Cascade Built

From the NY Times – Oregon State is looking to implement mandatory energy audits for residential and commercial properties being sold, mirroring a similar mandate implemented in Britain last year.  

Owners of drafty old homes are understandably nervous, as their homes would not fare as well as newer and or more efficient homes. Buyers would theoretially be able to predict utility costs with the new information.   This measure could also provide an incentive to improve the energy effiency of ones home or building, and several of the improvement measures are relatively inexpensive.

Realtors’ and builders’ associations oppose the measure.  Probably on the “change is bad” principle.  I concede it might be tough to implement, from the standpoint of measuring what you think you’re measuring.  For example, a couple that lives in a drafty old house but keeps the thermostat set to 65 when they’re home wearing sweaters may have a utility bill that’s lower than the better insulated larger house next door where they run it at 71 degrees arund the clock, so some of the data could be misinterpreted.