Is "Green" a Priority?

   Larisa Brass posed this question in her recent column. In my world her premise really begs the question - Why would Jane & John Q. Public spend their hard earned cash on a $500 rater fee? If the choice is between a rater plus the $1500 that will likely be needed to tighten up a home and say, a new leather couch, which way will they jump? Lately, it continues to be on the couch. So why pick Green instead? Energy savings is a good reason, carbon footprint works for some folks (though it appears to be a bit altruistic for E. Tenn.) how about indoor air quality? That's actually the best one though it is tough to put a number on the benefit. Folks seem to be distrustful of Green marketing campaigns and with good reason. Too many products haven't performed as advertised.

   Fuel cost has changed so fast I don't think people have had time to react, other than in disbelief. The more we pay for energy the less we will want to use, right? Well, maybe, but I think its more complex than that. TVA is going to inflict rate changes, gas won't go down, natural gas is going to be high this winter. The point of this is that, so far, pain in the wallet isn't driving home owners to energy raters in the area. The Energy Star Home Energy Rating System (H.E.R.S.) is a proven method to determine energy use in a home and a direct path to where savings can be found. This is not new, Home Energy magazine (a rater mag) is in its 25th year of discussion on how to build an efficient home. I lived off the grid for several years in the 70's. Still we are struggling with a thin market for raters in the valley.

    SO.....Do we think that the rise in energy cost will provide the momentum towards a busy rater/energy consultant market or will it be some other market shift in awareness that entices Jane & John on board with energy conservation?