• Save on Niagara County taxes for up to 10 years!

The National Green Building Standard is the only green building rating system for homes that is approved by the (ANSI) American National Standard.

In Niagara County (as of Jan 1st 2013), if you build a house to the NGBS standard, you qualify to be tax exempt from Niagara County for up to 10 years.  Along with the NGBS standard, the home also has a HERS rating (Home Energy Rating System), the industry standard by which a home’s energy efficiency is measured.

On top of this savings, a home may have a HERS rating that makes the home Net Zero. In this scenario, there are little to no utility bills (no gas, propane and electric), due to a home’s geothermal heating and cooling system, along with a solar panel system.

Passed recently by NYS and with the help of NYSERDA, there is now a $5,000 rebate that is given to any homeowner who installs a geothermal HVAC system. It is no longer a tax credit like it was before. This incentive will go right to the homeowner up front, instead of waiting until the end of the year when tax returns are filed.

  • Geothermal

Link for buffalo geo
Come pictures and video

How it works

The earth absorbs almost 50% of all solar energy and remains a nearly constant temperature of 50°F to 70°F depending on geographic location. Working with an underground loop system, geothermal heating and cooling systems utilize this constant temperature to exchange energy between your home and the earth as needed for heating and cooling.

In winter, water circulating inside a sealed underground loop system absorbs heat from the earth and carries it to the geothermal unit. Here it is compressed to a higher temperature and sent as warm air to your indoor system for circulation throughout your home.

In the summer, the system reverses and expels heat from your home into the cooler earth via the loop system. This heat exchange process is not only natural, but is a natural and highly efficient way to create a comfortable climate in your home.

Horizontal Loops

Used where adequate land space is available, horizontal loops involve one or more trenches that are dug using a backhoe or excavator. High Density Green Geothermal Pipe is inserted, and the trenches are backfilled. Each trench ranges in length up to 300′.

http://www.climatemaster.com/residential/how-geothermal-works/

From <http://www.buffalogeothermalheating.com/howitowrks.html>

  • Solar Liberty

Pictures  videos etc

Talking about solar and benefits

http://www.solarliberty.com/how-solar-works.html