The Cupertino Courier

Cover Story

Garden Helper: Mark Aubin makes a trip to the family's compost bin. The Aubins have two--one with fresh scraps and the other that has composted material ready to go into the garden.

Green House

Environmentalism starts at home

By Erin Hussey

The Earth has taken over Mark and Georgina Aubin's house. No, their three-bedroom, three-bath house near Columbia Park in Sunnyvale hasn't rotted away, and it's not overgrown with weeds. But in 13 years of small steps, the Aubin family has made their home more environmentally responsible by using solar power, recycled materials and shopping choices that have reduced its impact on the planet.

Not every environmental choice was easy or immediately cost-efficient, they said, but the house could offer a blueprint for families interested in living greener.

Mark Aubin is a co-founder of the application that eventually became Google Earth, which has compiled aerial images of the globe. The 38-year-old is now a software engineer at Mountain View-based Google Inc., and has three boys with his wife, Georgina.

Growing up in Sonoma County, Mark said his father recycled before it was fashionable, and they had a solar water heater. Georgina Aubin has made planet-friendly choices and maintained a big-picture perspective.

The Aubins moved to their two-story house on the 700 block of San Diego Avenue in 1994. One their first improvements was double-paned windows upstairs and a few downstairs. That eliminated highway noise and took a big bite out of their energy bills.

"That made a huge difference; it lowered our heating and cooling bills, especially the cooling bills. It kept it a lot cooler on the hottest days," Mark said.

Since then, they have replaced almost all the windows in the 2,200-square-foot house with dual panes. Sun-filtering shades in the windows have also reduced the need for air conditioning on hot days and heating in winter.

In 1999, they replaced a rotting roof with steel tiles for better insulation. About 2 1/2 years ago, they hired Sunstar Energy Inc. to install 24 photovoltaic solar panels on their roof. After two estimates from other solar companies, Sunstar conducted a minutes-long sunshade calculation that measured how much sun the roof would receive. A telephone pole cast a shadow, but there were no large trees or other objects that would hinder sunrays.

The Aubins crunched the numbers to see how much the panels and installation would cost compared with the energy savings, and found it would likely take about seven years to recoup their investment while their electricity bill plummeted.

The project cost about $8,500 after state rebates and tax credits, but their electricity bill is now an enviable zero dollars. They pay $5 a month to rent a meter.

"We did save money in the long run, but if you're just looking for a return on an investment, it might not work," Mark said. "For us it was a commitment to the environment.''

With an electric inverter, the system puts some power back on the grid and applies power to the house. They try to run their washer, dryer and kitchen appliances at off-peak hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. to avoid the increased utility company rates.

Georgina usually has to stay out of the sun because of a genetic condition, so she said the solar panel addition had special meaning for her.

"I've finally found a use for the sun!" she says.

The Aubins also installed a 93 percent efficient heater and replaced their cracked ducts with insulated ducts, which added to their energy savings.

Small steps inside

The Aubins' solar investment may be larger than many families can afford, but small steps have also made a difference.

As light bulbs have needed replacing, they have bought compact fluorescent bulbs, which conserve energy and last longer. Some have recommended replacing all bulbs at once with compact fluorescents, but it may be more Earth-conscious to wait until they burn out.

"Replacing a functioning thing is also waste," Mark said.

Buying products with less packaging has also made a difference in their trash output, and they have two composting bins. Mark mixes the compost with a pitchfork every few weeks, and uses the mulch for gardening.

The family of five produces one bag of trash per week, qualifying it for a reduced city garbage rate.

Their children, Jesse, 8, Zachary, 5, and Lucas, 14 months, are also recyclers. Jesse's chore is to put table scraps in the compost bin, and the two older boys occasionally visit the SMaRT Station to recycle bottles and cans and earn a redemption value.

Inside the house, the Aubins installed low-flush and dual-flush toilets that can be flushed with half the water. In the last year, they also installed a skylight in their kitchen and two sun tunnels to brighten an office and a hallway. They give the house more light without flipping a switch.

"I had to turn a light on to walk down the hall or to eat lunch," Georgina said.

The rectangular skylight cost about $1,100 with installation because of the framing labor, but the sun tunnels cost hundreds less. The roughly 11Ž2-foot-wide cylindrical tunnel contains reflective material and helps reduce their energy bill.

Outside changes

Another project about three years ago replaced a rotting wood deck with recycled composite boards. They installed a fabric shade on a wooden structure above it and a furled shade to block afternoon sun. A bird's nest had temporarily taken over the top of the shade.

A green lawn also stretches the length of the back yard, which Mark admits is not as Earth-friendly as drought-resistant plants. But, he says, he hasn't had to mow it much lately. The family's two rabbits, Maple and Murphy, happily chomp on the grass. They also feed the rabbits carrot tops and other food scraps.

In the back yard last week, the Aubins cooked lentil soup in a Sun Oven. The device uses reflective panels to heat large dishes that would normally go in an oven, and cooks all day like a crock pot. They also have grown tomatoes and peppers in their garden.

Coming soon

The Aubins said their house is still being refined. They are looking at a tankless water heater, which heats water closer to the tap rather than storing it. They are also looking into replacing some of their plants with apple trees or other fruit-bearing trees in the back yard. To top it off, they are considering buying three or four hens to lay eggs. They said their neighbors approved of the idea, which is a city requirement.

They drive a Chrysler PT Cruiser and a Honda Odyssey minivan, but hybrids also might be in their future.

The Aubins' lifestyle has already started to engrain itself in their children's minds, Georgina said.

At the beginning stages of talking, their sons have held up scraps after meals and asked, "Does this go in the paper trash or the food trash or the regular trash?" Georgina said.

Mark added that part of his environmentalism is to benefit future generations.

"I believe every person has a responsibility to be a good steward for the planet," he said.

For more information on the Aubins' house and a list of its features, visit www.aubinhome.blogspot.com.