I can see why one would bristle at the term 'cheap', but where energy efficiency is concerned there is a big difference between the EU and US. Energy costs are higher, regulations tend to be stricter, and usage lower in the EU.
On insulation, I'm assuming you mean in areas where AC isn't heavily used insulation doesn't help electricity bills if heat is provided by gas/oil?
>On insulation, I'm assuming you mean in areas where AC isn't heavily used insulation doesn't help electricity bills if heat is provided by gas/oil?
Correct. Heavy use of electric heat is fairly uncommon as it's relatively expensive. (In the Northeast, it would be considered a serious negative if a house had only electric heat.) Of course, insulation helps with overall energy usage if there's either a lot of heating, a lot of cooling, or both--however it's provided. I'm also sure the US tends to have larger houses, more large electric appliances, and other home features that increase electricity use.
On insulation, I'm assuming you mean in areas where AC isn't heavily used insulation doesn't help electricity bills if heat is provided by gas/oil?