Energy efficient mortgages

Another article about going green was in WSJ... articles related to environmental issues are getting popular in these days!
So now, mortgage companies are in this "Green" business.

What it is that they offer "energy efficient mortgages". This mortgage will help you to buy an energy efficient home, or to improve the existent home to be energy efficient. And here is the benefit for the borrower:

1. The estimated energy savings are added to the borrower's income to allow the home buyer to qualify for a larger mortgage.
2. 100% of the energy improvement cost can be financed and paid for over the life of mortgage; reserve borrower's cash for the emergency.

In addition, some mortgage companies cut the price of closing cost by $1000 to encourage people to use this mortgage!

I wished there was this type of mortgage available when I bought a house. My house is very very old and absolutely energy "inefficient" one. Windows were original (or very old); the gas furnace was also original; so even though my house is very small, the cost of gas in the first winter was outrageous!

Within 6 months I moved in, I changed the windows and the furnace and I spent lots of money for those improvements! It was not cheap at all!!! I used up most of my savings...(sigh)

If I buy a house next time (I don't think that will be anytime soon), I would definitely use this energy efficient mortgage