5 Future Technologies That Will Slash Home Energy Use

Many excellent comments, but the number one heating/cooling system should be (will be) low temperatuire geothermal as old heat/cool systems have a lifetime of ~ 15 years.

The next issue is hot water as tanks erode and need replacing. This will likely be a combination of preheat devices (low temp solar collectors) and no reserve water heaters. The existing desuperheaters on all geothermal units will (and do) preheat water. The heat from the fridge is just too small to capture.

Yes, incandescent light bulbs also burn out and the new LED units will capture the market. I still useing/advocating CFLs and T8 long bulbs but Sam's and others are stocking LED units at about $10 per bulb.

Retrofitting houses for aerogel insulations sounds nice, but minimizing air infiltration is THE key. Look for code use of air to air heat exchangers (like Canada) and sealing up houses.

Look for clothes dryers that use outside air (minimize indoor air use).

The above issues are all in houses I have built or owned. Not expensive and each has a payback period of less that 5 years max. Then the return is gravy . . .

Steve Hull

Engineering Consultations

Arcadia, OK

405 550 3023

Steve Hull of OK 5:38AM June 14, 2009