There are two or three main reasons for this.
The first reason is that it costs less to consume less, but it requires adjustments. If it costs less, why don’t we do it? It’s because we lack the incentives and aren’t used to thinking efficiently.
In Canada, fortunately, we have this abundance of energy and batteries. That has led to complacency in our energy consumption. Europeans face higher prices and geopolitical challenges, and they’re much quicker to adopt energy-efficient habits. If we did the same, we’d be more productive. It’s good for the economy in terms of productivity.
We’ve also discussed energy security. On the day there are power outages due to an attack or a tornado, we’ll be much better off in passive houses—which are extremely well-insulated thermal envelopes—than in homes that rely on electric heating.
If we have highly energy-efficient buildings, it will be better not only for productivity but also for performance and safety.