Energy Savings or spinning wheels?

I hear constant chatter from insiders and prospects about "green".  I think most of what I hear just doesn't make sense....

- Microzoning HVAC is a comfort feature, not an energy saver.   It's useful for evening out temperatures using varying degrees of energy but I haven't seen that approach actually save money.

- Lighting controls can be an energy saver but not nearly as much as just doing flourescents with light harvesting/metering.  If one is going to have lots of lights (which is very pleasant and one of the great luxuries of an automated home) then lighting controls are needed to tune the system but it's not an energy saver - more like having a surround sound reciever to balance all the speakers...

- Automation does not reduce laundry, cooking or food cooling power consumption.

- I haven't seen anything really compelling that shows that metering really effects behaviour in high-end homes.  I get variable rates for AC with a thermostat tied to the electic companies system.  I also get school + office displays to help create group support for HVAC + Lighting reduction efforts.  

That said, there are some real things that work:

- Active light harvesting with in-room meters with scenes designed to take the active light into account.  This can really help.

- Scenes based on motion detector time-outs.  I have this in my house.  Hallway lights on for 2 minutes, garage lights on for 10.  It can be annoying but it cuts energy.

- Class-D amplifiers.  All things be equal, AB amps sound better.  But they aren't equal.  Cool running D class amplifiers can be placed closer to the speaker which increases sound quality and decreases power consumption.

- Projectors.  Projectors use so much less energy than big flat panels.  Rear projection can be used when a really bright screen is needed.  

- Variable intensity flat panels.  A properly calibrated plasma is way dimmer than a typical mid-level LCD panel.  Most actually use less energy. The new LCD's with variable intensity LED's (Samsung 8000 series, for instance) also use less energy.

- LED + Flourescent lighting.  Massive savings vs. incandescent.  The LED MR-16 replacements I've seen are running at 20% the consumption of the Halogens w/ the same light output!

- Solar Panels.  The house is in a sunny area, the roof is available, why not?  It's not cost effective...I wish our jobs recovery program focused around Solar....Take sand, add high-tech assembly lines, add lots of field labor = reduction in oil demand...

The ultimate in energy savings? Smaller homes and tighter spaces.  I have been in EXTREMELY luxurious 8000 sq. ft homes that are nicer than any 20K home I've been in.  I've seen recent plans for 3 different homes sub 4K ft that are being built by owners that could build anything.