I've looked at cave, bermed and underground homes as recently as this weekend. There's something about being in a 45 to 65 degrees range with a minimal amount of heating required. However, even underground homes and cities are vulnerable to seismic activity, an increased risk in the era of hydrofracking.
There are some bills that would give some of us who are already working toward efficiency and a lowered carbon foot print some hope. I grateful to see a consideration of energy efficiency as part of a home's value and as a factor in calculating a mortgage cap:
New Senate Bills Would Give Homeowners Credit for Energy Efficiency, Streamline Renewable Energy Siting
SustainableBusiness.com News
Two bills introduced in the Senate would support energy efficiency and renewable energy. One would make a home's energy costs part of the mortgage approval process and the other bill would streamline permits for siting renewable energy projects on public lands.
Homes Rewarded for Greater Energy Efficiency
Even though most people know they could save money if they made their home more energy efficient, the majority of people still aren't willing to pay the upfront costs. But what if your home got a higher (or lower) appraised value based on its efficiency? Residential energy efficiency would become a key part of the home buying and selling process in a bill introduced by Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA), The Sensible Accounting to Value Energy (SAVE) Act (S.1737).
The SAVE Act would change current banking rules to include energy efficiency upgrades as part of the appraisal process that determines a home's value.
A home that uses 30% less energy than the average would add over $10,000 to its appraised value, the Alliance to Save Energy estimates. This incentive would spur energy efficiency upgrades to existing and new homes, saving homeowners an estimated $1.1 billion in energy costs by 2020, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) and the Institute for Market Transformation.
Federal mortgage agencies (which account for 90% of loans)would be required to include energy efficiency in their calculation of mortgage caps, the size of the mortgage an applicant can qualify for. Since their utility bills would be lower in an efficient home, a buyer could qualify for a higher cap.
In evaluating whether applicants can afford to carry a mortgage (debt-to-income ratio), they would have to include energy costs in addtion to the usual criteria (principal, interest, property taxes and insurance).
Streamlined Permits for Renewable Energy on Public Lands
The Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act, sponsored by Senators Jon Tester (D-MT) and Jim Risch (R-ID) would create a clear, straightforward development process that treats renewable energy similar to traditional sources of energy development like oil and gas. It would eliminate the red tape of acquiring permits, which takes about two years for solar and wind companies, and make it easier for companies to plan for the long term. The bill also ensures that funds generated by energy development benefits states, counties and various conservation efforts through royalty payments.
"A broad domestic energy supply is critical for America to grow its economy," says Risch. "This plan helps accomplish that by putting renewable energies under a similar framework as conventional energy sources. It also requires royalty payments that will benefit the counties and states where the projects occur."
The Act is supported by a broad array of organizations, including Taxpayers for Common Sense, the National Association of Counties, and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.
http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/i...splay/id/23140