"One guy had just gotten power back after Ike (as in yesterday) and couldn't stand that his house was designed assuming that electricity and AC would always be there (he wasn't a native Texan...)."
I think most Texans assume their homes have been designed and built to use electricity. This concept isn't unique to Galveston Island.
In Texas heating the home is not the primary concern. It's cooling. While a water well-heat pump system is very economical to operate. This system requires two water wells, one for pumping and one for injection. There is a required spacing between the two wells. You don't just drill two wells. Permits are required and drillers are licensed. Injection wells must meet state standards to protect the ground water. I live on a lot 50' x 150'. No way could I receive permission to drill one water well let alone two wells. Home owner associations rules, city ordinances, county and state laws must be met.
I wonder if the good folks in Maryland would consider no air conditioning in August.
