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many new houses are much more energy efficient, though. Modern building code basically guarantees that this is true. from an energy consumption POV, a bigger ne
by abakker 4y ago
many new houses are much more energy efficient, though. Modern building code basically guarantees that this is true. from an energy consumption POV, a bigger new, efficient house may be better. (within reason).
OTOH, modern tax laws and lot coverage calculations actively discourage energy efficient design. In many jurisdictions, you are taxed on the size of the house measured from the eaves, not the walls, and this encourages builders to maximize the house relative to the roof overhang. this reduces the ability to implement passive energy efficiency strategies like large eaves to increase shade on walls / windows.
- giantg2 4y agoA house that's 2x the size would have to be more than 2x efficient for it to be better. I doubt that new houses would be that much more efficient than an older house with some insulation and efficiency updates.
- abakker 4y agoI don't think this is true. For heating and cooling you'd need to know surface area:volume ratios to tell. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/11/09/as-american-homes-get-bigger-energy-efficiency-gains-are-wiped-out/ https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/11/09/as-american... this article suggests that newer homes are more than twice as good, but that the size cancels some of this out, so that the new homes are only a bit better than old ones.
- giantg2 4y agoWhere's it say they're more than twice as good? This isn't comparing new homes to old homes, but the overall homes over time. Obviously heat pumps, furnaces, etc are more efficient today than in 1970. If you updated an older home with efficient windows, doors, heat pump, and attic insulation, then I doubt there would be much difference.