Resiliency and Peace of Mind—Coupling Solar PV with Battery Storage

Author: Nina Olivier, Built Green Coordinator

Solar batteries, when connected to a home solar system, provide an attractive return on investment, increase the value of your property, and help the country take steps towards energy independence.

Installing a solar battery storage solution provides the greatest benefit to homeowners who live in areas that experience frequent power outages, where full-retail net metering isn’t offered, or where battery incentives are available.

When solar panels are paired with a home battery, the excess electricity goes into the battery instead of going to the grid. As a result, when the sun goes down and your panels aren’t producing electricity anymore, you can use the energy you have stored in your battery—instead of paying for electricity from the utility.

A+R Solar install

Investment Opportunities in Battery Systems

Given local proposed rate increases for utilities, solar PV systems and battery storage are becoming a more economically viable option. The style of battery greatly affects how the batteries are used and how long they last. Many factors contribute to variability in battery life including temperature, proper discharge and recharge, and optimal application usage.

Average household batteries cost anywhere from $4000 for a small 4kWh battery up to $15,000 or more for a large 13kWh battery depending on the type of battery, installation location, backup power requirements, and type of inverter used. To give some perspective, an average 3-bedroom home uses around 20kWh of electricity per day. However, a lot of this energy is used during daylight hours and could be directly powered by solar alone. Therefore, a moderately sized 10kWh battery would generally be large enough to cover the evening and overnight periods. However, every household is different, and usage patterns can vary greatly. For those that are more energy conscious and use efficient appliances, a smaller 6kWh battery may be suitable.

The payback period or return on investment (ROI) for most battery systems is around 7–10 years. It’s generally more cost-effective to install rooftop solar and run efficient appliances or heat hot water during the day rather than store excess energy in a battery. However, for some people, the value and security of having a reliable, sustainable power supply easily outweighs the cost.

The high cost of clearing trees, creating access roads, and building power poles can be prohibitive to getting power in remote locations. After recent grid events in Texas and California, the value of battery backup is harder to ignore. In states like Hawaii, residents are even required to store energy because there are restrictions in place that do not allow for the export of excess solar power to the grid.

Incentives and Financial Assistance for Washington State

Congress extended the federal solar tax credit (known as the ITC) for an additional two years. This means that you’ll receive a tax credit of 26% of your system’s cost in 2021 and 2022 and 22% in 2023. If the full value is not used within one year, the remainder will roll into the next year. Federal tax incentives can also be extended to home battery storage systems.

The 100% Clean Electricity Act passed in 2019 by the Washington State Legislature removes the sales tax for most typical residential solar energy systems and offers some sales tax relief for larger commercial scale systems. For the average customer, that means you save around 10 percent right off the bat.

In addition, the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) provides grants and loans to farmers and rural businesses to help them purchase renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements by paying up to 25 percent of the project. To see all available renewable energy incentives available in your zip code please visit the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE).

Leading Solar Energy Storage Batteries

Solar energy storage options have been rapidly evolving and improving over the last decade and are no longer limited to large, inefficient, and unattractive nickel-iron storage systems. Now sleek, sophisticated, high performing, and long-lasting storage options are readily available. Examples are listed below with typical prices (2021 retail prices).

Tesla

Since 2015, Tesla has been at the front of the pack in the production of dependable residential solar batteries. Their flagship model, the Tesla Powerwall, is pegged by critics to be the best in the range. The Powerwall is a stackable solar battery that has a capacity of 13.5 kWh and is enough for the average home’s energy needs. Tesla has developed its lithium-ion battery in partnership with Panasonic, and the resulting product is believed to be of very high quality. The cost of one battery unit is around $10,100.

LG

LG is one of Tesla’s main rivals in the solar battery market. It has a battery model called the LG Chem solar battery system. At 9.3 kWh, the LG Chem is a decent solar battery that should be able to power a home that does not have massive power-consuming machines. It is best suited for homes that are connected to a power utility grid. Including installation charges, the LG solar battery can cost between $11,000 and $13,000.

Sonnen

Sonnen is a fast-growing German company founded in 2010. It has a share in the European and American markets through a network of agents and installers. Sonnen’s Eco battery core unit has a small capacity of 4 kWh but can be stacked to 16 kWh. Smart software within the battery system stores data relating to your home’s energy needs. It then uses the information to provide you with a genuinely futuristic solar experience. With pre-installation costs of $9000, the Sonnen Eco is an expensive solar battery. However, each battery comes with a warranty of functioning at 70% of optimum levels for ten years, which is higher than that of competitors.

