Re:Bedazzled by Energy Efficiency – Low←Tech Magazine
by epistasis on Sunday July 09, 2023 @02:15PM
(#36657225)
This change in usage mostly comes down to whether that usage of energy is limited by resources such as money or time.
That said, a lot of uses are not limited by that. As least in the US, the vast majority of HVAC for example is limited by the actual desired temperature, not the cost of it. (Some people are cost limited, it not most)
Driving is similar. Build a new freeway that allows new speeds, and people are no longer as time limited on their commute, and can easily double or triple or more their vehicle miles. (In which setting, it's called induced demand).
A 20% efficiency gain in either of these are extremely doable by either insulating homes better, and by building new energy efficient homes inside of existing cities, rather than allowing sprawl. We should ideally permit far more people to live inside cities. Right now we have tight legs maximums on the mount of housing allowed inside of cities, but practical zero limits on building energy inefficient single family detached homes far away from necessary life amenities like grocery stores, jobs, schools, and child care.
A simple political change to remove caps on infill housing and establish limits on new homes far away from others would do far far more than work from home or social networking. People still need food and real human contact, unless you're a single person loving like a hermit.
That said, a lot of uses are not limited by that. As least in the US, the vast majority of HVAC for example is limited by the actual desired temperature, not the cost of it. (Some people are cost limited, it not most)
Driving is similar. Build a new freeway that allows new speeds, and people are no longer as time limited on their commute, and can easily double or triple or more their vehicle miles. (In which setting, it's called induced demand).
A 20% efficiency gain in either of these are extremely doable by either insulating homes better, and by building new energy efficient homes inside of existing cities, rather than allowing sprawl. We should ideally permit far more people to live inside cities. Right now we have tight legs maximums on the mount of housing allowed inside of cities, but practical zero limits on building energy inefficient single family detached homes far away from necessary life amenities like grocery stores, jobs, schools, and child care.
A simple political change to remove caps on infill housing and establish limits on new homes far away from others would do far far more than work from home or social networking. People still need food and real human contact, unless you're a single person loving like a hermit.