Comments on: American Enterprise Institute (!) endorses tax credits for super-efficient, furnace-free homes

By: ken levenson

ken levenson — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 13:06:11 +0000

The passive house standard is the future.

We would be well served if new optional (for the moment) building codes were developed to meet passive house standards that were then coupled with government incentives.

And the government should incentivise American window /door and hvac manufacturers to provide cost effective components that meet the passive house standards…..

By: Mark Shapiro

Mark Shapiro — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 20:16:31 +0000

Thank you Joe, Christopher, Ronald, and Mike.

Can’t wait to see more efficient, and even net-zero energy houses.

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 15:31:53 +0000

An unfortunate aspect of last week’s NY Times article was the scant attention paid by the author to the rapidly growing Passive House movement here in the US, limited to one recent project in the mild San Francisco Bay area. Had the author taken the time to contact the Passive House Institute US (PHIUS), she would have discovered that: a) we have been building to the standard here in the US since 2003, b) we have successfully built in a wide range of climates, c) requisite components are becoming available here, d) Passive Houses have been built and sold for low-income housing programs here, e) Passive Houses can indeed “work in a shady valley(…) or on an urban street with no south-facing wall” and finally, f) there is a vibrant and rapidly expanding movement of U.S. building professionals who are working to realize the great promise that Passive House construction holds for our economy, our energy needs, our workforce, and our environment.

Mike Kernagis
Passive House Institute US
http://www.passivehouse.us

By: Ronald

Ronald — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 15:15:57 +0000

It’s not surprising that these guys will call for tax credits for energy efficient houses and other buildings, but it’s part of their overall strategy, not because they believe in energy efficiency.

What they will do is write articles on all subjects that people might be interested in and value calling for tax credits whether health care, transportation, education, horse riding, bicycling, etc. That way they get you thinking that they have your interests at heart. What they really want to do is reduce all taxes, then when what’s left to tax is to expensive and people complain about those taxes and they are also reduced, they have their libertarian like tax structure. Don’t fall for it.

If they really wanted energy efficient houses, the best way to do that would be to tax fossil fuels and reduce that same amount in property taxes. Then people will have the incentive to build energy efficient buildings and fund government at the same time.

These ideas about Passive houses that is being promoted from Germany isn’t anything different than the stuff that was worked out in the US by the mid 1980’s. The Passivhaus that are being described are just combinations of superinsulated, passive solar houses that were engineered back then. Some of these German designs are a lot less good looking as well.

By: Jim O'Rourke

Jim O'Rourke — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 05:59:31 +0000

Well, this is a thought provoking post.

Here in Connecticut we have a problem with sprawl, and high property taxes, as do many other states. The housing market, like the rest of the country is heading into depression.

It may be an opportune time to encourage green homebuilding and efficiency retrofits of existing homes through a revenue neutral system which taxes new, non-green certified homes which would equalize the 10% premium for passiv haus. Any monies raised from this tax could be granted as a credit to owners of existing homes that invest in efficiency measures like additional insulation.

By: Christopher Yaun

Christopher Yaun — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 04:39:10 +0000

EARTH MATTERS – My partner is building a “passiv haus” in Portsmouth NH. The last of the insulation was installed this week. We left the house last night and it was 56 degF inside. We returned this morning and it was 54 degF. It has been cloudy, sleet/snow and 32 degF during that time period. A blower door test and infrared imaging will be performed on Monday to identify air leaks and cold spots that can be fixed before the sheetrock is installed. Check back in 1-2 weeks and I will be able to tell you more about the performance of the house. Heather is telling me that the construction cost are roughly $180 per square foot which is consistent with standard stick construction. We are estimating that the house will require less than the equivilant of 50 gallons of fuel oil per year to heat. Chris

By: Neven

Neven — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 01:48:28 +0000

I’m simply amazed that someone at the AEI is capable of writing such intelligent stuff!

Passive houses are definitely the houses of the future. I’ve actually moved with my family to Germany so that we could afford building a passive house or renovating an old house to passive house standards. It’s not perfect but very exciting stuff.

Very nice article. Thank you, Mr Romm.

By: tidal

tidal — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 23:04:22 +0000

"I wonder if AEI realizes that Obama has pledged to return U.S. greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, and then cut them another 80% by 2050." Well, their current author has never been too good with math or economics anyway.

By: Richard Pauli

Richard Pauli — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:16:57 +0000

It looks like conservatives now see their persistent support of irrational denialism as a dead-end trap that allows no escape.

They know they must put forth real solutions in order to be taken seriously.

Faced with endorsing green construction or banning carbon fuels, it is an easy choice.

By: Dano

Dano — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:10:52 +0000

This was also an arty recently in the NYT. The square feet/person is a little low for families, but in the US this will only be ~25% of demand by 2050 anyway. So this would be a good opportunity for condos and townhomes, provided the residents were able to think and change their behavior.

Nonetheless, we are starting to see more efficient homes, adoption of IBC codes (e.g. R-19 walls, R-35 roofs), so we are getting there. Is it fast enough? IMHO no.

Best,