On 2009-10-29, Don Foreman wrote:
Savings begins the instant inside temperature is reduced, whether or
not it is stable at a lower setpoint. This is true regardless of how
well the house is insulated, what the thermal mass might be, who the
president is, which party controls congress or whether DOE likes it or
not. Rate of heat loss at any (and every) instant depends upon
temperature gradient from inside to outside.

Very well put.

Whether or not the savings on the energy bill is noticable is another
question depending on how much the setback was for how long.

I wonder how much the DOE spent on a study to address what would be an
easy test question in thermodynamics 101.

That study might have been a part of economic stimulus.

i