Most homes today are built to minimum standards regarding health, safety, durability, and energy efficiency.  While they may be attractive on the outside, they generally are not comfortable spaces in terms of heating and cooling as they aren’t designed with the goal of building an energy efficient house.  As a consequence, owners experience excessively high utility bills. They also tend to require a lot more maintenance resulting in another unnecessary expenses which wouldn’t be present in an energy efficient house. Finally, they often contribute directly to poor health due to the toxic nature of many of the common building products used in construction.

There are many reasons for these deficiencies but the primary reason is cost…. the less time spent on construction and materials, the less the cost of the home. However, the fact is that building homes (or buildings) to more exacting, state of the art, quality standards regarding use of energy, health, durability, and comfort, is just not that difficult.  But, it requires, first and foremost, that we dispel the “old chestnut” that building an energy efficient home will cost a lot more

“Cost” is not just what is paid at the time the home is designed and built but must be considered over time.  Future maintenance and energy costs …. not to mention health costs….must be considered.  With better quality building from the start, these costs can be avoided or minimized.

Changing this viewpoint, however, may prove difficult.  Luckily, many communities are instituting stricter energy efficiency requirements that promote home efficiency. But that is not enough. Much more will depend upon education in order for the general public to understand energy efficient construction and what actually is required to make a home more sustainable and of higher quality. Building professionals can help the public understand ways to save energy by placing an emphasis on building an energy efficient house. Once this starts to happen, customers will be able to make more informed decisions. The result: efficient home designs that provides quality living today and a sound investment in the future.

You are invited to comment or ask questions.