Being smart about how you use energy in your home will improve your quality of life by delivering a drier, warmer and healthier environment. You’ll also save on household power bills and reduce New Zealand’s demand on fossil fuels.
Here are some simple steps you can take to start your journey towards becoming energy efficient.
INSULATE YOUR HOME
A significant number of homes are poorly insulated. Good quality, well-installed insulation will significantly reduce the rate at which your house looses heat. This will make your house easier and cheaper to heat, keep it comfortable and healthy, and improve its value.
HEAT YOUR HOME WISELY
About a third of your household energy bill goes on heating. The first step is to choose the right heater for the space you want to heat. There are a variety of heating options available and some are more energy efficient than others, so spend some time researching them and talk to the experts.
CHECK OUT YOUR HOT WATER SYSTEM
The most common form of water heating is electric storage cylinders. If the cylinder is not an A-grade, it probably feels warm to the touch. Invest in a cylinder wrap. It will repay itself in energy savings and you can still use the hot water cupboard to air clothes and linen.
There are several other hot water system options available that might be better suited to your home. Spend some time investigating these options including solar water heating, heat pump water heating, gas water heating and wetback systems.
LOOK AT YOUR LIGHTING
- Use energy efficient products
- Make the most of natural light
- Choose lights appropriate for purpose:
- when spot lighting for long periods, such as over kitchen benches, use fluorescent or low voltage quartz halogen lights
- avoid vented recessed down lights and many incandescent spotlights
- install fluorescent lights where lights will be left on for a long time, such as in family rooms, in the kitchen and for security
Many appliances sold in New Zealand now comply with minimum energy performance standards. However you can still make significant savings on your power bill by choosing more energy efficient appliances, using them smartly and switching them off when not in use.
- Look for products displaying the ENERGY STAR® mark or look at the energy rating labels to compare how efficient they are
- Find out more about energy efficient products and what to look for
- Turn off appliances at the wall:
- Where practical, switch off appliances at the power point when they’re not in use
- Add this to your morning and evening routines
- Buy ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances as they use one watt or less in standby
- Turn lights off when you leave the room
- Switch off your heated towel rail during the day, or have an electrician fit a timer
- Use cold water washes - a warm wash uses as much energy as drying the clothes in the dryer
- Line-dry clothes as much as possible before using the dryer
- Only heat the rooms you’re using
- Use a household energy meter (for example, a Centameter) to find out where your power is going
Information kindly supplied by Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority (EECA)
