Schell Bros. Independence community sets standard for solar electricity installations
Independence in Millsboro has become the epicenter of residential solar electricity in the eastern United States. The residents in this 55-and-over community have installed more than 170 kilowatts of solar among the houses, and another 50-kilowatt system was added to what was installed on the clubhouse known as Independence Hall. The 220 kilowatts of solar electric systems will create approximately 290,000 kilowatt hours of electricity every year. That is enough electricity to power a typical house in Independence for more than 300 months.
Independence has the highest known percentage of solar electricity adopters within one community in the entire eastern United States, with over one third of the families in the community benefiting from having solar electricity on their residences. The investments in solar made by Schell Brothers at Independence will total over $1 million in 2011 alone. This is in addition to the money the company invested in Clean Energy USA, the company that designed and installed the solar electric systems.
Schell Brothers has offered solar as an option for homebuyers for years, but in 2010 the builder conducted a study that showed that residents were eager to learn more about the product. This prompted Schell Brothers to start a fund to help present and past customers finance their solar electric systems and/ or discount the systems to make them more affordable. Schell followed up by partnering with local solar installation and design company Clean Energy USA, striking a deal to have Clean Energy USA offer Schell Brothers customers the special offers funded by Schell Brothers.
Clean Energy USA has installed over 180 kilowatts of solar at Independence in 2011, largely due to the huge investment by Schell Brothers. “When the level of interest that our residents had in solar was brought to my attention, I wanted to do something that would help them take advantage of the huge federal and state incentives available to them already. Whenever we have the chance to help our customers, past and present, to do something that keeps their expenses low, we try to figure out a way to make it happen. In the case where it is something that also helps the environment, we could not pass by this opportunity,” said Schell Brothers President Chris Schell. “With 2011 and 2012 being such a great time for solar in Delaware thanks to the falling prices of solar and the progressive laws to allow solar in our state, we wanted to act while it made sense for our extended family of customers.”
Schell Brothers wants homeowners who bought from the firm in the past to feel like part of the extended family. At Independence, the feeling is mutual, as Schell Brothers has thrown parties for the residents on several occasions, and the residents returned the favor by throwing a party for Schell Brothers employees. “We not only think of the residents in the communities where we build houses as our customers, but friends, and we want to make sure that they are happy. This solar initiative helps us in our mission since it will ensure they will have lower electric bills no matter how expensive electricity prices climb in the future. Part of being a family means looking out for each others' best interests, and we’re excited to do that for our homeowners by way of connecting with Clean Energy USA and our solar program. We truly value our strong relationships with our homeowners; this is just another way for us to show them that," said Schell Brothers Director of Sales Jamie Hudson.
Solar electric systems save homeowners money by creating electricity the house uses. When more electricity is being produced than the house can use, the excess goes through the homeowner’s electric meter and back onto the grid. The meter spins backward at the same rate it would spin forward, thus saving the customer money. It is a visible savings that customers see for themselves.
There is a second way that homeowners can save money if they choose using solar: they can use the Renewable Energy Credits that their solar electric systems create. These credits are extremely valuable to the homeowners, saving Independence residents an additional $2,000 per year on average. Newly enacted policy sets the price for customers, compared with previous years when the price fluctuated. This set price and the established process help customers and those who need the Renewable Energy Credits by stabilizing the entire process.
Schell Brothers recently introduced Advanced Building Science technologies into all its homes, including EnerWize, SanctuAir, and 4Tress. These high-performance features provide a living environment beyond compare. According to Mark Fitzgerald, vice president of construction, “Our whole-house systems approach has produced an average HERS Index score of 55. With the HERS scoring system, lower is better, and each 1-point decrease corresponds to a 1 percent reduction in energy consumption and in your energy bill. For purposes of comparison, our homes on average are 45 percent more efficient than the code home and at least 20 percent more efficient than a typical Energy Star home.”
In August 2011, Schell Brothers became the first Delaware builder to enter into an agreement with the Residential Energy Services Network to publish and market all HERS scores. RESNET’s Home Energy Rating System is the nationally recognized system for inspecting and calculating a home’s energy performance.
Clean Energy USA is dedicated to designing and installing solar electric systems for Delaware businesses and residents. Clean Energy USA is headquartered in Rehoboth Beach. For more information about Clean Energy USA, visit www.ceusa.com.
Schell Brothers is at 55 Cascade Lane, Rehoboth Beach. Chris and Preston Schell have set the standard for home building excellence, high-performance features, and responsible land use in coastal Delaware. For more information about Schell Brothers, go to www.schellbrothers.com or call 302-226-1994.
