There are issues with the way much of the world uses energy. It could be argued (and it has been) that much of our underlying economic system is unsustainable.
On a much smaller level, the design, construction and lifestyle we bring to our houses could be considered equally fraught.
- Draughty houses.
- Poor thermal insulation.
- Ventilation that requires open windows in areas of the country regularly below 5-degree Celcius in winter.
- One hour commutes to and from work.
- Multiple vehicle households.
Let's set high-level thinking aside for a second: At the very least, energy conservation is desirable from a financial point of view. Energy costs money, so using less saves money.
Let's not imagine any single design philosophy, product or construction system has the answer to energy efficiency. Analysing a single design is challenging enough without trying to compare across systems. Digging deep into lifecycle energy costs vs operational costs is as accurate and reliable as the data and analysis methods we use. Which is to say, it's unclear and open to debate.
Let's keep it simple: A Good Home should simply make it easier for us to use less energy.
- That might be from the get-go, when the turn-key solution ticks all the low-energy boxes and we simply walk in and go for it.
or; - The home is designed such that we are encouraged to make ongoing, incremental changes to our lifestyle and home with the goal of every increasing efficiency/energy use reduction.
Whatever works for us, let's get stuck in and make it happen. The world might just depend on it.