One of the best ways to reduce energy use is conservation, and people are catching on. As just one example, about 80% of houses built after2000 have double or triple-pane energy-efficient windows, up from only 52% of homes built before 1990. But multi-pane windows are just the start. Houses built to the Passivhaus standard are hyper-insulated houses that can be heated with a blow dryer, and in some cases with just the body heat of the occupants. Here are links to a description of the idea from the City of Portland’s residential green building specialist, and an article about a Portland company that is diving into Passivhaus.
