Quote:
Originally Posted by MJamson
erm . . . WOW 
That is certainly not the case within Europe. My parents recently moved and during both house inspections the houses were given energy ratings.
Speaking to the agent the rating plays a huge role in the sale, people will accept a higher price for a better rating, or knock down the price due to a bad rating.
I dont know about now, but in England several years ago owners could recieve a subsidy for improving the rating of their house.
Mike |
Energy is cheap in the U.S., and we don't like to think about the future. 2 things that work against an efficiency mindset.
If energy were expensive, and we knew we would eventually have to work to pay off our credit cards, then it would be more of a concern.
People don't think about the future; about the total cost of ownership for homes, for transportation, or for marriages. They just want what makes them feel happy now.
That said, many utility companies here offer free home efficiency inspections along with rebates for efficiency improvements, such as better insulation, or more efficient heating and cooling systems. But, most people don't care about these things.