Editorial: Home Energy and the Fracking Dividend Most of us will
agree that it’s technically feasible to build homes that consume
dramatically less energy than today’s typical home. And in most
locations we can build a home that draws net zero energy from
the utility. But it’s economics that makes us hesitate.
Specifically, it’s the value of those energy savings. Can the
additional investment be offset by anticipated reductions in
energy costs? It’s the same thing for retrofits of existing
homes: Do the lower energy bills justify the costs? That’s where
fracking enters into the equation. With dramatically lower
natural-gas prices, some efficiency measures will take longer to
pay for themselves in bill savings. Or at least that’s the
claim. We aren’t aware of a downturn in those key indicators of
efficiency activity—sales of insulation, efficient windows,
condensing furnaces, and the like—but reduced demand could
easily be camouflaged by the recent upswing in the housing
market. And what about the homes that a