Acton Clean Energy Homes Tour
Spring 2023
Exciting Clean Energy Technologies in Acton Homes
On Saturday April 29 2023 , rain or shine, 10 families in Acton are opening their houses for you to see the clean energy technologies they have implemented over the past few years. Houses will have sign-up slots to visit between 11am and 4pm.
The homeowners listed below are eager to talk about their solar panels (roof and ground mounted), battery storage, heatpumps (mini-split Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP), Ground-source, Hydronics, heat transfer), Water Heaters (ASHP, hybrid air-source, solar) , ASHP Dryers, Whole-house electricity monitoring, foam insulation, water filter, induction stovetops, EV's and EV chargers, electric lawn equipment (incl robot).
Get more information for sign-up here.
- Basecamp
Where : Picnic area at the tennis courts / playground at 19 Elm Street in West Acton
What :
REFRESHMENTS !
Information on federal and state subsidies
Information on financial support
Answer any questions on the homes to visit
Learn about EnergizeActon.org and Acton Power Choice
Playground
I have been very pleased with the performance of our ground-source heat pump system: very comfortable temperatures maintained in the house in both summer and winter.
2. Ground Source Heat, Water Heater, Solar
Where : Half Moon Hill, West Acton (9 minute walk from Basecamp)
Home : 3,000 sq ft two-story antique Colonial, built in 1735
What:
Ground-source heat pump
Hybrid air-source water heater
Solar panels
Foam insulation in attic
3. Solar, Heat Pump, Water Heater, Dryer, EV
Where : Half Moon Hill, West Acton (10 minute walk from Basecamp)
Home : Duplex with 1200 sq feet af area
What:
Solar Panels
mini-split Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP) (Fujitsu: one single head, one multi-head))
ASHP Hot Water Heater (AO Smith 50 gallon)
ASHP Dryer (Miele T1)
EV and EV charging (sharing charger with neighbors)
Induction stovetop (Kenmore)
Whole-house electricity monitoring (Emporia)
Electric mower
Don't try to do everything at once, but make a plan and follow it (Zero Carbon Over Time). Don't agonize and try for perfection. Very good and sooner is better than perfect and later.
4. Solar, Batteries, Solar Hot Water, Heat Transfer, Water Filter, EV Charger
Where : Half Moon Hill, West Acton (11 minute walk from Basecamp)
What: 2,400 sq. ft built in 1996
Solar Panels : 10 kW PV array on roof
Solar Battery Storage : 18 kWh Generac battery
Solar hot water panels on roof
Greenhouse heat transfer system
Clivus toilet composting system
4-stage reverse osmosis water filter
Induction Cooktop
EV and shared EV charger
Rechargeable electric mower
5. Heat Pump
n/a
6. Solar, Heat Pump, Solar Hot Water, EV+Charger
Where : off of Willow Street, West Acton (5 min. drive from Basecamp)
Home : 1991 New England Colonial (2000 square feet) completely decarbonized off of oil & more
What:
Solar PV panels (2 arrays front & back)
6 mini split/heat pumps - whole house for heating + COOLING (displaced oil)
Solar thermal hot water heater
Opted up to Acton Power Choice (APC) Green 100% renewable option
Electric Vehicle (EV) and EV Charger (Chargepoint - installed 2023)
Electric Lawn equipment - misc
Natural lawn care practices & rain barrel
Our clean energy transition took place over 2 to 3 years with amazing local resources including local energy 'coaches' for inspiration, Abode Energy taking advantage of many federal & state rebates plus carbon SAVINGS! A major plus was the addition of A/C with the installation of heat pump/mini splits. Can operate via Kumo Cloud APP remotely to control temps. Happy to share our decarbonization journey with others.
7. Hydronics Heat Pump, Water Heater, Dryer, EV
Where : High Street, South Acton (7 min. drive from Basecamp)
What:
Hydronics whole-house heat pump
Mini-split heat pump
Heat pump dryer
Heat pump water heater
Induction range
EV and Electric car chargers
Battery-electric hard tools (lawn mower, snow blower, chain saw etc)
8. Roof Solar
Where : near Prospect Street (close to the MBTA station)
(5 min drive from Basecamp)
Home : 2000 square foot one story "ranch" with finished basement built in 1955, with renovations.
What:
Solar panels on roof (March/May 2021)
Our individual actions may seem like drops in a global bucket. They are, and they also matter. Our actions can inspire/motivate others to think about/reconsider how they're using energy and what's best for the good of all of us. It's important to act on ALL fronts — personal, communal, political — to reduce emissions!
9. Heat Pump, Solar, EV, Insulation
Where : Concord Rd (East) (7 min drive from Basecamp)
Home : multi-level (4) built in 1960, with approx. 2100sf
What:
Whole-house cold-climate Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) system (using mini-splits) Mitsubishi (2023)
one 18K/1.5 ton outdoor condenser unit (supplies a single 18K mini-split) + one "double decker" 42K/3.5 ton outdoor condenser supplying 5 mini-splits (3 9K + 2 6K)
Electric, double-stainless-steel-walled water heater (2006)
Solar array, 4.104kW AC/4.56kW DC (2011)
EV and Level 2 charger (2017)
Insulation in external walls (2007 + 2017), to attic floor (2022)
All electric appliances (2008–2015)
Electric mower, snow blower, chain saw (2006–2016)
10. Solar, Heat Pump, Insulation
Where : Bellow Farms, North Acton (close to rt 2A and Main Street junction)
(10 min drive from Basecamp)
Home: 3000 sq ft open floor plan built in 1997
What:
Ducted Bosch heat pump and high efficiency gas furnace combo (Spring 2022)
Solar panels with majority of panels facing west due to trees on south side (Summer 2022)
Mass Save Insulation Program
Ego power lawn mower and leaf blower (Summer 2022)
11. Ground Mounted Solar Panels, Batteries, EV, Electric Lawn Mower Robot
Where : Newtown Rd, Central Acton (west) (5 min drive from Basecamp)
Home: built in 2019, prepared for solar and EV charger during build phase
What:
Ground Mounted Solar Panels (12 kW) , Tigo Optimizers, 12K Sol-Ark inverter/charger and Battery Storage (4 x 7.5kW KiloVault LiFePO4) - hybrid/not grid tight and used instead of a generator in case of a power outage (2021-2022)
EV Car and EV charger (2022)
Induction Cooktop (2019)
Full Foam insulated house (2019)
Electric lawn mower robot (2019, Husqvarna)
Organic lawn, native flower mini-meadow