Low energy bill
A building normally lasts 50-100 years or more. Therefore, it makes a lot of sense to make buildings as energy-efficient as possible from the beginning. The energy prices have risen dramatically in the past years and probably will never go back to the low price level that the world has got used to.
By choosing a low energy building or by improving an existing building energy-wise, building owners can keep their energy costs under control and become less vulnerable to future fluctuations of energy prices.
Source: Deutsche Energie-Agentur. Oil rpice savings: www.tecson.deA household example
For the home owner, insulation is not only one of the most effective ways to save CO2. It demands no change of daily routines, but actually increases the quality of life. According to Deutsche Energie-Agentur you can save 11 tonnes of CO2 per year if you renovate a very poorly insulated 150 m2 German house from 1970 to low-energy standards, installing better insulation, good windows and other energy effi ciency measures.
The saved 3600 litres of oil for heating would, at German prices mid-2008, correspond to more than € 3000 per year. If Herr Schmidt were to save the same amount of CO2 by using his bike instead of his car, he would need to pedal some 70,000 km per year – or 1 1⁄2 times around the globe. Luckily, not all buildings are from 1970. But even an average EU building could each year save nearly fi ve tonnes of CO2.
