Raleigh, N.C. - Brentwood, N.H. based Dawn Solar's solar hot water technology is now being using in a groundbreaking green building project in Raleigh, North Carolina. Built by Cherokee Investment Partners, the showcase National Homebuilder Mainstream GreenHomeTM will be the first of its kind known to be built in a traditional suburban neighborhood utilizing two solar technologies that work in tandem to produce more energy than the home will ultimately consume. The solar thermal hot water technology developed by Dawn Solar will work in conjunction with a photovoltaic system designed by Atlantis Energy to capture the sun's energy and turn it into electricity. The home's design will result in a uniquely symbiotic relationship that makes the home twice as efficient in solar energy production, and more conventional in appearance, when compared to the typical solar systems on green homes. The Dawn Solar system uses heat generated by the sun shining directly onto the roof. The solar energy is absorbed and transferred into a concealed, patent-pending collection system hidden just below the roof tiles. As the system is hidden from sight, it is hidden from the elements as well, providing storm resistance, energy security and lower operating costs by replacing fossil fuels and electricity with solar energy. "The GreenHome utilizes a very aesthetic, fully integrated solar thermal and photovoltaic system," said Jonathan Philips, Senior Director of Cherokee Investment Partners. "What that means in everyday terms is that when it comes to energy usage this home will have little if any impact on our environment and the excess energy produced can be sold back to the power company. We are very proud of that." By placing the home's solar thermal tubing underneath the photovoltaic tile system two advantages are achieved. First, a solar thermal system typically operates more efficiently the hotter it gets during the day, whereas photovoltaics operate less efficiently in the presence of heat. In this first-of-its-kind configuration, the solar thermal system absorbs the heat taken-on by the photovoltaic panels which helps both systems operate more efficiently; the home can produce more electricity from the photovoltaic systems and more hot water from the thermal system. Second, with the photovoltaic tiles designed to blend in with typical roofing shingles and the solar thermal tubing hidden under these tiles, the home eliminates the awkward looking devices associated with solar systems, helping it blend into the neighborhood. "On an annual basis, the GreenHome's Dawn Solar thermal system has the ability to harvest over 41 million BTU's of solar energy for space and water heating - saving the equivalent of 440 gallons of oil or 570 therms of gas each year," said Bill Poleatewich, Dawn Solar's President. When considered over their 40-50 year lifespan, these systems effectively lock in the owner's energy costs at 20-30% less than what they are paying today. These innovative solar energy generating systems highlight the Mainstream GreenHomeTM mission to showcase innovative, environmentally friendly features, while looking and functioning as a traditional home. Cherokee expects that the lessons learned from this project will encourage the mainstreaming of sustainable homebuilding practices nationwide. The Mainstream GreenHomeTM is intended to help reverse the negative stigma sometimes associated with green building and show that environmentally-focused construction is compatible with conventional building and better living. Cherokee's GreenHomeTM is the first home in the nation known to be built in a typical subdivision under the National Association of Home Builders' (NAHB) Model Green Home Building Guidelines and is just one of three green homes in the nation known to meet such guidelines. The others are non-subdivision homes located in State College, Pa. and in Albuquerque, N.M. In addition, the home will be certified with the Environmental Protection Agency/US Department of Energy (EPA/DOE) Energy Star Program and the North Carolina Solar Center's HealthyBuilt Homes state program, among others. Conventional in almost every aspect, the GreenHomeTM is designed as an idea home that will showcase a mix of products, systems and techniques that could make sense for individual construction projects or large-scale developments. As green building becomes more mainstream and is injected into the early design process, costs associated with green building will continue to fall. In addition, many technologies, such as solar hot water or ground source heat pumps, become more cost effective as centralized systems in larger developments. Environmental factors are taken into account in every aspect of the home, from landscaping using edible and/or drought tolerant plants to rainwater catchment and reuse systems. The home utilizes a range of technological innovations to minimize impact on the environment without sacrificing comfort. As a result, the GreenHomeTM is designed to: * Use 50% less fossil fuel than the conventional home * Recycle or reuse 90% of all organic waste on site * Consume 50% less water than the conventional home * Recycle 75% of all construction and demolition waste * Retain 95% of all storm water on site for reuse * Create wildlife habitats * Provide exceptional indoor air quality with 95% of all products having low or zero volatile organic compounds Cherokee's residential green building goals are much larger than the GreenHomeTM itself. With its broad scope - having redevelopment projects planned or underway throughout the United States, Canada and Western Europe - Cherokee is uniquely situated to influence from the top-down the 'greenness' of homebuilders, developers, real estate investors and contractors nationwide. For more information about the Mainstream GreenHomeTM please visit www.MainstreamGreenHome.com. Cherokee Investment Partners promotes the sustainable redevelopment of brownfield properties through remediation that provides positive social, economic and environmental improvements for the areas they serve. Since 1993, they have acquired over 520 properties enabling them to clean-up and redeploy contaminated real estate, while protecting sellers, future owners and communities from the risks and liabilities associated with environmental impairment. Currently Cherokee has over $1 billion worth of property under its management. More information about Cherokee Investment Partners can be found at www.cherokeefund.com About Dawn Solar Systems, Inc. Dawn Solar Systems, Inc., located in Brentwood, NH, was founded in 2004 as an organization dedicated to developing economically viable and aesthetically pleasing solar thermal systems. The company's mission is to build a successful business while contributing to the quality of the natural environment. The Dawn Solar System(r) completely integrates into building architecture using lifetime metal, slate or concrete tile roof materials and is as reliable as conventional home heating systems without complex regulatory or interconnection issues. The system adds to a building's energy performance at highly competitive rates. The company produces systems that are certified by both the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC) and the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), and meet the criteria for state and federal energy incentives and rebates. The company has projects in 25 states and in Europe.
