Energy-Saving Homeowners See the Light

Green” is a faith-based initiative for Bob and Linda Rodriguez. Motivated by their volunteer involvement in Interfaith Power and Light, the couple decided two years ago to “go green” in their 30-year-old Raleigh home. Working with a Raleigh-based firm, Southern Energy Management, by last year they cut their power consumption by 25 percent.

That translates into monthly electric bill savings of $50 to $100. How did they do it? Through their volunteer contacts the couple heard about Southern Energy Management, which inspected their home and then sealed the ducts and tightened the building envelope. “But that was only the beginning,” reports Rodriguez.

Southern Energy Management’s Bob Kingery says the Rodriguez project illustrates the “walk, jog, run” philosophy he takes with both residential and commercial clients: “With a home or a business we start ‘walking’ by tightening up the envelope. Next we ‘jog’ with incremental upgrades—which for the Rodriguezes meant installing new insulation and radiant barriers in the attic, sealing the crawl space, and adding a solar hot water heater.”

The “run” phase occurs when a home or commercial building achieves a net energy use of zero. Rodriguez plans to make future improvements as he strives toward that goal. But with the upgrades already installed, he notes, “We’re saving enough energy to pay for our investment in eight years and got immediate improvements in the comfort and indoor air quality of our home.”

Southern Energy Management, founded in 2001 by Bob and Maria Kingery, was recently recognized as 2007 Energy Star® Partner of the Year. Among the firm’s innovative products are energy management systems, used in both homes and businesses, that ensure that electrical usage is evenly distributed throughout the day. “If all your appliances cycle ‘on’ simultaneously,” Bob Kingery explains, “that spikes your peak usage. Our system prevents that and lets you take full advantage of time-of-use utility rates, saving the average homeowner $150 to $175 per month.”

Solar water heaters can heat up to 75 percent of a family’s yearly hot water load. If the cost of the unit is rolled into a mortgage or refinance loan, monthly energy-bill savings will exceed the amount added to the monthly mortgage payment.

Solar pool heaters are an affordable way to use your pool two to three months before the summer season and two to three months after. And a solar power system provides backup power in case of an outage, while producing electricity which homeowners can sell back to Duke Energy or N.C. Greenpower. Though the initial investment is substantial, Kingery estimates the cost can be recouped within six to 10 years.

For her part, Linda Rodriguez sees her investment in personal terms. “People spend $20,000 on a plasma TV,” she states, “but I’d rather put my money into caring for creation.”

To learn about energy-saving solutions for a home or business, contact Southern Energy Management at www.southern-energy.com or 919-836-0330. They serve the entire state including the greater Charlotte metro area.