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by adrianmonk
3308 days ago
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Being from Texas, that is such a strange perspective to me. Around here, air conditioning is the main reason why you need insulation. Heating isn't a major concern. Many houses have electric heat because it just isn't worth the cost to put in something more efficient. But air conditioning is needed a large part of the year. And in the summer it gets quite hot, so electric bills can be very expensive. So in any newer construction, there is a lot of effort to make things energy-efficient. Houses have double-pane windows, radiant barriers, thick insulation, and leak tests to make sure that hot/humid air from outside cannot make its way in. There are certainly older buildings that aren't very energy-efficient, but around here I don't see that as being because of air conditioning. |
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Step 1: It is too hot/cold here
Step 2: Lets put in heating/AC
Step 3: Damn, the electric costs are getting too high. Lets put in insulation and double-pane windows (well, actually three-pane is standard here in Sweden) to keep down the costs.
The further you live to extreme heat or cold the faster a society progress down the ladder. Which is also a reason the death rates during winter is a lot higher (per capita) in central Europe than it is in northern Europe - people in the northern parts have long since been forced to learn to build better houses whereas people in mild climates can afford to fail as it isn't that many days a year that it is a problem.
Have any part of Texas considered central cooling? It should be even more effective than having units in every house as long as it isn't too damp and the water needs to be removed as well. But perhaps that kind of solution would be too socialistic for you :P