We
recently calculated that running an air conditioner every day to keep a small 2
bedroom home cool that was not designed for Hawaii’s tropical climate would
cost between $450 to $1000 a month for electricity. That extra
monthly expense is the equivalent to an additional $100,000 to $225,000 that
could have been used toward a mortgage at 3.5% interest.
If
this monthly expense for electricity was income generated from a savings account
paying 0.2% interest (sadly a common interest rate these days) it would take a
savings account of $2.7 million to $6 million just to generate the $5,400 to
$12,000 annual cost for electricity.
Surprisingly,
homes in Hawaii designed for the tropics to minimize the cost of electricity
and homes designed for cold climates that are solar ovens requiring continuous
air conditioning are often priced the same.
Although
the financial benefits are enormous when a home does not require air
conditioning, the enjoyment and health benefits of having fresh, tropical
breezes blowing through your home is yet another huge value in a house
designed for Hawaii.
1 comment:
Very Informative! I was looking into building a house in Hawaii and came across similar information. I had looked into specifications in Hawaii Roofing as well to make sure to take all components into account.
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