Most people renovate their homes for comfort or style. Ed Begley Jr. renovated with energy efficiency in mind, and the investment paid off. According to the Los Angeles Times, the actor bought a two-bedroom house in Studio City, California, in 1988 for $225,000. He has since turned the house into a showcase for solar panels, energy-efficient devices, and an early home car-charging station. The house sold for $1,025,000 in 2014. The renovations, the paper reported, show how energy-efficient upgrades can add value.
From a 1936 fixer-upper to a working eco lab
The house was not a cutting-edge model. It was a 1936 construction. Begley invested decades in it, making gradual improvements, rather than a radical overhaul. When he put it up for sale, the 1,586-square-foot home had a rooftop solar panel array, a sun-tracking panel on the side of the backyard structure, a fruit orchard, and a drought-resistant landscape. He began adding these features soon after buying the home in 1988, building on an environmental outlook that dated back to the first Earth Day in 1970. He kept expanding the project as his budget and the technology allowed. A complete overhaul of an existing home with solar panels, energy-efficient appliances, and a car charging station may be too much. But 26 years of gradual improvement is a feasible alternative.
The reality show that turned a house into a household name
Before its latest incarnation as a fixer-upper, the house was a TV star. It was the backdrop for the HGTV/Planet Green reality show "Living With Ed," which followed Begley and his wife, Rachelle Carson-Begley, as they tried to make their home as environmentally friendly as possible while still livable. The show ran from 2007 to 2010 and emphasized rain barrels, solar cookers, and composting, topics that have since become more common in home design.
