As climate change leads to more severe weather events, homeowners are increasingly turning to solar power for its financial advantages, environmental benefits, and ability to keep their homes powered during outages.
For architect Trey Farmer of Forgecraft Architecture and Design, choosing solar energy was a natural step in renovating his century-old Craftsman home in Austin, Texas. Partnering with Freedom Solar Power, Farmer integrated solar panels along with a Tesla Powerwall, enabling his home to function off-grid even in an urban setting.
Forgecraft Architecture Pioneers Sustainable Living
Farmer envisioned his newly renovated home as a platform for sustainable innovation. In the heart of the city, he developed a Passive House Source Zero project with Forgecraft Architecture, beautifully intertwining family living and environmental responsibility.
Forgecraft specializes in constructing homes of varying sizes, including multifamily units, with a strong emphasis on sustainability and energy independence. Aligning with current trends, their architecture focuses on creating high-performance building designs and Passive Houses.
Most of Farmer’s projects incorporate solar panels with the goal of achieving net-positive energy efficiency, and his home stands out as an exemplary model. It’s one of just three Certified Passive Houses in Texas and one of only 20 Passive House Source Zero projects across the country.
Transforming a Craftsman Home into an Eco-Friendly Retreat
Passive houses are designed to provide a safe, resilient, comfortable, and energy-efficient environment for their occupants. To this end, Farmer equipped his home with efficient appliances that work seamlessly with the Tesla Powerwall’s backup system. This setup ensures that essential appliances—such as refrigerators, phone chargers, and HVAC systems—receive power even during a grid outage.
With both solar energy and the Powerwall in place, Farmer’s home is prepared to handle a variety of challenges, including extreme weather conditions and power outages. His backup system ensures that electricity remains available during hurricanes, winter storms, and wildfires.
“Solar is incredibly valuable from a resiliency perspective, especially with rolling blackouts or outages caused by major snowstorms in Texas,” Farmer stated. “Knowing my family can stay comfortable regardless of the weather or grid failures gives me peace of mind.”
Selecting a Reliable Solar Installer
Farmer chose Freedom Solar Power as his trusted solar installation partner, a decision supported by the company’s reputation for quality and responsiveness, particularly as the leading installer of Tesla Powerwalls in Texas. He successfully completed a swift and cost-effective installation of solar panels and the Powerwall for his family’s comfort.
“We contacted several solar providers, and Zach from Freedom Solar stood out as the most responsive and helpful,” Farmer shared. “Having previously worked with Freedom Solar on other projects, we were familiar with the brand and the technology. Ultimately, it was their exceptional customer service that convinced us.”
Farmer’s main priorities included enhancing indoor air quality, improving durability, and reducing carbon footprints—all essential elements for a showcase property in Austin. He aims to demonstrate that sustainable living is attainable right in the heart of a bustling city.
A Model of Sustainability
Homeowners benefit from user-friendly panel monitoring, accessible via mobile devices. Additionally, Farmer’s home serves as a research hub for the University of Texas at Austin, where energy usage and indoor air quality data are tracked to develop better solutions for the future.
With low energy loads, Farmer’s home is capable of offsetting excess solar production back to the grid, achieving net-zero energy thanks to the Powerwall. He further enhanced his home by upgrading insulation and windows and installing a comprehensive air purification system, creating an airtight building that offsets emissions from a nearby highway.
Farmer is committed to making his home and architectural projects more sustainable with a reduced carbon footprint, showcasing the feasibility of eco-friendly living in urban environments.