We all know “peak oil” is in our future. We need to invest in and increase our sources of clean, renewable energy. In the meantime, save some energy (and money on utility bills) by having a look at the following suggestions from Greenest City*. Pick one you think is doable in the next few weeks and do it. Once you make one green change, it will be easy to make the next ones.
Windows & Shading
Windows account for almost 25% of a building’s energy loss. These convenient options let you save on energy costs without spending a bundle on energy costs without spending a bundle on renovations.
1. An insulating plastic sheet secured over the interior side of the window can improve its efficiency. If properly installed, the plastic is hardly noticeable. Found at most hardware stores.
2. Shades, drapes and interior shutters help reduce heat loss at night and can block sunlight during the day. Don’t underestimate the impact closing your drapes or shades can have on cutting air-conditioning and heating bills.
3. Double-paned glass in new doors and windows may cost more initially, but can reduce heating costs by 34% in cold climates and save you 38% on summer cooling.
4. Trees purify the air in addition to providing shade in summer and shelter from cold winter winds. Visit your local garden centre to find out which trees would suite your site.
Draft Proofing
All those tiny gaps and cracks in an older building can add up to a one-foot square hole. You can save up to 40% on heating and cooling by filling them in – it’s easy to do and very inexpensive.
5. Caulking is a great way to seal small cracks around windows and wherever you find gaps at the floor or ceiling doors. Caulking is available in a variety of colours and materials. Latex caulking is paintable, blending with your decor.
6. Caulk around plumbing – the holes around pipes often let in drafts. Use silicone caulking for areas with high moisture.
7. Weather-strip around doors; complete weather-stripping kits are easily available at hardware stores. Commercial (metal) doors may require specialty weatherstripping.
8. Fill oddly shaped gaps with fiberglass, insulation, or spray foam, which cn be cut and painted after it hardens.
9. Seal off unused chimneys to prevent heat loss by blocking the chimney flue with styrofoam and sealing around the edges with spray foam.
10. Use removable foam pads or plastic plugs to fill electrical outlets, another source of drafts.
Lighting & Appliances
One of the easiest ways to save energy is to turn off lights and appliances when you’re not using them. These products make it easy:
11. Sensors turn lights on when motion is sensed, making them great for backyards, storerooms, basements and entrances, reducing lighting consumption up to 30%. Businesses find sensor lights most helpful in storage and loading areas when you might not have a hand free to turn on the lights.
12. Timers save money both at home and in commercial buildings by automatically switching off lights at specified times.
13.Manually turning off lights when not needed can help to reduce waste heat and save you lots of energy.
14. Keep office equipment and large household appliances, such as computers, photocopiers, faxes, printers, dishwashers, and washing machines in standby or in energy saving modes if kept on, and turn equipment completely off when not in use.
15.Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs
Incandescent lamps are the most common kind of light bulb, and the most inefficient. They’re short-lived (1,000 hours) and produce 95% waste heat. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) are an ideal alternative, because they:
- last 10 times longer than incandescents.
- have high light output combined with low heat out put, savings 75% on energy costs.
- fit regular sockets, come in a variety of colours and work with dimmer switches.
Heating and Cooling
Heating and cooling homes and businesses is expensive, which means you can save a lot by making simple changes to the way you heat.
16.Change your thermostat settings to save energy the easy way. When heating a set point reduction of 1 degree Celsius can give you energy savings of 1-3%. Make the change gradually so no one’s uncomfortable.
17. Programmable thermostats are easy to install and can reduce your heating and cooling bills up to 10% a year.
18. Reversible ceiling fans push down hot air in winter and ventilate in summer by pulling hot air up. A ceiling fan can lower the temperature by about 2 degrees Celsius. They’re especially well-suited to rooms with high ceilings.
19. Regularly changing filters (about once ever one to two months) in your furnace can improve the efficiency of your furnace by up to 50% and is very easy to do.
Hot Water
Heating water is costly, so cut utility bills by following these tips:
20. Lower the thermostat on your hot water tank. 49 degrees Celsius should be more than adequate. Reducing the temperature by just 11 degrees Celsius can cut your water heating costs by 10%. If your thermostat is hard to locate, have the temperature lowered by a service technician. (Businesses that sterilize their water will need to keep temperatures higher, however.)
21. Tank insulation is a low-cost way to save. You can buy affordable, easy-to-install jackets for hot water heaters at most hardware stores. Be sure to ask your service technician whether your tank can be safely insulated.
22.Insulating water pipes can save a tremendous amount of energy and reduce condensation and moisture in your basement. Install pre-slit pipe insulation on the hot and cold water pipes from your tank for the first 1.5 metres, taping the seams to prevent slippage and condensation.
23. Regular maintenance of your hot water tank is an easy and economical way to save energy, improving the efficiency of your tank by up to 70%. Ask your service technician about sediment build-up in hot water tank, particularly in areas with hard water.
Water
Most people use 200 to 780 litres of water every day. Reducing water use in your home not only saves you money, but also saves energy, because both pumping and heating use of electricity.
24. Toilet dams, available at hardware stores or through your water utility, reduce the water lost per flush by up to 25%. Simply place it in the toilet tank where it won’t interfere with the flushing mechanism.
25.Low-flow showerheads and aerators – small caps that fit over faucets – reduce water use by up to 50% but increase the pressure, so you won’t even notice you’re using less water.
*Greenest City is a non-profit, community-based environmental organization dedicated to building healthy livable urban environments. Their web is www.greenestcity.org.
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