This really comes as a shock to many as Chicago is supposed to be as windy as a city can get in USA. But then that might not always be sufficient for those who rely on wind energy to power their homes and get the required returns from their green investments in a time frame that would be normally acceptable. One of the problems with using alternate energy is that the initial price of the technology is often too high compared to the ones that run on conventional fuel. This is of course not to say that those who invest in the renewable sources do not get a profitable bargain. But that is only possible over a lengthy period of time. In a world where short-term benefits are regarded very highly, this is indeed a bit of a problem.
Normally an investment n the alternate energy technology pays off in 10-20 years at the most. But in this case it would take well over 80 years! After investing $40,000 in wind turbines, the savings to them is only about $500 a year. It’s going to take them 80 years to pay it off. Fortunately for the environment, Frances and James just don’t care. While it is nice to know that these two care for the green of the planet more than the green that goes in to their pocket, this also means not many will be open to take home this new green construction. But for these two, it is more of an art work than a commercial venture!
Part art project, part science project, part office, part home, Frances and James have built what they consider the house of the future. Frances and James have no doubt that, in the future, the systems they’re using for energy and water collection will be standard. The main green features are the wind turbines, photovoltaic panels, xeriscape green roof, custom cistern, low flow and energy appliances, floors from diseased trees and geothermal heating, to name a few. This really is something special in a world where we are constantly bothered about short-term gains and undue economics.
