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Civil engineering in general is more advanced in Europe. The oil crisis in the 1970 and the subsequent use of thermal insulation made "Bauphysik" (building physics) an integral part of the planing process. In the US you just rely on more heating/cooling power instead.

Just as an example: >=16cm thermal insulation + heat pump or solar thermal energy + double or triple pane windows have been standard for new single family homes since at least 2005 in Austria.