Sun-Powered Health Care
This article appeared in the Record Enterprise newspaper
and the August, 2013 edition of the Green Energy Times
and the August, 2013 edition of the Green Energy Times
Going solar at my medical office was a no-brainer; it was just a question of working out the details.
As a doctor, I find it impossible to separate the health of the environment from the health of the individual. New scientific studies every year are documenting the ways in which toxic substances released into the environment affect human health. This applies to chemical waste and food additives, but also to noise and light pollution and climate change.
When I built my office in Plymouth in 2004, I designed it to be as efficient and well-insulated as possible. I chose a site with good southern exposure for passive solar lighting and heating, and used non-toxic building materials. But over the years, I became more and more uncomfortable with the fact that I was primarily using propane to heat the place. When it came to pollution and global warming, I had to face the fact that I was “part of the problem.” That’s when I talked to PAREI (Plymouth Area Renewable Energy Initiative).
I had been a member of PAREI since the group’s start, but had not really taken advantage of all that they had to offer. Last summer Craig Cadieux came over to do a free site visit. I had some vague ideas about how to reduce my fuel usage, but Craig proposed a more radical approach: photovoltaic panels to generate electricity, and a new super-efficient heating system powered by electricity. If sized right, the system could cover all my heating needs and my lighting and other power needs, bringing my building close to Net Zero (no need for outside energy sources).
Four months later, after giving myself a crash course on Air Source Heat Pumps and consulting with various contractors, I now have a new heating system and a grid-tied photovoltaic array at my office. I hired PAREI to install the solar panels. They were competitively priced and great to deal with, and I also knew that, based on their Energy-Raiser model, they would be happy to have me working alongside the crew, which reduced costs and made me more familiar with how my system works. Current incentive programs also helped to make the whole project amazingly affordable, and Sandra Jones walked me through that process and filed all the paperwork for me.
My patients are excited and curious when they see my new system, which has led to some stimulating conversations. As a business owner, I am pleased to have a system that will serve me for many years after it has paid for itself in energy savings. But most of all, I am delighted to be contributing to the solution, rather than the problem, of a healthier environment for all of us.
As a doctor, I find it impossible to separate the health of the environment from the health of the individual. New scientific studies every year are documenting the ways in which toxic substances released into the environment affect human health. This applies to chemical waste and food additives, but also to noise and light pollution and climate change.
When I built my office in Plymouth in 2004, I designed it to be as efficient and well-insulated as possible. I chose a site with good southern exposure for passive solar lighting and heating, and used non-toxic building materials. But over the years, I became more and more uncomfortable with the fact that I was primarily using propane to heat the place. When it came to pollution and global warming, I had to face the fact that I was “part of the problem.” That’s when I talked to PAREI (Plymouth Area Renewable Energy Initiative).
I had been a member of PAREI since the group’s start, but had not really taken advantage of all that they had to offer. Last summer Craig Cadieux came over to do a free site visit. I had some vague ideas about how to reduce my fuel usage, but Craig proposed a more radical approach: photovoltaic panels to generate electricity, and a new super-efficient heating system powered by electricity. If sized right, the system could cover all my heating needs and my lighting and other power needs, bringing my building close to Net Zero (no need for outside energy sources).
Four months later, after giving myself a crash course on Air Source Heat Pumps and consulting with various contractors, I now have a new heating system and a grid-tied photovoltaic array at my office. I hired PAREI to install the solar panels. They were competitively priced and great to deal with, and I also knew that, based on their Energy-Raiser model, they would be happy to have me working alongside the crew, which reduced costs and made me more familiar with how my system works. Current incentive programs also helped to make the whole project amazingly affordable, and Sandra Jones walked me through that process and filed all the paperwork for me.
My patients are excited and curious when they see my new system, which has led to some stimulating conversations. As a business owner, I am pleased to have a system that will serve me for many years after it has paid for itself in energy savings. But most of all, I am delighted to be contributing to the solution, rather than the problem, of a healthier environment for all of us.
Jennifer L. Highland, DO
59 Cummings Hill Rd.
Plymouth, NH 03264
(603) 536-4300
59 Cummings Hill Rd.
Plymouth, NH 03264
(603) 536-4300