Want to see solar systems, geothermal heating, and a sophisticated energy monitoring system in action? Then hightail it to Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, where you’ll get a healthy dose of green living. Tour a green home with everything from bamboo floors to water-saving landscaping begin at the Cliffs Cottage at Furman on June 14, and the house will be open to the public for a year.

The 3,400-square-foot home has all the latest technological innovations in sustainable living, including a system from GridPoint and local power utility Duke Energy that provides information about the home’s energy use, energy costs and carbon footprint. The portal can monitor the amount of renewable energy produced from the solar or geothermal systems, the energy consumed in the home or sold to the utility, available backup power, and the most cost-effective time to run appliances to avoid peak demand charges (called demand-side management and coming soon).

In another nod to the near future, the cottage will also utilize GridPoint’s PHEV “smart charging” capability, which allows Duke Energy to shift the charging of electric vehicles, no matter when they are plugged in, to off-peak hours to reduce stress on the electrical grid and consumers’ rates. GridPoint and Duke recently announced positive results from what is believed to be the first commercial test of utility-controlled smart charging.

The house also features a solar thermal system for heating water, a rainwater collection system, low-flow utilities, energy-efficient appliances, a precast foundation, organic gardens and plenty of green building materials. The principal partners in the home are Southern Living magazine, Furman University, The Cliffs Communities, Duke Energy and Bank of America. Cliffs Cottage is expected to be among the first residential facilities in the nation to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. 

About the Author:
Steven Castle - Contributing Writer

Steven Castle is a writer, editor, and humorist who recently completed Filthy Rich Things, a savage satire on our thirst for success and wealth. He is presently expanding his magazine work by writing more about alternative energy sources and green building.