Small excesses add up to large costs. The results of the studies - seven of them in total - suggest that such energy creep could wipe out as much as half of the anticipated savings from making homes more energy efficient (Building Research & Information, vol 38, issue 1).
"Some householders who install double-glazing, insulation and energy-efficient boilers end up using fuel at close to the old levels, often because they are more concerned about comfort than saving energy," says Kevin Lomas of Loughborough University, UK. He was a lead member of the UK-government-funded consortium which carried out the surveys.
Lomas says the results question whether the government's target of reducing energy consumption in homes to 20 per cent of 1990 levels by 2050 is achievable.
Paul Stern of the US National Research Council agrees but emphasises that efficiency measures do save energy overall.
I never thought about the 'other side' of energy saving. We still have the problem of wanting to be treated or allowing our selves the little extras for doing something 'good' - despite the fact that we're not doing good, we're just doing what we always should have been doing, living within our energy consumption means!
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