I seem to be asking myself this question more and more every day. In some ways, it appears that the emphasis is growing but I also see trends going the other direction as well. In trying to train the public on the importance of getting an energy audit, the general reasons for the audit or an energy test generally fall on deaf ears, and I do get it. Nobody wants to part with $300-400 for a full and complete energy audit where the potential savings could be only $50-100/month. Spending the out of pocket $350 just doesn’t make sense when living month to month. We all need to come up with new ideas for how to make this worth it. That is what this site is all about.
According to an article published last year in Energy Pulse, people are interested, very interested in Energy issues at various times. Their study showed that during the home purchase, utility bills weigh heavily on the factors.
86% of home buyers would choose one home over another based on energy efficiency.
78% of buyers say nobody talked to them about energy efficiency.
62% of people want energy efficient dwellings.
How do we get more people interested? My feeling is that during the home sales/purchase process is the BEST time to team up with remodel and contracting experts, mortgage experts who really understand Energy Efficient Mortgages (and have done them completion) and Energy Raters who can prove what improvements can provide the most impact.
I’m interested in your personal experiences with saving energy and why you care.
Energy Auditing for Real Estate 