About a decade ago, Bob Olson and his late wife, Marjorie, began renovating their 1925 Arlington home with a series of upgrades focused on energy efficiency. Today the house is equipped with solar panels, an electric heat pump and airtight insulation that protects it from leaks and drafts.
But it’s the obvious stormproofing measures—including new storm windows and a sump pump—that have really proven their worth of late. Olson says the sump pump (average cost about $1,500) kept his basement dry last summer when severe storms left many of his neighbors’ lower levels flooded.
It’s not your imagination: The weather is getting worse. The year 2023, now confirmed to be the planet’s hottest on record, brought scorching heat, severe windstorms and floods to our area. The threats have been ramping up for some time. Most of us recall the summer of 2019 when a sudden deluge triggered flash floods that caused millions in damages to local businesses and homes.
While it’s difficult to attribute any single weather event to global warming, scientists agree that climate change is responsible for the overall increase in extremes.
Northern Virginia ranks relatively low on FEMA’s National Risk Index, but it does face “moderate” risks from natural phenomena. Tropical storms, tornadoes, severe thunderstorms and derechos can smash windows, lift roofs and damage exteriors. Water damage from flooding can destroy furniture, electronics and other valuable items, and render a house uninhabitable due to mold. Extreme heat can warp or blister a variety of building materials, wear out the mechanical components of HVAC systems and drive up electricity bills—if the grid does not fail under the weight of demand.
Builder Andrew Moore of Arlington Designer Homes says he’s surprised not to see more homeowners taking pre-emptive actions to avoid such disasters. They’re more likely to call in a crisis, such as a flooded basement. “I’m sure there’s proactive people out there,” says Moore, whose custom homes and remodels have won green building awards in Arlington and Falls Church, “but in general I don’t know that people are planning for [the long term].”
That may change as weather events once characterized as “100-year storms” happen with greater frequency. Demetra McBride, Arlington’s director of sustainability and environmental management, says the county is developing new guidelines for flood-resilient design and construction of residential and commercial properties.
Arlington is preparing to release a Risk Assessment and Management Plan (RAMP) that uses new models in place of outdated historical weather data to give homeowners and developers a more accurate picture of a property’s vulnerabilities. Six Arlington watersheds—Spout Run, Torreyson Run, Westover Branch, Lubber Run, Crossman Run and Baileys Branch (West Columbia Pike)—have been identified as critically in need of municipal improvements to prevent flooding. McBride describes risk assessment as the cost of inaction, both financial and physical.
It’s the cost of “business as usual,” she says. “When you start looking at 2070, the annualized loss in one of those targeted watersheds for a 100-year storm is in the neighborhood of $800 million.”
That massive price tag puts the cost of near-term investments in perspective. The county’s Capital Improvement Plan for 2023-2032 recommends roughly $229 million in spending for 16 watershed remediation projects across Arlington.
Homeowners, meanwhile, must consider their own risk tolerance. Custom homebuilder Ned Malik, president of the Green Building Group in McLean, says water remediation solutions to prevent flooding are now standard protocol for new builds and remodels that involve exterior site work (local governments in Northern Virginia require them). Stormwater management is a key piece in what the building industry refers to as “climate resilient” design.
Many home improvements long touted as “green” or energy-saving also have weatherproofing advantages. Patty Shields, founder of the Falls Church homebuilding company Metro Green, says more homes and additions are incorporating engineered wall systems that combine sheathing with a built-in vapor barrier to keep moisture and extreme temperatures out.
“Improving the way the building envelope is constructed [is fundamental to] maximizing the building’s efficiency in a hotter climate,” Shields says. “People don’t realize how much heat itself can affect the sustainability and longevity of a building.”
If there is a poster home for climate readiness in Arlington, it may well belong to Ashton Heights resident Scott Sklar. From the street, there is little to distinguish his house—a 1920s Sears kit bungalow, to which he added a second story in 1990—from its neighbors, save for the flock of lawn flamingos the neighborhood kids have named.
But a closer inspection (Sklar is happy to play tour guide) reveals a bevy of climate-resilient features. Photovoltaic (solar) panels on multiple exterior surfaces generate electricity independent of the power grid. A solar water heater that sits flush against the roof uses the sun’s energy to passively heat water stored in a 100-gallon tank for faucets and showers.
Sklar, a 50-year veteran of the clean energy industry who has helmed trade associations advocating solar and bio energy, is also founder of The Stella Group, a global clean energy consulting firm. So it tracks that his own property is a model of sustainability.
Behind the house, a detached two-story office built in 1995 is equipped with a small rooftop wind turbine that generates about 6 kilowatt hours of electricity per day. A hydrogen fuel cell about half the size of a standard refrigerator provides auxiliary electric power, helping to keep the office’s battery bank charged during the summer months.
Inconspicuously buried in the yard, the pipes of a geothermal heat pump system use a circulating refrigerant to transfer thermal energy from 100 feet underground (where the earth’s temperature is a constant 55 degrees) to help heat the house in winter and cool it in summer. As a result, the home’s HVAC system isn’t heavily taxed when outside conditions are sweltering or frigid.
Sklar says the setup uses 67% less electricity than a standard HVAC system.
During power outages, Sklar’s house is a lifeboat where neighbors go to charge their cell phones and keep certain medications refrigerated. He says he hasn’t lost power since 1985.
