Abstract: Ten years ago, I retrofitted my 1929 colonial-style house to provide all its own energy, plus energy for the local driving of two electric vehicles. This was done by weatherizing the house, converting to geothermal heating and cooling, switching to high-efficiency appliances, and powering everything with a solar photovoltaic array. This retrofit involved significant upfront costs, but they will more than pay for themselves over time. While the retrofit was a success, and had several side benefits, I will also discuss what could have been done better.
The College of Arts