" thick double pane low-e tinted store front glass (thermally broken aluminum housing) Its a little cheaper than just 40X 3x7s

[Vertnut]

I wasn't concerned about the window cost, but more about the sheer amount of glass. Is the aluminum housing more efficient than the vinyl?

[JordonMusser]

AL is pretty much all there is it seems in this style and format of glass. its thermally isolated (inner/outer)

[8mpg]

Where are you building something this modern. With that much glass, you better have a great view of something...not just a backyard pool and a neighbors fence.

[JordonMusser]

Unfortunately nothing as awesome as I would like. There were 2 creek view lots across from where my lot is, but they both got bought by the same person.. building some sort of big ass house.

I have a corner lot, and the glass faces the corner.. so its hundreds of feet till anybody else's house.

I was lucky to get any lot in the area I want to live, let alone a corner lot.

[ceyko]

What area?

[JordonMusser]

I am near Preston and George Bush.