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Letter to the Editor: Older Homes Are a Waste of Energy
Dear Editor:
In a recent article (“Tax Credits Heat Up Demand for Solar Homes in Florida,” Nov. 3), one, small, new-home builder goes green and makes the process cost-effective for the buyer and himself. But what about existing homes?
During the last four years, Rebuilding America has purchased more than 150 single-family houses in the Pensacola area, remodeled them and is now managing them as “affordable working class houses.” They rent for between $350 and $995.
Most of the houses we have purchased and will continue to purchase were built in the 1940s, ’50s, ’60s and ’70s. In most cases, they have no insulation whatsoever in their exterior walls and attics or beneath their raised floors. All the windows are single pane glass and not sealed well, and the hot water heaters are not insulated.
By our early estimates, more than 50% of the total energy used in these homes is being wasted. That’s more than $135,000 a year that is lost paying for wasted electricity and natural gas.
This does not include the cost of the carbon dioxide and other pollutants that the utility is discharging into the environment for this wasted energy. Pensacola's electricity is created by coal.
Keep in mind that the tenants pay for their utilities, not the landlords, so why should we care?
This recession has focused my attention on reducing waste in many areas of our business. During the last 12 months, we have reduced our costs by more than 60% to stay in business. In the process, we discovered the huge waste in energy when we conducted a thorough analysis of all our properties.
So far, we have done nothing in this area, other than to contact our local utility Gulf Power. The utility company has not yet responded to my correspondence.
Some studies I’ve read show that the total American electricity market is about $300 billion a year, with residential use accounting for about one-third of this amount. At least half of this is wasted.
It is time that Americans get mad at the huge waste of our financial net worth, not only as a nation but as individuals. Costs of fuel and utilities go up every year and the waste continues.
I wonder how long it will be before the State of Florida, as well as the federal government and every utility company, stops supporting waste in utilities and energy.
One place they can start is with 150 older single-family homes in Pensacola, Fla.
Steve Jordan
Rebuilding America
Pensacola, Fla.
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