1) It took interviewing more than 20 HVAC contractors to find one that was willing to talk about high COP heat pumps a year ago when I put my new system in.
2) I put in a tankless hot water system, with the unlimited hot water, my boys spend more time in the shower and take more baths - increasing the water and energy use.
3) Standard heat pumps seem to be what people will pay for with a COP of 2 to 2.5, anything more the contractors advise will not provide a return on investment. This advice is an issue with getting energy efficiency.
4) People in the lower 3 deciles tend to only buy what they need, the annual energy cost is less important than the initial cost of the item. After all costs in the future are not what they are worried about.
5) Schools don't teach how to figure out the energy costs and operating costs vs. the initial costs. In fact in most K-12 schools (at least in the US) economics is taught with handwavium, not actual facts. I was appalled at what my boys were taught and not taught.
6) Until we teach people how to think about energy and economics, we will never achieve zero-GHG. We need to start with educating teachers and text book writers.
Some things to think about...
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