K1052
Elite Member
- Aug 21, 2003
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Tax breaks are great for developing technologies that are far more expensive, but as they mature it helps artificially keep the price up. I'd rather see taxes going to more public transportation and to improving the efficiency of older homes and buildings. Increasing housing efficiency can have a major impact on lower income people and dramatically reduce energy consumption. We also need to ban historical perservation laws that ban energy efficient technology like dual pane windows and Low-e roofing.
Given the size of the likely landmarked building stock this isn't a huge concern. Single pane sucks but from a cost effectiveness standpoint money is better spent tightening up the building envelope including the window seals. At least around these parts there are provisions for replacement window units as long as they meet historic appearance standards.
Unfortunately large scale efficiency retrofit programs have proved somewhat difficult to implement in the US. Making only higher efficiency appliances/mechanicals/improved building codes helps though new construction and attrition though.