Bill Clark, a principal architect with Stevens & Wilkinson, believes we can all do something to make our world a greener place—starting in our homes.

I have always had an interest in building things, from tree houses, forts and dog houses for childhood friends to houses and larger structures in my profession as an architect today. I have always had a love of nature as well, beginning with my youth in the foothills of the mountains of East Tennessee, where a short hike or bike ride from my neighborhood took me to forests and rivers far removed from suburban development. It’s easy to understand my love of earth stewardship and how this was instilled in me at an early age.

Saving energy is a passion of mine, and what better opportunity than in the 1925 house that we purchased in 2006? A designated historic house in Avondale Estates, the house had minimal maintenance performed over the last twenty years prior to our purchase and many of the original building components were still in place and untouched. This is good for historic character but not necessarily good for energy performance! The following is a summary of energy improvements that we have made to our house and a guide to how anyone can make substantial reductions in their energy consumption.

• House Envelope
  Added R-38 insulation to the attic; installed custom interior storm windows; caulked all cracks and openings; weather stripped doors; closed up basement/crawlspace vents.
• House Systems
  Replaced 20+ year old heating and air system with high efficiency system; installed tank-less water heater; added attic exhaust fan; installed ceiling fans in bedrooms and on porches.
• House Interior
  Caulked windows/doors/frames; closed up fireplace flues when not in use; sealed switches and outlets and any openings in house walls and ceilings.
• House Water Consumption
  Fixed numerous leaks in piping and fixtures; installed low- flow plumbing fixtures; installed two 50 gallon whiskey barrel water cisterns; installed one 250 gallon water cistern; systematically reducing grass area and planting drought tolerant plants.
• House Use and Behavior
  Make a conscious effort to turn off light fixtures and other appliances when not in use; adjust thermostats to 78 in summer and 68 in winter; collect water while showering to water porch plants.
• Future Projects
  Radiant barrier in the attic; programmable thermostats; chimney dampers; grey water collection from washing machine. Lastly, when we have exhausted all other energy saving options, we plan on installing a 2KW solar array on our porch roof.

These improvements have resulted in over 40% savings in energy consumption. We hope to improve this percentage as other options are identified. Many of these improvements can be done by any homeowner, and the materials are readily available at home improvement stores. What better way to save money and the earth’s resources that are a gift from God!

William Henry “Bill” Clark is a principal architect with Stevens & Wilkinson, and a long-time parishioner at Holy Trinity Parish.