How big is too big for an EnergyStar home for a family of four?

[tk2kewl]

Lets assume the family of four is building a house that exceeds EnergyStar standards. How many square feet can it be before it is too big?

[auntAgonist]

1. It's too big

if they are living beyond their means to keep it up.

aA

[marlakay]

2. My house is around 2,000 and plenty big enough

anything more and it gets into waste.

[rubberducky]

3. None of our business.

God, how stupid. As long as no one else asks me to make thier house payment, I couln`t care less if they live in the Taj Mahal.

[Liberal Veteran]

4. WTF is all this shit about?

Does all this internecine warfare and ankle-biting really accomplish anything?

[24HRrnr]

5. Your Premise is Wrong

To qualify as an Energy Star home, the structure must meet EPA standards - generally 30 percent more efficient than the same home built to 1993 standards.

An exception to this is in the Northwest - Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Montana have formed a group with differing standards.

Energy Star relates to the efficiency of the home. The number of people in it are not relevant (except as they impact usages, ie. hot water).

[mzmolly]

6. You forgot to mention if it's a home for a "conservative" or for a Democrat.

You see "conservatives" are allowed wealth and large homes. Democrats are all supposed to take a vow of life long poverty.

[Lorien]

7. I remember watching the ONE time "extreme makeover" did a totally

green home. They put a family of seven in a 4,000 sq. ft home that used a lot less energy than the 1,300 sq. ft. post war home that they had been living in. They also used a lot of recyclables when they built it.

Odd thing is, I think that that was the last truly green home they created on that show. Larger homes can be built to sip energy and leave a smaller footprint on the earth; it just takes the planning and research up front to do so. Most builders are into quick cash and nothing more.