NAPLES, Fla. — When you first look at this three-bedroom solar-powered home in Naples, you might think it’s way out of your price range.
But Jim Henderson, the founder of JLH Sustainable Housing and builder of the home, tells Fox 4 the $300,000 home saves you money from necessary costs on maintenance that an average household would have to do every year.
“It saves over the course of 20 years upwards to 30, 40 thousand dollars, so it’s money that’s not going to come out of your pocket in a big lump sum,” Henderson said.
For example, replacing the air conditioner.
“It could be 50 years, and it could be fine because the air conditioning is not running as much,” Henderson said.
The roof and walls are also made mostly of recycled steel, which will help when a hurricane hits, and there’s less damage to repair.
“Steel is virtually indestructible. This roof will withstand 180 miles an hour; there’s so no shingles to be ripped off it,” Henderson said.
It’s also energy efficient. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the average home in Florida produces a total of 24 Kilowatts of electricity per year. This house omits only a quarter of that.
“We’re running on 1/10 the power an average home would be running on… to me, that’s kind of sexy,” Henderson said.
For Jim, this house that he helped build with his own two hands, is only the start of more affordable and sustainable homes in Southwest Florida.
“And I sat on the floor, and I looked here, and I thought, 'this has been a journey, but the adventure is just beginning.'”
