THE CHAPEL, Taos, NM
"Point of Use" solar storage

This property is composed of the main residence and a detached guest house affectionately called "The Chapel". The Chapel's heat source uses a direct gain, "Point of Use" solar system. Heat is collected from the solar panels and pumped via a DC pump directly into the slab. The DC pump is powered by a photovoltaic panel, thus is on only when there is solar gain to heat the slab. Heat is stored in the slab making for a very reliable storage system, as Valverde Energy calls "Point of Use" solar storage.

PRIVATE RESIDENCE, Taos, NM
Hydronic Baseboard System

The original system consisted of a non-condensing boiler with a copper exchanger with a product called Solar Roll, one of the first rubber products (non polyethylene) used in radiant heating systems installed 20 years ago. The system evolved into a 2-temperature system due to attempted repairs of Solar Roll and retrofits of baseboard without any type of mixing temperature control causing incorrect temperatures returning to the boiler damaging the flue and boiler exchanger.

The baseboard system was undersized and the installation methods were not designed or installed in an acceptable manner.

Valverde Energy removed all previously installed baseboard, abandoned the remaining radiant system and installed high output baseboard heat throughout the house.

After strategically channeling into concrete, using existing header lines and planning how to hide numerous other pipes, we were successful at getting heat throughout the house without having any piping exposed and improved the customer control of the system (better divided heat zones).

Upon completion of the job, evidence of the repair was minimal with the look of an original installation as if the system was installed during the original construction of the home.

PRIVATE RESIDENCE, Taos, NM
Solar hot water radiant, winter peaking system

This house is a two-temperature, continuous flow radiant heating system modeled after European systems, incorporating seven 4x8 Heliodyne solar thermal collectors and a Buderus boiler with a logomatic control and simple solar interface electronics. All solar energy is stored directly in the slab. Valverde Energy calls this "Point of Use" Storage. Systems such as this produce and utilize the greatest amount of output solar thermal collectors produce and mechanically are the simplest and most reliable solar systems.

Upstairs is a low temperature/low mass Warmboard system controlled by a room sensor connected to a mixing station.

Downstairs is a high mass, "Point of Use" storage system (6" slab with 2" of rigid insulation)with wood floor covering which is also controlled by a room sensor connected to a pumping station. Included in this main zone is a bed and bath with brick flooring treated as a sub-zone of the main downstairs zone. The downstairs bed and bath are controlled by a precise in-slab sensor activating a zone valve to achieve lower temperatures in the bedroom if desired.

PRIVATE RESIDENCE, Taos, NM
Solar hot water radiant winter peaking system

This system is a winter peaking, "Point of Use" Storage System. The system consists of five 4 x 8 Heliodyne Gobi flat plate solar collectors tied to an existing radiant heating system. The home owners were very fortunate to have a well insulated house including insulation under the slab. The savings are well documented and have been averaging 30-40% of their prior propane bill. This did not include a full winter during the colder months. We expect to see a greater savings after a full winter.

PRIVATE RESIDENCE, Taos, NM
Winter peaking radiant heating

This system consists of six 4 x 8 flat-plate Heliodyne Gobi collectors which have been architecturally integrated for a winter peaking radiant heating system. This is another prime example of architectural integration that the Valverde Energy team enjoys.

The original installation is 9 years old using used Grumman 4x8 collectors with an un-pressurized gravity feed tank on the high point of the array to fill the system with propylene glycol. As the collectors aged, leaks developed (again, these collectors were used with at least 25 years total hard use).

Last year Valverde Energy replaced the used collectors with new Heliodyne 4x8 collectors and changed the configuration to a pressurized glycol system. Since we know the history of the new collectors, Valverde Energy expects a longer total life cycle than the used collectors originally installed.

SANTA FE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Solar hot water – Therapy pool

Valverde Energy installed thirty-six 4 x 8 Heliodyne Gobi collectors architecturally integrated solar panels with a high-flow exchanger connected to the new therapy pool addition.

The pool addition offered unique opportunities to integrate solar heating into the building architecture. This is one of the largest commercial heating systems to be installed in the State of New Mexico in more than 20 years.

The mounting system is integrated into the steel structure with stainless steel and aluminum hardware. The collectors were broken up in banks of six to prevent expansion and contraction damage to the collectors.

Typical in a Valverde Energy solar system, residential or commercial, the plumbing is with heavy gauge copper piping (type L) with reverse return to assure proper flow through each collector creating a self balancing system

TAOS PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Energy Management System – Energy Grant

Valverde Energy initiated this grant for an energy efficiency project for our Taos Municipal Schools. Valverde Energy, partnering with Dencor Energy Control Systems, manufacturers of energy management monitoring equipment and the Taos Municipal schools.

The grant was partially funded by the N.M. Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department's Clean Energy Grants Program, and in-kind partner matching from Valverde Energy and Dencor.

Valverde Energy installed the Dancor Energy monitoring equipment in three of the largest schools in this district, Taos High School, Taos Middle School and Enos Garcia Elementary School.

Combined goals for this project are to monitor current use of energy in the Taos Public schools, to train teachers and give them the resources to implement energy conservation education in their classrooms, encourage teams of students and teachers to identify ways of conserving energy in the schools and ultimately to save money for the Taos Municipal Schools. The financial savings will be applied directly into enhancing education, a very real need in New Mexico.

UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO, Taos, NM
Solar Domestic Hot Water & boiler supplement system

UNM Taos, NMSEA (New Mexico Solar Energy Association – Taos Chapter) and Sustain Taos collaborated to offer Solar Summer Intensive classes in June of 2005. Classes offered included Rainwater Harvesting, Green Building Materials, Building Permit Procedures, Architects Green and Solar, Organic Farming, Photovoltaics Design and Install and Solar Hot Water Design and Install.

Larry Mapes of Valverde Energy taught the week long Solar Hot Water Class. The class was very well received by the attendees. The students were introduced to the basics of passive and active solar hot water systems.

This was an unusual project, as the students themselves installed two types of active hot water systems integrated into an existing water heater for one of the campus bathrooms.

PRIVATE RESIDENCE, Taos, NM
Hydronic Baseboard System

The original heating system consisted of a non-condensing boiler with a copper exchanger and Entran II tubing in a concrete slab. The tubing in the slab was failing due to poor installation methods and being an early product into the radiant floor heat industry. We converted the whole house to baseboard heat.

After strategically channeling into concrete & planning how to hide numerous pipes, we were successful at getting heat throughout the house without having any piping exposed.

Valverde Energy reused the existing boiler with a new Valverde Energy Heat Board to bring the system up to modern standards. Valverde Energy staff was proud to overhaul a system such as this in a turn key fashion and leave very little traces of a total heating system overhaul.

Our Client lived in the house while the work was continuing, much credit due her for her patience throughout the process.