Some really great commentary on the video/presentation here: http://www.vimeo.com/5573303

Tom: Your talk was fantastic and thought provoking ! Anyone who missed it should take the time to watch the video. Your point that, “It is all about energy (and carbon footprint)” is so true. We all sit around feeling Green since we use re-usable canvas bags for groceries and bring our lunch in Tupperware containers. These are certainly admirable “sumbolic” actions, but will have negligible effects compared to the house we live in, how we heat/cool it, the car we drive (SUV when we could us transit), the cottage we own and drive to, the vacations we take, etc. I am not suggesting we need to stop recycling or doing the small things, but Energy is one or two orders of magnitudes more important, and we need to focus on the high impact actions we can take, not the symbolic Green activities that make us look & feel good. As you pointed out retrofitting building to be energy efficiency has a huge pay back from both a financial and Green (energy) perspective. If Governments guaranteed the loans on the retrofit investments energy consumption could drop a lot more than smart thermostats (which are a good but more modest solution). The problem is we want Government to do small symbolic feel good things (like 5 cent plastic bags) as opposed to something that would push us into our discomfort zone like Taxing Energy to the same level or more than Europe; where strangely they drive smaller more fuel efficiency cars.

http://www.sandia.gov/news/resources/releases/2009/ews_2009.html

Sandia sponsors Earth, Wind, and Sun conference
July 21-22 event to feature keynote speakers, workshops, 60 booths

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Speakers, booths, tours and workshops on how to green buildings to conserve energy and water and to reduce the environmental impact of transportation will be part of the second annual Earth, Wind and Sun conference sponsored by Sandia National Laboratories and Kirtland Air Force Base. The conference will be held July 21-22 at the Steve Schiff Auditorium on the base.

“Last year’s event was extremely popular, and we expect to have an even more exciting conference this year with an even larger attendance,” says Katrina Wagner, conference coordinator. “Living greener by conserving and using energy sources wisely is becoming an extremely important part of our everyday lives. This conference will offer tips on how to do so.”

Great to read sensible thinking around conservation and renewable options as a means to profit.

One of our fave former MaRSians, Charmian Love, wrote a blog on the session over at the Volans website:

“What impressed me the most about his discussion, however, was his refreshingly candid breakdown of the energy reduction, costs and expected payback of these features….

Geothermal Exchange: energy reduction = 40%
Solar Thermal: energy reduction = 7.5%
Solar PV: energy reduction: energy reduction = 15% (up to 25%)
PowerPipe: energy reduction = 7.5%
LED Lights/Switches: energy reduction = 5%
TOTAL energy reduction = 77.5%
TOTAL cost = CA $200K (5% of building value)
15% return with a 6.5 year payback”

Read the rest of the blog: http://www.volans.com/?category_name=volans%20blog

Tom,
Good list.
I agree – jump first and then plan your landing. It is not a dangerous jump.
Just do it.
Better insulation is the best way to mine the value of potential conservation. Might so reduce HVAC needs that complex and expensive geo-thermal systems can be obviated.
My approach is based on careful and correct insulation installation and sealing of the Pressure barrier. Then fewer gizmos are needed. I love fancy, clever, efficient gizmos as much as the next guy. I also understand that there are more effective and cheaper ways to reduce energy loads. They are also less glamorous and not supported by lobbyists.
More later,
It was a delight to chat with you,
Paul Wingate

Tom,
You are always awesome! new ideas, new project, more intelligent every day.
Saving energy!
Congratulations! ….waiting to read you new book

I heard that they are thinking about the light weight construction which had been very popular on Thailand and had been developed in Europe 60 years ago

I heard that they are thinking about the light weight construction which had been very popular on Thailand and had been developed in Europe 60 years ago

“If we can do it, anyone can.” This is another example of elite, business-as-usual, I-want-you-to-believe-I-am-making-a-difference activity that does nothing to change the state of affairs except make rich investors richer. We’re in a state of crisis. Unprecedented environmental damage is destroying the ecosystem. Unprecedented division between the rich and the poor is fueling angry uprisings around the world. Financial systems are falling apart at the seams. Millions of people are losing their jobs, their homes, they can’t feed their families, they have no access to basic healthcare…destruction is everywhere. Democracy for the people is in tatters. Corporations and Big Oil are controlling our government and the media. It’s happening right here, in Canada. Take a close look at the tar sands and what’s happening to the First Nations who live in Alberta and British Columbia. Our Canadian wilderness and air and drinking water is being destroyed. The Harper government refuses to take action on climate change. The tar sands is an unregulated time bomb. The tar sands will make a few people very rich and many people very poor. Wake up people. We don’t need green hotels. We need a revolution.