You Can Be an Eco-City Home!
Happy Earth Month, Del Ray! This April, we’re celebrating all the ways that Eco-City Homes are making our city a greener, healthier place to live – and shining a spotlight on a couple of gold-level Eco-City Homes in the neighborhood.
Spotlight 1: Climate Control
Dianne Harris and William Nichols quickly learned that a sustainable home is a more comfortable one. When they moved in, their townhouse was drafty and unevenly heated. “Everything was so drafty!” Dianne recalls. Their first fix was simple: foam padding around old doors to block cold air.
Next, they replaced the aging gas furnace with a modern mini-split system. The upgrade transformed their home. Each room now has its own temperature control, eliminating overheated upstairs bedrooms and a chilly basement. The ceiling-mounted units are efficient, quiet, and far sleeker than older systems. “I love everything about it!” Dianne says.
They paired this with LED lighting, weatherization, a high-efficiency heat pump water heater, and rooftop solar panels with battery storage. Together, these upgrades have lowered utility bills and reduced their environmental footprint.
The result is a home that feels better and costs less to run. For Dianne, being recognized as an Eco-City Home also sparks conversations. “I like the bragging rights,” she laughs. “And I enjoy letting people know about cool programs in the area.”
Spotlight 2: Keeping It Local
Laura Bachle has taken a hands-on approach to sustainability, starting in her yard. Over time, she replaced her lawn with native landscaping designed to manage stormwater and support wildlife. A bioswale and permeable pavement driveway slow and absorb rainwater. “Our side of the street is dry,” she explains. “The uphill side is not.”
Native plants also mean less maintenance. Laura rarely waters and leaves fallen leaves to build soil health and support biodiversity. “You’re creating really great habitat,” she says, noting the native insects and neotropical migrant birds that visit.
Indoors, she improved efficiency step by step. Early upgrades like weatherstripping and insulation delivered immediate comfort and savings, paving the way for ENERGY STAR appliances and rooftop solar with battery backup. “When the power goes out, we’ve still got power,” she says.
For Laura, sustainability is about the long term: creating a home where people can live well while treading lightly on the earth.