c o - op v a lue Local Home Builders Go Geo
Sustainable living on Lake Eufaula starts with energy efficient homes.
C
arlton's Landing on Lake Eufaula is like Mayberry R.F.D. gone green. Here, kids walk to
school. A community garden offers multiple raised beds loaded with vegetables. Sidewalks and walkways throughout the development encourage an evening stroll or bicycle ride.
Carlton Landing Founder Grant Humphreys says the development is founded on principles of sustainable living, meaning every feature from the architecture to amenities strives to help residents reduce their use of fossil fuels.
Now, thanks to Kiamichi Electric's Go Go Geo program, Carlton Landing can add geothermal energy to its sustainability menu. This year, 75 new homes in the housing development will feature geothermal systems.
"Geothermal is good technology," Humphreys says. "It's sustainable and it makes good sense."
It's also more expensive than a conventional heat and air unit, mostly due to the high cost of burying the ground loops. "Geothermal is a selling point, but as production builders we have to consider how much money are we willing to spend and is the home buyer willing to pay for it," Humphreys points out.
Because home appraisals ignore the value of a geothermal system, the expense is not covered by a conventional home mortgage. "New home buyers who want geothermal are forced to pay for it out of their own pockets," Humphreys explains.
Kiamichi Electric's program eliminates that problem, and makes geothermal more appealing to home builders, by doing away with drilling costs altogether. Instead, KEC pays for the ground loops upfront and charges the homeowner a nominal fee on their monthly electric bill.
"It works out to be around two percent of the total drilling cost per year," Humphreys says. "It's definitely a financial win for the homeowner."
A few years ago, Humphrey's installed a geothermal system at his historic home in Oklahoma City and noticed a dramatic savings. His home in Carlton Landing, built in 2011, also features geothermal.
He's a fan of geothermal technology and his electric co-op. "It's nice to find a rural electric cooperative that has the attitude for innovation and the commitment to service that Kiamichi Electric does," Humphreys says.
KEC is partnering with Geo Energy Services(GES) to provide professional geothermal evaluations and installation services. More details on Go Go Geo are available at
www.kiamichielectric.org. To schedule a free geothermal assessment, please contact GES at 844-464-6436 or send email to
geothermal@kiamichielectric.org.
Ready to Go Geo? Call 844-464-6436 for details.
• Eliminates thousands of dollars in geothermal installation costs
• Pays cash rebates of $1,050 per ton on qualifying heat pumps of 15.9 EER or higher
• Qualifies for a federal tax credit through December 31, 2016
• Provides expert assistance with all stages of installation and assures
quality workmanship.
4 | march - april 2016 | Light Post
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