Backup power supplies could become more important down the road as weather patterns become more extreme. A prolonged loss of power following a disaster can be life-threatening, as was the case when Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico in 2017. While only a few dozen people died during the storm, the island-wide blackout in its aftermath resulted in nearly 3,000 deaths, many from heat-related illnesses or lack of clean water.
A Texas cold snap that caused widespread power outages in 2021 left hundreds dead, many from hypothermia.
For Bob Olson, who lives just a couple doors down from Sklar, climate-minded home improvements were a no-brainer.
“They are spherically correct,” he says. “It makes sense from every point of view—whether you’re talking about saving money or saving the planet.”
Still, Olson acknowledges that many green upgrades require a substantial initial investment (in his case, in the “upper tens of thousands”) without an immediate payoff. It can take years before the savings associated with, say, solar panels, catch up with the cost of financing and installing them. The homeowner has to be committed to staying in the home, or confident they can recoup the costs of the improvements when they sell.
These days, Olson says his electric bill is mostly just service fees. Electricity generated by solar panels powers the house, and any surplus is sold back to the grid. The panels are expected to operate for years to come, but it took the better part of a decade before they paid for themselves.
Sklar says the rooftop solar water heater he installed in 1985 cost about $2,300. Now it is nearly maintenance free and yields annual utility savings of about $240. It’s a long game.
And yet, there may also be a cost to doing nothing. As weather events intensify and more homes are at risk of irreparable damage, Shields of Metro Green urges homeowners to think broadly about the bigger picture.
“The return on investment is not always just a dollars-and-cents-thing,” she says. “You are promoting the longevity of the building you are in…how much longer your building will sustain itself in the face of climate change.”
Ken Hughes and his wife, Kathleen, have been making incremental improvements to their home near Virginia Square ever since they bought it in 1990. They’ve installed solar panels and enhanced their landscaping with native plants, which have deeper root systems than grass and help to absorb excess water during heavy downpours. Hughes aims to rewild the entire yard, turning it into a meadow rather than a lawn.
His motivations aren’t just aesthetic. Arlington homeowners who invest in native plants and other kinds of conservation landscaping can now qualify for credits of 5-10% (depending on the upgrade) toward the stormwater utility fee the county introduced this year. As some 42% of Arlington County’s surface area is impermeable, the program incentivizes homeowners to create more porous surfaces (via permeable pavers, rain gardens, French drains and the like) on their properties to reduce runoff and mitigate flood risk.
Weatherwise, “the familiar is now unfamiliar,” says Anna Weber, a senior policy analyst in the Natural Resources Defense Council’s D.C. office. As so-called acts of God become more frequent, inaction has become a game of roulette. In the long term, homes designed for climate resiliency may be deemed more insurable, resulting in lower premiums and greater financial stability for their owners.
For those who feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of it all, Hughes recommends an incremental, “always learning” mentality.
“Always learning is critical,” he says. “People hesitant to make changes can start slow and small. If plants and trees in your garden die, replace them with native plants. Or introduce one or two native plants each year.”
The same applies to reinforcing your home’s climate resilience. When that rusty old conventional water heater reaches the end of its lifespan, consider replacing it with a tankless or solar water heater, or a hybrid heat pump. Need new windows? Tack on some storm shutters while you’re at it.
Hughes, for one, is doing what he can for the planet, within his means. “I can afford my solar panels now,” he says, “but it’s going to take a few years for me to able to afford to purchase an electric car. Other people are in the same position.”
But before that next flash flood arrives, you might want to fork over $1,500 for a sump pump in the basement.
Building Resilience
Making a home more climate resilient isn’t an all-or-nothing proposition. Even small, low-cost improvements can have big impacts over time.
Water Management
Permeable pavers, rain gardens featuring native plants with deep root systems and underground drainage solutions can reduce runoff and guard against flooding from severe storms. Rain barrels, which collect and store excess water during heavy downpours, are an inexpensive option, and the water that’s harvested can be reused later for yard irrigation.
Sealing the Envelope
Leaks that allow water into wall cavities can cause mold and structural damage. A house that isn’t well sealed is also harder and more expensive to heat and cool. If you’re remodeling or putting an addition on your house, it’s a good time to upgrade to high-performance spray-foam insulation, which seals cavities more effectively than fiberglass. A sump pump with a battery-powered backup system can keep a basement below the water table dry during heavy storms. To avoid costly repairs, consider investing in a leak-detection system that provides alerts of potential water damage.
Temperature Control and Ventilation
To reduce stress on mechanical heating and cooling systems, install a smart thermostat that regulates energy use, and ceiling fans to keep interior spaces comfortable. In winter, the rotation of the fan blades can be reversed to push warm air (which rises) back down into the room. Operable windows and vents positioned to promote cross-breezes will further reduce the load on HVAC systems. Light-colored exterior paint reduces heat gain inside the home, whereas darker paint colors will absorb more heat from the sun.
Structural Reinforcements
Reinforced roofing systems and storm-resistant windows and doors can withstand high winds, heavy snowfall and flying debris. Built-in storm shutters provide another layer of protection in severe storms.
Backup Power
Alternative power sources such as solar panels, wind turbines and battery-operated generators can keep major appliances running during a systemwide power outage—and potentially save you from losing an entire freezer full of food. Learn more about a solar coop program available to DMV residents at solarswitch.com/en/capitalarea
Allison R. Shely writes about power, faith and art at allisonrshely.substack.com. For more tips on greening your home, visit arlingtonva.us/Government/Programs/Sustainability-and-Environment/AIRE