Question: Is energy efficiency worth investing in?
Answer: Good question (aren’t they all). It’s always nice to discuss issues related to efficiency, whether it be heating/cooling, building science, or just the general efficiency concept. There are several definitions for “efficiency” and here are a couple that apply: 1) the state or quality of being efficient, or able to accomplish something with the least waste of time and effort; competence in performance; 2) the ratio of the work done or energy developed by a machine, engine, etc., to the energy supplied to it, usually expressed as a percentage. Why would we want to live our lives any other way? And why would we not want our machines, engines and certainly our heating and cooling systems to operate efficiently? Waste not, want not, I think my mom said, and she would be right if she actually said that. Without a desire for efficiency, we create fertile ground for waste. Wasted time, wasted resources, and what a wasted opportunity. No one wants waste in their lives … unless they are employed as “sanitation engineers” and then the more the merrier. Last week Diane and I took part in the Northwest Energy Coalition fall meeting in Seattle. For those not familiar with the group, it is a broad spectrum of businesses, utilities and private citizens from around the Northwest and into Canada that focus on energy production and energy use in the Northwest United States and into Canada. It was two days of speakers and lots of discussion on energy matters that should matter to us all. Of course, all manner of power production was discussed, including coal, gas, hydro, solar and wind. The complex relationships between all these entities is mind-boggling, but every meeting we get a little less confused and more enlightened. And yes, climate change discussions were entertained as you might imagine, as well as the latest and greatest in worldwide solutions. For what seems like a daunting task, perhaps impossible, or at least incredibly challenging, is really, seriously, not that bad (if we stop arguing and start solving). Among the participants of the meeting, it was universally understood and agreed upon that using less energy is the quickest, most effective and most economically stimulating way to get the job done. At the meeting, a Puget Sound Energy (Seattle utility) panel speaker commented on their utilities’ commitment to energy efficiency and how this longterm investment has saved so many kilowatt hours that new power plants were not needed and others could be shuttered. That of course is a double-edged sword for those in the power production end of things; however, there are endless opportunities on the energy efficiency and renewable side of the equation. AirWorks has been promoting energy efficiency products and methods for some 22 years now and believe, then and now, it is the right path forward. Each one of us has a part to play in the solution and there are so many great ways to go about applying efficiency to everything we do. For our part, AirWorks offers the highest efficiency heat pumps and furnace systems, as well as service crews capable of tuning up what you have. There are rebates and incentives, and low interest loans on many of these systems. Give us a call at 406-257-1341 and we can be the next step toward a more energy-efficient future.
