Re:Insulation: First the body, then the home (2011)
by dahfizz on Tuesday January 31, 2023 @01:30PM
(#34599479)
Hm, in the US we have energy labels on appliances like [1] that just tells you how much energy it will likely use. When shopping for a fridge, you can directly compare different models.
It even shows the average cost of other similar products. So you can see both the absolute numbers and a visual representation of how efficient something is in relative terms without having to squint and count '+' marks.
I don't see why we couldn't do that for houses. Maybe use a unit like BTU instead of kwh to account for different heating sources. And include a comparison to the average range for houses in the area.
This would be a lot more concrete and avoid arbitrary ratings. If the ratings are based on bureaucratic rules (i.e. can't have stovetop vents) instead of actual measurements, then it feels a lot less meaningful. "This house will cost about $X to heat each year" is a much more useful piece of information for someone house shopping.
It even shows the average cost of other similar products. So you can see both the absolute numbers and a visual representation of how efficient something is in relative terms without having to squint and count '+' marks.
I don't see why we couldn't do that for houses. Maybe use a unit like BTU instead of kwh to account for different heating sources. And include a comparison to the average range for houses in the area.
This would be a lot more concrete and avoid arbitrary ratings. If the ratings are based on bureaucratic rules (i.e. can't have stovetop vents) instead of actual measurements, then it feels a lot less meaningful. "This house will cost about $X to heat each year" is a much more useful piece of information for someone house shopping.
[1] https://www.sce.com/residential/home-energy-guide/energy-sta...