ENERGY CONSERVATION FEATURES

INSULATION

Of all energy conservation methods for building heat losses and gains, none can be considered as important as thermal insulation. President Nixon recognized this in his energy messages (June 1971 and February 1972) by directing HUD-FHA to upgrade insulation standards for single and multi-family dwellings.

As an example of the impact possible in residences, NBS in 1970 prepared a 25-year projection of energy and cost savings from thermally improved buildings. Figure 6 shows the projected national stock of residential units for 25 years from about 60 million to 100 million units. The annual energy consumption for heating and cooling these residences is projected in figure 7 on the assumptions that a building would not be thermally improved and present (1970) insulation levels would prevail and on the assumption that insulation levels would be improved to the extent of 10 percent for existing buildings and 50 percent for new buildings. Annual and accumulated savings are shown as energy requirements in Q units

(1Q unit = 1015 Btu). The accumulated savings show 50 Q units

over 20 years. Figure 8 shows the fuel cost in billions of dollars of the accumulated energy savings to be about $100 billion over 25 years assuming energy prices remain at 1970 levels. Figure 9 shows the effect if prices of energy should