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Subject: Re: [smartgrid-discuss] Passive homes - Maybe we won't have to worry about pricing!
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David, I feel your pain. Yup, every time that
big green and white propane truck trundles up the road....I feel that
pain!
Seriously, 6 or 7 years ago when we were designing
the house we live in, we researched alternative building methods such as rammed
earth and straw bail construction. We hit a brick wall, so to speak, with
the county: no way they could approve anything for which they did not have codes
to apply, trained inspectors to inspect, and so on. The problem is
compounded when considering the cost of educating civil engineers,
contractors and trades people (if you can find some who are even
interested). Ultimately we found the cost to be way, way out of our price
range even, so all the arguments about long term pay back became
irrelevant.
This is an important part of the economic models:
we have to consider what people can afford up front vs. what time frame they can
realize benefit. To say that spending a million bucks now will save 10 million
in 30 years sounds good, but doesn't help the guy who can't come up with the
million bucks.
I'd be interested if anyone has some objective
economic analysis on these alternate construction methods. There are lots
of claims kicking around, but so far when I've dug into the math, it doesn't
work out as claimed. There are a lot of variables, such as regional
climate, labor costs, etc.
Thoughts?
-B
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