Witold Rybczynski

“(The) history of physical amenities can be divided into two major phases: all the years leading up to 1890 and the three following decades. (All) the “modern” devices that contribute to our domestic comfort— central heating, indoor plumbing, running hot and cold water, electric light and power and elevators—were unavailable before 1890, and were all known by 1920. We live, like it or not, on the far side of a technological divide.” —Witold Rybczynski, 1986.


We’ve spent the last 50 years, more importantly the recent 20, doubling down on energy efficiency. We’ll spend the next 50 on energy transformation to ensure the advancement of home and energy-driven comfort is ubiquitous, accessible, and considering equity and energy justice, that it doesn’t kill us all and the planet in the process. That has to be our legacy of affordable comfort.… (more)