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    Posted September 16, 2012 by
    bldrman
    Location
    Stuart, Florida
    Assignment
    Assignment
    This iReport is part of an assignment:
    Your Green Innovations

    More from bldrman

    Solar Powered Music School

     
    It’s been three years since Cindy Kessler, owner and director of the Stuart School of Music, and her husband John Eriksen transformed their 55 year old building into “the first GREEN music school in the nation”! Soon to celebrate 20 years of business with the Stuart School of Music in this same location, Kessler is also celebrating FPL bills which have dropped from previous highs of over $400/month to the lowest FPL bill yet of $53 a few months ago. Starting out with a 5K photovoltaic system on the new metal roof in September 2009, Kessler added another 5K in February 2012 thanks to an FPL solar rebate program.
    This solar electric system, complimented by the new reflective metal roof, Low-E impact windows, LED and CFL lighting, and added insulation have breathed new life into this aging building.
    According to contractor husband John Eriksen of JDL Builders, “the greenest building is the one that is already built. This building has great ‘bones’, it just needed renovation and rejuvenation. We are dedicated to reducing our footprint on this fragile earth and are pleased to be able to do so in this manner. As a teaching facility highly involved in the arts, we are also driven to help educate future generations with regards to environmental awareness and energy conservation.”
    One of the ways that the Stuart School of Music accomplishes this is through their interactive solar monitor in their great room. This real-time solar monitor allows students, parents and visitors to visually and actively experience the school’s environmental energy offsets. Please visit and interact at: http://www.stuartschoolsolar.com

    As fossil fuel energy costs continue to rise, alternative renewable energy costs will continue to fall to the point where the business and the residence of the very near future will be completely self-sustaining! The Stuart School of Music is very close to that target with their renewable energy solar system that requires virtually no maintenance and has a projected life-span of 30 to 40 years! To answer the question, “Where does one begin with the greening process?”, our answer is simple! You can begin with as little as one energy efficient light bulb at a time!

    Established in Stuart in 1993, the Stuart School of Music continues to promote the musical arts through music instruction and education. With 8 studios and 10 instructors, the Stuart School of Music offers classes in piano, keyboard, voice, guitar, clarinet and strings. Whether classical or contemporary, we continue to offer a variety of instructional techniques to meet most individual desires.

    Cindy Kessler and John Eriksen – The Stuart School of Music
    http://www.stuartschoolofmusic.com

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