As gas prices and energy costs skyrocket, some Elizabeth City businesses and residents have tried to stay ahead of the cost curve by making their buildings more efficient.

Pat Trimpi and her family moved to their current home about 30 years ago. In the early 1980s, the Trimpis decided to purchase a solar power system that would heat their water.

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Solar panels like these are gracing the rooftops of some homes and buildings in Elizabeth City. With rising energy costs solar power is becoming an affordable alternative.

"At the time it was $7000 and we got $4000 back in tax credit," Trimpi said.

Although that was a fairly high cost in the 80s, Trimpi says the system has saved them money over the years.

"It saves 40 percent on our electric bill each month," she estimates.

"We've never had to have the panels replaced," she says. "You should have regular maintenance every couple of years."

But that cost is minimal compared to their energy savings.

"I think it's really a good thing," says Trimpi.

Roanoke Bible College also uses solar panels to heat water. Harold C. Turner Hall, the men's dormitory, has three panels on the roof, angled toward the sky and facing the Pasquotank River.

The panels were a part of the original building construction 25 years ago, according to Philip Alligood, the superintendent of buildings and grounds.

"Right about that time, solar was really coming in as the thing to do, so we put them in," says Alligood.

He says that the addition of the panels increased the price of the building by $20,000.

"You would have to compare an awful lot of variables before it would be worth it, because they're very expensive to put in," he says. "We had high usage because it was a dorm. It was worth it for us."

Alligood says the tanks developed holes two years ago and the system was shut down to see if it was worth repairing. "It was well worth it," he says. "It was a third less with the solar panels than without them." Alligood adds that the repairs have mostly been minor.

Karl Clow, Elizabeth City Electric Superintendent, says that solar power systems are reliable.

"Solar powered hot water's great," he says. "It's a very simple system. It's strictly heating your hot water with the photoelectric cell system. The panels themselves produce DV voltage, which goes through a heat exchanger."

The heat exchanger transfers the power to AC power, which the hot water heater can use.

"Hopefully things will get a little cheaper, a little more efficient," says Clow.

While solar power is favored by some businesses and homeowners, there are many other ways to reduce energy costs and make homes and buildings more efficient.

Tim White, owner of a local home improvement business, says there are smaller scale changes that homeowners can make.

"They're coming out with some polymers that look like roof shingles. It's a pretty good energy saver and it doesn't allow certain pollutants into the air," he says.

White also says that "upgrading your window system" can help prevent the loss of heat or air conditioning. White says that using sunlight to light your home can lower your energy bill.

"Tunnel lighting lets in natural light using the sunlight, that's been used for a while," he says.

The new Wal-Mart supercenter uses sensors and skylights to limit the use of in-store lighting. The average supercenter has over 100 skylights, according to Michael Mills, a regional director of public affairs for the company.

"The lights will dim or come on based on the sky outside," Mill says. "The system saves 30 percent of energy in each store."

While Mills concedes that the average small business may not be able to afford such an advanced system, he says costs are coming down on other improvements.

"I think every consumer and every company has an opportunity to be more sustainable," he says.

Elizabeth City offers free energy audits to help city power customers pinpoint ways to reduce their energy costs. The audits are "an excellent diagnostic tool," says Dennis Gordon, who inspects the homes. "Energy efficiency is not a concept a builder really applies," he says.

Gordon says that inadequate insulation can contribute to huge losses in efficiency. Redoing installation "is somewhat of a challenge, but it can be done," he says. Gordon estimates that replacing the insulation of a 1000 square foot house could cost over $1200 dollars, but that it "most certainly" would be worth it.

Consumers can make other changes too.

"I'm an advocate of programmable thermostats," Gordon says, explaining that these thermostats allow users to easily program the system to affect their lifestyle, turning it off during hours they will be away. Gordon also says compact fluorescent light bulbs, or CFLs, can "reduce lighting costs by 75 percent. "Air filters should be replaced every 30 days," he says. Clogged filters reduce airflow, reducing efficiency and air quality.

While energy costs are high, small changes can help permanently reduce energy bills. To schedule a free energy audit in your home, contact Dennis Gordon at 338-5115.