The following table shows other leading solar storage energy batteries currently available on the market:

Credit: Clean Energy Reviews

A&R Solar, a local solar installation company, explains that in addition to achieving energy independence and reducing your carbon footprint, solar is a wise investment with positive financial returns. A&R Solar recommends roof-top mounted grid tied solar coupled with a double Tesla Power Wall system for a typical single-family home.

The following are price estimates for a typical single-family home provided by A&R Solar using their recommended Tesla Power Wall or SolarEdge Energy Hub systems:

Credit: A&R Solar

Achieving Total Energy Independence and Resiliency

Solar PV plus batteries boosts a home’s resiliency to power outages where gird electricity may be off for a few hours or for several days. The battery provides the means to avoid the use of fossil fuel burning generators to power the home in the event of an outage. In addition, unlike generators, solar panels and battery storage systems don’t create noise and air pollution that will bother you or your neighbors. This is a unique benefit and is a great way for anyone who currently has a generator to update their system.

Learn more about how A&R Solar provides solar and storage to build a homes resiliency during an outage:

Batteries can be used to store solar energy and then allow the owner to utilize battery power at night or anytime to reduce the purchase of highest cost of peak power. Utilities often charge the highest per kWh rate for electricity used during the peak time of day or season. Battery power can also be used to keep the building’s total grid energy usage low over time to ensure the customer is paying for the lowest price in a tiered rate structure.

In a remote location, or any location that doesn’t have an electrical grid, the combination of solar PV and batteries can supply reliable ongoing electricity to power typical household functions. Unlike grid-tied solar systems, off-grid systems have no connection to the utility grid and must make all the electricity necessary to power the home.

Credit: Lopez Community Land Trust

The Path to Community Microgrids

To meet climate action goals, many large utilities are looking to generate more electric power through solar and wind. Currently there are challenges with large scale utility storage and energy transmission. Microgrids have been shown to alleviate these challenges through functioning like a smaller version of a larger traditional electrical grid powered by solar with battery storage systems. With the increased cost of traditional grid power generated from fossil fuels, many microgrids are switching to a combination of solar and battery storage to supply electricity that is cost effective and has environmental benefits.

They provide opportunities for optimal solar placement and scalability, as they do not need to be placed on home roofs—they can be installed on parking garages, open fields, etc.—reducing roof penetrations and complexity during roof repairs and replacements. Microgrids also achieve resiliency by islanding from the central grid during an outage. Community microgrids represent a new approach for designing and operating the electric grid that achieves a more sustainable, secure, and cost-effective energy system while providing indefinite, renewables-driven backup power for prioritized loads.

4th Annual Green Genius Awards for Brokers

By Krystal Meiners, Director of Marketing, Green Canopy Homes

The Green Genius Awards are the region’s first and only awards to honor real estate brokers who are helping to transform the Pacific Northwest into a hub for greener living and a leader in sustainable community development. The winners of the Green Genius Awards were announced at the Built Green Conference and Awards Ceremony on September 13th.

This year’s conference was attended by a veritable mix of green home builders, real estate professionals, policy makers, architects, and green home technology and materials experts. The Conference took place at Cascadia College in Bothell and kicked off with an inspirational keynote from famed natural capitalism expert, Hunter Lovins. Conversations spanned technology, community, and the growth of the real estate market. Green Genius Winners were selected based on objective data from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service as well as qualitative criteria for their marketing and sales efforts – all of which was vetted by the Green Genius Awards Committee which included staff from Built Green, Washington State Housing Finance Commission, and Green Canopy Homes.

“Real estate agents translate the value of green building to the market. As such, these professionals are ‘agents of change and transformation’ for a society that is in desperate need of a massive market shift to have a green future…or frankly, any future at all,” says Krystal Meiners, the Director of Marketing for Green Canopy Homes, which created the Green Genius Awards in partnership with Built Green in 2012.

The Green Genius winners from 2016 included the following high-impact professionals:

Selling Agent of the Year

Finalists included:

Javila Creer of Windermere Real Estate
Ryan A Raffetto of Pointe3 Real Estate

Winner: Daniel Burton, Redfin

Daniel Burton, a Puget Sound native, is an advocate for quality housing livability, sustainable development, and public transit. He has successfully lobbied at the city and state level to implement urban planning improvement projects across Seattle. He cites the beauty of Seattle’s natural environment and its Native American history as contributors to the success of the green building movement in the Pacific Northwest. Daniel represented buyers of certified Built Green homes ranging in price from the mid-$400k price range to over $1M.

