A Vertex Architects home will use less energy to operate then many other homes available. Our homes qualify for a $2,000 federal tax credit http://www.energy.gov/taxbreaks.htm. We achieve this through home features such as: whole house in-floor radiant heat, tankless instantaneous water heaters, solar photo-voltaic panels, and rain-harvesting systems.
The radiant floor heating system uses a 93% high efficiency hot water boiler to heat water that re-circulates through 1/2” plastic tubes. It is more efficient than forced-air systems because there is no heat loss through ductwork. It is also healthier especially for people with allergies because there is no moving air to circulate dust and dander.
For more info click on the link below:
http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/space_heating_cooling/index.cfm/mytopic=12590
Tankless water heaters or instantaneous water heaters only heat water on demand. They drastically reduce the amount of energy to heat water versus hot water tanks. They account for $300 of your federal tax credit. Tankless water heaters are considerably smaller for more efficient use of space. They also use a digital thermostat to accurately show you the water temperature.
For more info click on the links below:
http://rheemtankless.com/content/learn/energyTaxCredit.html
http://rheemtankless.com/content/documents/TaxCreditCertification.pdf
Photo-voltaic solar systems are used to covert sunlight into energy. A 1.6 kilo-watt solar system is used to offset electricity costs by as much as 25% and through the use of net-metering energy can be sold back to the grid. The system consists of 9 solar panels, a grid-tied inverter and an external power disconnect. The solar photo-voltaic panels are mounted on the homes roof using a uni-rac ballast mounting system.
For more info click on the links below:
http://www.chicagosolarpartnership.org
http://findsolar.com/index.php?page=rightforme
Rain-harvesting is the process of collecting rain water and storm water run-off for re-use. Collected water can be used for grey-water to flush toilets and landscape irrigation systems. One method of harvesting is the use of an underground water cistern. These polyethylene cisterns will not rust or corrode. Water can be collected from downspouts and or rain gardens that are connected directly to the water cistern.
For more info click on the link below: