Heating bills can be expensive, especially in homes with poor insulation, inefficient heating systems, poor ventilation through windows and doors, and little insulation.
The burden is often greatest for the most financially vulnerable.
Ayala: “A household has a high energy burden when it spends more than 6 percent of its income on energy bills.”
Roxana Ayala of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy said many Americans are spending far more than that.
In recent research, her team found that about a quarter of low-income households in the United States spend more than 15% of their income on energy.
Ayala: “For example… they might give up the cost of food or the cost of medicine to pay for energy.”
Ayala said the increased efficiency helps reduce energy costs.
Ayala: “Homes that are well insulated, equipped with efficient heating and cooling equipment and efficient appliances have ripple effects including lower energy bills and increased home comfort.”
But low-income families often can't afford the upfront costs.
So when policymakers develop energy efficiency programs, she says, they should prioritize helping those least able to afford to keep warm.
Report source: Sarah Kennedy/ChavoBart Digital Media
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