By Susmita May B. Policarpio (Published in Omega Magazine 2013-2014)
Energy is essential. Energy-induced activities are getting bigger and faster and the temperature in the environment is getting less predictable. In warm days, people cool their homes while in cold days, there is water heating that affect either gas bills or electric bill if using an electric water heater. One way or another, we should find ways to save energy at home for power crisis is not beyond today.
Lighting for less cost
While ideas for saving on lighting should be in another article, here is a nutshell of saving lighting use and costs in a much simple way. There is simpler way than using energy-efficient bulbs like CFLs and LEDs. For example, do not over light the room. Match the power of bulbs and your lighting with the purpose and the ambience of the room.
Install multiple switches to cover different areas in lighting of a large open-plan space.
An electric lamp cost lower than overhead light so if a task to be done needs a focused light use lamps instead, with regular dusting of bulbs and lampshades.
Turn it off
Unplug appliances as soon as you stop using them, or by plugging them into a power strip, and turning the strip off when not in use. Moms cannot say it enough. This advice is as old and popular as electricity, and still the key to simple saving on use and costs.
Weather-stripped doors and windows
Who have not heard the phrase of: “Close the door, the Aircon (AC) will go out” in an air-conditioned room? While the correct statement should be “Close the door, you are losing the cool air,” there is more to leak proofed than the big openings of doors and windows. Sealing tightly through weather-stripping the small cracks and gaps where air is leaking into and out of your home could potentially save a percentage from your family’s annual energy billing.
Summer Shade of Trees
In summer season, fans and AC are in demand usage to cool homes, office, schools, and other facilities. And cooling is costly in energy bills especially in summer. Trees as a summer shade can reduce energy bills if properly place around the vicinity, while doing a favor to the environment.
Planted Deciduous trees (ones that lose their leaves) on the east and west sides, will keep your house cool in the summer, create soothing shade from the hot summer sun, and reduce summer air conditioning costs. And, Shading the ACs helps cool a building more efficiently, using less electricity. A unit operating in the shade of trees uses as much as 10% less electricity than the same one operating in the sun.
Alternative source of energy
Let us be honest. Replacing a conventional energy use to alternative sources of energy like solar power system is not a simple-and-no-cost thing. But these are investments that will pay for itself in a definite time.
Solar power system is the most real thing homeowners can install to homes if their location has adequate solar resources. A shade-free, south-facing location is best, and mostly, if a homeowner is willing to pay more than the conventional energy to reduce the environmental impact of their electricity use. Solar panels are the most popular form of renewable energy today. You can use them to generate heat, electricity, and indoor and outdoor light.
Heating water is a great use of solar power. Most solar heating systems are cost competitive with conventional systems and have very low operating costs. It is actually the most cost-effective use of solar energy.
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