Post written by Chris Miles, a lifelong Fairfax County resident

Chris Miles, a lifelong resident of Fairfax County, has made a variety of energy efficiency updates to his home like adding solar power, installing LED lighting, purchasing a high-efficiency water heater, and using an energy monitor. All of these improvements have helped him reduce his carbon footprint, lower his utility bills, and make his home more comfortable.

Read our interview with Chris to find out how he and wife Susan did it, and how you can join them in becoming a climate champion!

How long have you lived in Fairfax County and what is your favorite thing about living here?

I moved to Springfield when I was 8 years old and entered Ravensworth Elementary School but went on to Edgar Allen Poe Middle School and Annandale High School. I graduated from George Mason University (GMU) in 1987 with a BS in Electronics and Computer Engineering and enjoyed 25 years of working as an engineer for various federal agencies, finishing with the Department of Homeland Security. My wife, Susan, and I both retired in 2019 and live near GMU off Braddock Road but still in Fairfax County.

Why did you decide to make energy efficiency upgrades to your home?

Our home was built in 1998 and we’ve lived in it for 25 years. After that many years, some things need to be repaired, and others just need to be replaced. We’ve updated some things that needed replacement and brought others into the house to be state-of-the-art. Since my wife and I are both engineers, we’ve leaned forward on technology quite a bit over the years. Some of our friends would say we’re leading edge, and some may say we’re beyond-the-state-of-the-art or bleeding-edge. The reality is that most technologies take 20-plus years to develop and we’ve been privileged to be involved in seeing quite a few progress through the research and development cycle.

Where did you go for information on what to do and how to do it?

We’ve followed technology trends for some time and like many people we read reviews on the internet. Additionally, I watch the public broadcast service shows This Old House and Ask This Old House for updates to home technologies.

There are also a lot of web resources that I’ve gotten information from including:

• www.energy.gov/save
• www.fairfaxcounty.gov/environment-energy-coordination
• www.DomSavings.com
• www.rewiringamerica.org/app/ira-calculator

Have you noticed any changes in costs, comfort or quality of living in your home since the upgrades?

I was amazed to hear a recent statistic that although Fairfax County population has grown by 10 percent, its electricity usage has actually dropped by 2 percent. Although I haven’t tracked every change we’ve made in our home, we’ve seen some dramatic changes too. We installed a SmartFlower Solar Energy system in October 2023 and have seen our electricity bills drop by about one-third already.

We replaced all the old incandescent bulbs throughout our house with new LEDs, installed new thermostats, and installed smart lights, and light control systems so we’ve now got lights and heating/air conditioning systems only on where and when we need them to be.

Another small change was to put a reminder on our calendar to change the filters on our heating, ventilation, and air conditioner (HVAC) system. We’re routinely doing so every three months now and statistics say that it can not only reduce your HVAC energy use but improve the quality of the air we’re breathing.

One of the indulgences my wife and I have enjoyed is having a pool in our backyard. It's a bit expensive to install and maintain each year but there’s been some great efficiency improvements to its technology too. We take advantage of a solar heat system combined with a high-efficiency heat pump to heat the water. A smart-controller, smart chlorine dispenser, and a multi-speed pump all help to ensure the pool is ready to be enjoyed when we’re ready for it. We love it during the warmer months and really enjoy it as our place to work-out and relax in too.

Were you able to take advantage of any tax incentives or rebate programs to offset costs?

We received the tax benefit of a 30 percent federal tax credit on our 2023 income taxes for the facility and installation costs associated with our SmartFlower solar panel system. We’ve also applied for a Fairfax County property tax reduction which may be up to $500 per year for 5 years, but it’s still being processed.

Your SmartFlower solar panel system provides both beauty and performance. What do the neighbors say?

We installed the system in October 2023 and it continues to surprise our neighbors and visitors that it provides beauty and performance in a natural way in our yard. Our neighbors said the SmartFlower is “cool” and are very complimentary. Its sunflower-like attributes jump out as it tracks the sun each day, folds up at night and in bad weather, and has brushes that clean it each day as it opens. It was installed on almost the shortest day of the year, so its really noticeable how the days are getting longer and the sun is a little higher in the sky each day. Solar provided 19 percent of the power we used in our home in March 2024 and it seems to be going up each month.

What advice would you give other residents based on your own energy journey?

Being a resident of Fairfax County provides us access to amazing services but also requires us to be an active part of the larger community. Making changes to the power grid or even upgrading gas-powered water heaters require permits because they can turn into safety issues if not done correctly. Our experience has been that the Fairfax County and Dominion Energy staff have been more than helpful in understanding and getting through their processes. Access to their expertise makes all the processes worthwhile.

Are there any other sustainable practices or energy efficiency upgrades you are considering for your home in the future?

Like all county residents we continue to educate ourselves on the upgrades to our home and the energy efficiencies those upgrades may produce. We continue to look at whole home versus individual smart-light control systems. We’re also looking at the impact of upgrading insulation in portions of our home. 

To continue on our energy efficiency journey, we’ve recently installed a Sense energy monitor system. The Sense energy monitor allows us to track, monitor and gain insights into our energy use and the energy our solar system generates all from easy-to-use mobile app. Info about it is available at Sense.com but we bought ours through the Dominion Energy SmartHome energy efficiency program.

Want to hear more from Chris about his energy journey? Watch “Electrify Your Home with Rebates and Incentives: A Carbon-Free Fairfax Webinar”.

Climate Matters is the blog of Fairfax County’s Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination, where we share stories, insights and information related to climate change and environmental sustainability. Posts are written by knowledgeable and passionate OEEC staff members and guest authors. To read all blog posts, visit Climate Matters.