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Was the Kenogami House Worth the Cost?
dean c
March 22, 2019Updated: Aug. 3, 2020
Has there been a cost analysis of the added insulation, vs insulating to code? Comparing the potential cost savings of the reduced spending on energy to heat/cool the home, to the larger mortgage being carried to pay for the added insulation for the Kenogami home vs a code built home? Basically wondering if the larger mortgage being carried for the expense to upgrade insulation, and to use advanced methods for building green outlined in the systems employed in the Kenogami home, was offset by the savings on the running costs for the home on a monthly basis?
We have not done a return on investment study of the Kenogami House, but for a general opinion of whether or not it was worth it, I would say no, not really. That house wasn't about finding the proper balance of insulation, it was more an excercise in resilient home design and extreme passive heating.
The house is certified LEED Platinum but also meets Passive House levels of performance (and then some), but it does go beyond what we consider to be a resonable return on investment in terms of insulation levels.
That said - in general, the answer is yes, you are better to increase your performance levels beyond those required by code. We don't have a specific cost analysis done but we do have an article that details the variables that should be considered, have a look at this link, and be sure to check the comments section in that article as well. Best regards.