A rough rule of thumb is that energy efficiency requires investment upfront (investment isn’t only cash, but also thinking) for lower costs into the future. Thus, energy efficiency is a central arena where thinking “cost to buy” often conflicts with more sensible thinking about “cost to own” (CtB v CtO). And, when it comes to energy efficiency, there is a basic truism.
- Those who can afford the upfront costs, can afford to be energy inefficient.
- Those who can’t afford the costs of energy inefficiency, can’t afford the upfront costs.
Following up on an announcement made months ago, Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) introduced legislation that will help address both the CtB v CtO and the affordability issues.
The Clean Energy for Homes and Buildings Act, modeled on Oregon’s bi-partisan State House Bill 2626, would offer low-interest loans to both homeowners and businesses for energy-efficiency building upgrades. .
“We know that energy-efficient retrofits dramatically cut energy bills over the long term, but the initial installation costs are often too high for families or business owners to deal with,” Merkley said. “This bill bolsters creative programs that offer low-cost loans for these retrofits, allowing people to start saving money as soon as the upgrades are completed.”
via Merkley-Lugar Introduce Energy Smart Legislation.
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