Green Genius Selling Agent of the Year Fiore Pignataro, Windermere RENW Eastlake

Listing Agent of the Year

Finalists included:

Ron Rubin of RE/MAX Metro Realty
King Vuong of Sound Realty

Winner: Fiore Pignataro, Windermere RENW Eastlake

For Fiore Pignataro, real estate is about people as much as about houses. With a Master’s in education and a diverse teaching background, he enjoys the process of turning complicated tasks into easy-to-digest processes. Fiore sees the next frontier of green building including increased systems for self-sufficiency, such as solar panels and geothermal energy. Fiore’s listings in 2015-2016 included 4- and 5-Star certified Built Green projects in Seattle on Beacon Hill, Central, and Wedgwood.

Selling Office of the Year

Finalist included Redfin Corp

Winner: Windermere RE Wall Street

Windermere RE Wall Street dominates the Seattle city core in certified Built Green transactions with multiple office locations in Queen Anne, Magnolia, West Seattle, and its namesake office in Belltown. John Wellman, designated broker and general manager, received the award on behalf of Windermere RE Wall Street’s brokers who sold certified Built Green homes. Leah Pham, broker from the Queen Anne office, attended the conference with her homebuyer client Melinh Jones Nozynski. Mei spoke on a panel during the conference with other homeowners exploring the benefits and positive impacts of living in a green home. Windermere RE Wall Street sold over $8M in certified 4- and 5-Star Built Green homes in 2015-2016.

Listing Office of the Year

Finalists included:

Winner: Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Northwest

Berkshire Hathaway HSNW, which recently expanded in to the Seattle/Puget Sound region in 2015, is led by president and CEO Jason Waugh. As the green building movement has become more mainstream in innovative cities such as Portland and Seattle, Jason cites that the market shift cannot be “unlearned” because the benefits of green home’s comfort, health, and lower operating costs are now so evident. Berkshire Hathaway certified Built Green listings in King County represent approximately $16M in transactions and involved a diverse group of agents. Top agents including Paul Poirier, Tim Bower, and Mark Leingang who received the award on behalf of Berkshire Hathaway.

Photo credit: Alabastro Photography

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Built Green™

01/04/2024

Eliseo: Senior Living in Tacoma (Walsh Construction)

Vital Stats	Section	Points
Location: Tacoma Star Level: 4-Star Checklist: 2017 New Construction Multifamily Verifier: Bee Consulting, LLC	Site and Water	93
	Energy Efficiency	98
	Health and Indoor Air Quality	118
	Material Efficiency	69
	Total Score	408

As the population continues to age rapidly the need for healthy, energy efficient senior living continues to grow. Eliseo, which provides independent or assisted living for seniors, made the decision to construct two new buildings with a total of 91 units in their existing complex located in Tacoma. These two new buildings both obtained a Built Green 4-Star certification on the 2017 new construction multifamily checklist using a variety of different green building strategies.

Walsh Construction's Eliseo apartments, exterior

During the design and permitting phases of the project, the project team engaged with the verification team to ensure the project’s success by planning and brainstorming the credits they wanted to obtain throughout the checklist and changing specs as needed to align with their goals and vision. One example was finding the right drought-tolerant grass that would blend with the pre-existing landscaping and not create a stark visual contrast. Together the whole team was able to find the right mixture!

Other credits that were claimed to obtain certification was the use of low flow plumbing fixtures to minimize water used within the building; ductless mini-splits and Energy Star appliances to keep energy costs down; and low VOC products with indoor air-quality certifications to keep tenants safe and healthy.

In addition to the above-mentioned green building features, the project also utilized a lot of water management strategies. With the help of a building envelope consultant, they applied drainage mats around the foundation, fluid-applied doors and window flashing along with back dams, taped seams on their WRB, and installed a rainscreen under their siding. All these features were able to help them to obtain low air-barrier test scores (0.154 & 0.151CFM/SF @ 75Pa) that will not only result in lower energy bills but will ensure the building stays dry throughout the years to come.

While this Built Green certification is one of the first for the City of Tacoma, there is an expectation and hope that many more will follow as buyers and residents begin to recognize the value in sustainable building – not only economically through energy reduction, but also for their health and the wellbeing of the planet.

Walsh Construction's Eliseo apartments, Bathroom

Walsh Construction's Eliseo apartments, Living Room

Walsh Construction's Eliseo apartments, Kitchen

Built Green highlights:

Site and Water

Low-toxic outdoor material used for landscaping
Environmentally friendly landscaping O&M produced
Drought-tolerant grass blend
Low flow plumbing fixtures
Large community spaces incorporated
Subsidized bus passes for senior living employees
EV chargers installed

Energy Efficiency

0.154CFM/SF @ 75Pa air-barrier testing
Ductless mini splits throughout the units
ERV system in the building
High efficiency centralized gas water heater with recirculation system
Energy Star appliances

Health and Indoor Air Quality

Anti-idling and healthy jobsite practices implemented
Low VOC products used throughout the buildings
LVT with no orthophthalate plasticizers used
Window and doors well sealed with proper flashing and back dam systems and window testing
Easy access to building systems with proper water management
Moisture management methods beyond cod implemented (damp proofing paint, dimple drainage mat, etc.)

