News Release
August 1, 2008

More than 100 tour off-the-grid energy saving home near Laramie

An off-the-grid workshop July 24 west of Laramie generated an off-the-meter turnout.

More than 100 people viewed what Bob McGovern has done to wean his 1,300-square-foot house from the energy grid. He uses about one-seventh the electricity of an average household, or 4.5 kilowatt-hours per day, even while supplying electricity for his professional carpentry shop.

Public interest may spark other such events.

Organizers, whose members were from the Small Acreage Outreach Project (which produces Barnyards & Backyards magazine among other efforts) and include Laramie Rivers Conservation District and the University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service, thought the event might be of interest in light of high energy prices.

“We expected there might be 40 folks as that is usually a good turnout for us in this location (Laramie),” said Jennifer Jones, who is coordinator of the Small Acreage Outreach Project.  

“People had a very high level of interest and seemed to run the range from folks who were thinking about whether this would be economically and workload-wise feasible and those who already were utilizing a renewable energy source,” she said. One person said they wished they had attended such an event before they had implemented energy generating techniques; they had made poor choices.

Tony Hoch, manager of the Laramie Rivers Conservation District, said he was delighted with the turnout. He said he knew McGovern was very interested in sharing his off-grid project for public education.

“For a crowd that size and the distractions of being outside, the focus of the audience was acute,” he said. “I did not see a component of particular interest but good questions to all aspects of off-grid living, which is really more about energy conservation than production. Several people took notes in earnest through the whole presentation and were even there asking questions an hour after the formal presentation ended.”

McGovern utilized several techniques to reduce energy costs when he built the house. Spray-in insulation makes the place very air tight. Six inches of spray foam gives an R-value (insulation factor) of about 24. The concrete foundation is also on top of a 2-inch foam insulating pad and contains a network of 5/8-inch PEX tubing with 12-inch spacing through which solar-heated antifreeze flows for in-floor radiant heat. To further heat his home, McGovern utilizes a wood stove as back up. The house is oriented to catch passive solar energy on the south and east sides, while remaining protected from brutal westerly winds.

Twelve double-pane, patio door-sized windows allow the sun to heat the painted concrete floors and provide 80 to 85 percent of the annual heating needs for the house and greenhouse. A wind turbine has an 8-foot propeller on a 65-foot-tall tower and complements the solar power system.

Although nothing is as yet formally planned, Hoch said there will be similar events. “We are aware of other properties with willing landowners,” he said.

The July 24 tour was organized by Natalie Macsalka and Andy Kaiser, summer interns of the Small Acreage Outreach Project, and based in Laramie.

###

Contact: Steven L. Miller, Senior Editor
Phone: (307) 766-6342
E-mail: slmiller@uwyo.edu
Archived News Site http://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/UWAG/news.asp

###