Case Study: Tony’s Carbon-Neutral House with Sandbox Solar – the Leading Solar Contractor in Northern Colorado

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Aidan Muir
May 26, 2020

When you work with Sandbox Solar, a top solar contractor in Northern Colorado, we help you design the best system for your needs. Our goal is always to design, develop, and install the perfect solar system for your home or business – a system that’s big enough to fit your needs, without overselling you on something that’s too big and more expensive. Our team is experienced in handling a solar project on a new-build home or office building. We ensure that everything is done on time so that there are no delays with construction. If you’re looking for a solar company to work on your next project, look no further than Sandbox Solar.

Our team recently helped a Northern Colorado landowner design and implement a carbon-neutral house in Laporte, CO. Tony was thrilled with the final results. Here’s what Tony had to say about the whole experience: 

“We are building a carbon-neutral house in Laporte, CO. We are using SIPs for the wall and roof, high-efficiency windows, a tightly sealed house with an efficient ERV and air source heat pumps for heating, cooling, and hot water. All this reduces our total energy demand.

“But we still needed a fairly large and efficient PV system to ensure we balance out our supply versus demand, which includes charging two EVs. Sandbox came up with a perfect 13kW solution using high-efficiency panels placed on our south-facing roof planes. Their design and installation work has been exceptional, all at a reasonable cost.  On a good day in May, we can produce almost 100 kWs. Thank you, Sandbox, for helping us achieve our carbon-neutral goal!” 

Based on Tony’s goals, energy usage history, and his property, we worked closely with him to design a system that meets his unique needs. After carefully looking at our options, we installed a 13kW solar system on the south-facing roof planes for maximum production. The panels we use are high-efficiency LG panels that are the most versatile and powerful panels on the market. Tony wanted to make sure that the entire project looked clean and seamless, so we worked with subcontractors during the building process to ensure that the conduit was hidden well and the overall look of the house was perfect.

Tony’s goal of having a carbon-neutral home was accomplished by adding solar to the home to produce energy and by reducing the number of appliances and features that lose or use energy in the home. With aesthetics and energy production in mind, we designed the following layout for his roof:

 

Tony has had his system up and running for a few months now. In the graphic below, you can see his typical production on any given day. On average, he produces almost 100kWh per day. With this amount of energy generated each month and his solar battery storage, Tony is able to successfully power his home with solar energy alone. 

A great time to consider installing solar is when your home is being built. It’s the most cost-effective and easiest way to have a seamless integration of solar into your home. When you install solar during new construction, you can design the home to have the maximum electricity production as we did for Tony’s home. When you incorporate solar from the very beginning, you’ll be better equipped to make choices about your appliances, building materials, and such that work with your solar system design. And by adding solar panels from the get-go, you’ll be able to capitalize on the solar energy from the start and save money on energy bills. 

Sandbox Solar is here to help you realize your goals through a smartly designed solar system that meets your unique needs. We think outside the box and work hard to create a system that will help you offset your carbon footprint and reduce your energy bills. 

Sandbox Solar, your solar contractor in Northern Colorado, is here to help you design and build your solar project. From ground mounts to rooftop, or even a complete carbon-neutral home like Tony’s, we have you covered! You can check out our portfolio page to see more of our work. Contact us today to learn more about solar for your Northern Colorado home or business, and for a free quote.

If you’ve recently worked with Sandbox Solar, we’d love to hear from you! Consider leaving us a review on Google.

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