A DIY Green Machine of a Home

Steve Crowe · 11-03-09, 04:32 PM

A DIY Green Machine of a Home
By Julie Jacobson
A smart sensor network drives lights, thermostats and motorized shades in this San Francisco do-it-yourself treat.

Tahl Milburn has no problem admitting to his geek-hood. By day he manages a strategic IT consulting practice in San Francisco, “but my top hobby has been home automation since I was 12 years old,” he says.

A couple of years ago when he moved into a new 2,600-square-foot home with panoramic views of San Francisco Bay, Milburn repeated the same DIY performance that put him on the cover of the March 2003 issue of Home Automation magazine.

This time, though, he decked the pad with all manner of energy-saving mechanisms, including photovoltaic (solar) panels. He wasn’t convinced that solar energy would ever pay for itself, but when San Francisco added a city rebate to the California and federal rebates, he took the plunge. Also influencing him was the fact that his energy use was 300 percent above the baseline for the area. Ah, the price of geekiness.

The photovoltaics, however, are just one element of Milburn’s energy-saving home technology.

Solar Panels
Though most of the place is done DIY, Milburn had no intention of installing the photovoltaics himself, so he hired a local firm, Luminalt, to do the job. Through Luminalt, Milburn can track his solar-related energy savings by day, month or year.

Weather, Solar Display
Solar and weather monitoring panels help Milburn to maximize his energy-saving rig. The Davis Weather Station, together with an hourly feed from the National Weather Service, can help predict the weather.

Click here to continue.

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Steve Crowe Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 328	A DIY Green Machine of a Home A DIY Green Machine of a Home By Julie Jacobson A smart sensor network drives lights, thermostats and motorized shades in this San Francisco do-it-yourself treat. Tahl Milburn has no problem admitting to his geek-hood. By day he manages a strategic IT consulting practice in San Francisco, “but my top hobby has been home automation since I was 12 years old,” he says. A couple of years ago when he moved into a new 2,600-square-foot home with panoramic views of San Francisco Bay, Milburn repeated the same DIY performance that put him on the cover of the March 2003 issue of Home Automation magazine. This time, though, he decked the pad with all manner of energy-saving mechanisms, including photovoltaic (solar) panels. He wasn’t convinced that solar energy would ever pay for itself, but when San Francisco added a city rebate to the California and federal rebates, he took the plunge. Also influencing him was the fact that his energy use was 300 percent above the baseline for the area. Ah, the price of geekiness. The photovoltaics, however, are just one element of Milburn’s energy-saving home technology. Solar Panels Though most of the place is done DIY, Milburn had no intention of installing the photovoltaics himself, so he hired a local firm, Luminalt, to do the job. Through Luminalt, Milburn can track his solar-related energy savings by day, month or year. Weather, Solar Display Solar and weather monitoring panels help Milburn to maximize his energy-saving rig. The Davis Weather Station, together with an hourly feed from the National Weather Service, can help predict the weather. Click here to continue.