For these homeowners, going solar was an important step financially and for the environment. "We have been considering this for a very long time and watching the pricing of systems. The incentives and cost finally reached a point where the payback was reasonable. We also wanted to do our part to preserve the environment and mitigate environmental damage." Their favorite part of the photovoltaic system is the data monitoring, which allows them to remotely check on their system's performance and has a special feature accessible by their smart phones. "I like being able to tell others about the system and the ability to show them the usage graph on my phone." These homeowners are also using other energy and environment saving techniques. Throughout the winter the family opens their south-facing blinds to encourage passive heating, while closing them in the summer to reduce the heat absorbed by the home. They also harvest rainwater.