Is My Home's Energy Use Average?

It is tempting to reply, "Your house uses a lot more energy than average" and then watch the person consider your efficiency recommendations more seriously. But in some cases, people are simply trying to validate a previous investment, or perhaps their whole lifestyle. They want to be told that that their house consumes less energy than average. A positive answer will make them feel good and perhaps encourage them to do more.

Unfortunately, the answer is much more complicated than the question. This issue we review a book describing advanced, energy-efficient houses of the world (see p. 36). Here the researchers are asking, "Is this house's energy use very much below average?" Even with detailed instrumentation and surveys, there is no simple answer. Part of the reason is obvious: a house located above the Arctic Circle is likely to use more space heat than one in Florida. On the other hand, some houses use just a little bit of expensive electricity, while others consume considerably more inexpensive natural gas. Who is to say which is better? The commonplace house, with only a utility bill history and a brief audit, is even more challenging to evaluate.

So how do you answer the question? More than likely, your answer begins "Given the size of your house...," or perhaps, "If you figure in that three teenagers live here...," or maybe, "For a 200-year-old house with a prewar furnace...." In each case, the response tries to take important factors into account, such as the house's size and other physical characteristics and the occupants and their lifestyles. There are both technical and psychological aspects to consider.

Home Energy Wants Your Input!

Home Energy can be reached at: contact@homeenergy.org
Home Energy magazine -- Please read our Copyright Notice