Materials Efficiency

During construction waste reduction plan created and implemented
Source separated recycling of drywall and batteries
Abundance of locally manufactured materials used
PEFC certified engineered lumber used for floor system
Recycled content carpet and natural linoleum used in the building
87% recycled content acoustical tiles used in all hallways
47% recycled content insulation used throughout the building
95% recycled content plastic lumber decking used

Walsh Construction's Eliseo apartments, exterior

Photo Credit: Bee Consulting

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Built Green™

08/31/2017

Built Green as a Community-Oriented Solution

By Zoe Ludwig, Built Green Intern | This is part three in a three-part series. Read parts one and two.

How is Built Green a Part of the Solution?

Built Green is committed to all types of sustainability, including but not limited to environmental sustainability. In addition to working with local governments on green construction, Built Green also supports affordable housing and sustainable zoning practices. Built Green certification is granted through the use of a checklist, in which points are assigned to grade the “green-ness” of a home, including the location of the home. Built Green builder member companies can do their part and earn checklist points in the following ways:

Single-Family Checklist

Locate site within one of the Urban Growth Area (UGA) designated areas (five points)
Provide accessory dwelling unit or accessory living quarters (10 points)
Build within a quarter mile of a transit stop (three points)
Design to promote and encourage pedestrian-friendly and safe neighborhoods (one to five points)
Build on a lot that is within a half mile of at least six essential services, (e.g., grocery store, post office, place of worship, community center, daycare center, bank, school, restaurant, medical/dental office, laundromat/dry cleaner, etc.) (three points)
Driveways or parking are shared between multiple units (four points)
Proximity to bike amenities within one mile (three points)

Multi-Family Checklist

Create a transit-oriented development (15 points)
Build within a quarter mile of a transit stop or park and ride (four points)
Create a mixed-use building (15 points)
Provide subsidized bus passes (25 percent or 50 percent subsidized) (six to ten points)
Provide bicycle lockers or bicycle storage beyond code (two points)
Provide bus shelters (two points)
Provide dedicated parking spots for carpool or car-share vehicles (six points for first stall above code, two points for each additional, for a maximum of 12 points)
Provide a link to community trails (two points)
Avoid excessive outdoor light levels while maintaining adequate light for security and safe access (five points)

Many of these checklist items are regarding accessible transportation or community services. Enhancing these elements of home ownership and rentals can help end the stigma surrounding “dense” building by focusing on the positive aspects of community. Through our checklists, Built Green supports sustainable community on a project-by-project basis. We also actively participate in the discussion of how our region can be both greener and more inclusive, including at this year’s Built Green Conference.

“If you’re the quintessential suburbanite, density’s a swear word, if you’re an urbanist, it’s a buzzword,” says Branden Born of the University of Washington via The Seattle Times. Those who oppose denser building typically argue that it rids a neighborhood of its charm. But skyscrapers and towering apartment buildings aren’t the only ways to create more dense housing. For example, ADUs and DADUs (attached and detached mother-in-law units), duplexes, triplexes, and townhomes are great alternatives to the stereotypical approaches. Built Green is excited to have not only certified some of these building types, but to support the housing flexibility they bring. Still, these solutions require more inclusive zoning laws from the city. Check out more about how the ‘quintessential Seattle block’ can uphold charm and density.

The American Dream may still be alive and well, but it is dependent on people adopting an attitude of sustainable living. Now, the American dream is owning or renting a place that is comfortable for you. It’s waking up in the morning, walking a quarter mile or a half a mile to your bus stop. It’s coming home from work and saying hello to your neighbor in the grocery store in the downstairs level of your building. It’s knowing that your kids can have access to a good education, regardless of their zip code. We can learn from the shortcomings of those here before us and make this dream a possibility for all. Together, we can make living in the city more affordable, keep community sacred, and create a more united Puget Sound region.

Interested in this complex topic? At this year’s Built Green Conference, we are hosting a panel called From Exclusionary to Inclusionary: How Can We Make Our Region Inclusive, Resilient, and Vibrant? featuring Alan Durning of Sightline Institute, candidates for Seattle public office, and experts on environmental justice and community participation. Register for the conference today—ticket prices increase September 1!

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