Analytical Study of Insulation, Air-Sealing, and High-Efficiency HVAC in Affordable Housing for Energy Affordability in ColdClimate region (Western PA)

Abstract

The economy of energy has become a sufficiently significant, but less extensively researched, factor of housing stability, especially in housing areas with cold temperatures, such as where the LMI households reside. Traditional Housing affordability factors have assumed that it is mostly rent or mortgage payments rather than rising utility bills. This study discusses the impact of escalating costs of energy in residential housing in Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania, whereby residential housing costs are normally jeopardized by utility costs. The research was a case study design of a vacant single-family living room undergoing renovation through specific energy-saving measures that were dense-packed insulation, full air sealing, and high-performance heat pump HVAC systems. The study that was under evaluation was one that assessed the amount of energy both at pre-rehabilitation and post-rehabilitation by using the U.S. Department of Energy Home Energy Score and estimating a reduction in utility costs. The performance on the energy has been credited as having brought about a reduction of 44% in the energy consumption and over $470 saved annually in utility costs. The research proves that energy retrofits minimize the redundant energy factored to address LMI households, leading to less challenging illness of housing affordability and reduced displacement trepidation. The findings indicate that the economic feasibility of energy must be considered as part of the housing policy, as the cost of energy must be factored, as this is necessary in the creation of long-term stability of housing. Future research should extrapolate those findings to other climates and socio-economic settings to ensure that the housing solutions are applied on a broader scale to the vulnerable populations.