You are right about the long term need to wage war on energy waste but as a buider/remodeler for over four decades I can tell you, the vast majority of our structures are already built and NOT easy to remodel to a significant degree of efficiency. Our new structures should be required to meet efficiency standards but that too is a tough lift. We always offered energy efficient technologies to our clients, given that these ways of building are more expensive even our greenest clients were hesitant.

Needed first is a critical mass of voters willing to insist that building codes be revised and significant government funding to assist in the energy upgrades of existing structures. The people will either lead this effort or it won't happen.