Why are energy efficient houses important?

When you are planning to rent or buy an apartment or a house, what elements are you considering first? Size, cost, location, the availability of public infrastructure in the neighbourhood, such as public transport, shops, child care or schooling facilities? Yet another element is becoming increasingly important: energy efficiency.

Why? Because if you don’t think about it at the right moment, you will probably regret it as soon as you receive your first electricity or gas bill! It is very expensive to heat or otherwise to cool a building which is not energy efficient.