It is smart to be energy efficient
November 23, 2011Our energy consumption is unique and differences person by person.
One of us is accurately adjusting all his electrical appliances
according his living, another one is satisfied when it goes nearby
there.
There are good reasons to be aware of energy efficiency (in Finnish, energiatehokkuus)
of our living, and one of the best ones is money. The amount of energy
we are using is easily understood when energy efficient choices are
compared to those that are more careless, and this all valued in euros.
The difference between the exact and carefree energy consumption in the
western industrialized economies is surprisingly large.
In the
following two identical households are compared. These two families are
living in 120 square meter single family houses, which is the home of
the parents and two school-age children. The only difference between
families is their energy consumption: the other one is living energy
efficiently, whereas the other family is more careless with their use of
energy. The energy prices used in the calculations are: heating 8 euro
cents / kWh, electricity 12 cents / kWh and water 3,50 euros / m3.
Biggest
energy eaters in single family house are heating and ventilation. For
the family who are energy efficient, the heating and ventilation of
their house costs 8000 euro per year; for the family who is not so eager
to watch over energy consumption levels, the cost is 13 000 euro. The
5000 difference is significant, and can be easily obtained by lowering
the room temperatures to 18 – 22 degrees of Celsius, keeping even lower
temperature in spaces like garage and storage rooms, and adjusting the
temperature based on the living rhythm of inhabitants.
The
second biggest savings can be done with hot water usage, especially when
bathing. From our example families the one more care-free is spending
hot water worth of 5000 euro per year, whereas the family with more
cautious way of living and bathing uses 3000 euro per year for hot
water. The steps for these savings are simple: the family with smaller
bill takes quick showers, closes the taps when they are not needed and
checks that there are no leaks or problems in faucets.
Posted by Maarcko Crane. Posted In : Home Improvement