The CUSP

I was reading through an engineering e-mail mag on monday and stumbles across a new building in France that is 40 years ahead of it's time. Why, it had solar, and a few other alternative energy sources to produce all it's own energy.

Now i'm no genius but haven't we had solar panels around since the early 70's? So how is using something that we have presently, and have had for nearly 40 years, 40 years ahead of it's time?

I understand why we are currently not all PV mad and off grid and such, as it is in the 'too hard basket'. It's not what we do when we build houses. We hook up power, we hook up water, we get insulation (which was mandated in NZ homes not long ago), and the latest colour and think we are all that!

Are we destined to be forever behind the 8-ball in everything but cell phone ownership? Why aren't all new homes having PV thrown on their roofs? It's a proven technology, that needs very little up keep.

Then again the unwavering way people kling onto ancient methods of healing is kind of the same thing. If we are to wait 40 years for new discoveries to be used, then another 40 to be universally adopted, we are in trouble.