BULVERDE, Texas – Imagine driving to work past all the gas stations with a solar smile on your face.
Larry Fulton and his wife have achieved that goal by building one of the greenest home in America in Bulverde, Texas.
Their house includes a geothermal heating and cooling system made up of three wells, 300 feet deep. The wells tap into the stable temperature of the earth at that depth so that their heat pump only has to heat or cool a few degrees either way for all their heating, cooling and hot water needs. The home is super insulated with sprayed on foam in the walls and under the roof deck so the attic stays nice and cool.
No aquifer draining wells for the Fultons; instead they have incorporated a 40,000 gallon rain water harvesting system for all their household water needs.
Solar panels make the home a positive power producer with excess electricity pumped back on to the grid. There is enough power leftover to charge an all electric Nissan Leaf. Fulton estimates a return on investment in just four years.