How can we be more energy efficient?

Energy efficiency is a win all around. We save energy resources, save money, and save our air quality by reducing pollutants. Want to help fight climate change? Here's how we can become more energy efficient.

Both businesses and homes can be substantially more energy efficient - saving us money, improving air quality, and also helping us to fight climate change. There are many ways in which this can be done so here are just a few that can help.

“Energy efficiency is key to saving us money in the long term and also saving us from climate change. It doesn't mean giving up energy, it just means being smarter about it.”

Here are some of your options...

Lighting

Take some time to implement energy efficiency into your business or home and switch all lightbulbs to LEDs. Lighting can make up more than 15% of energy use, so why not achieve as many savings there as possible? LED lightbulbs are 85% more energy efficient than standard incandescents, consuming only 10 Watts of power to deliver the same amount as a incandescent 60 Watt light bulb. They also last 50 times longer than your standard incandescent. Think about how much you can save over a lifetime just with LEDs! (#lighting #energyefficiency #savings #LEDs #climatechange).

Insulation

Minimizing the amount of heat the escapes your business or home is key to making it energy efficient. Lost heat is a waste of money and makes your energy sources work twice as hard. Investing in proper insulation and sealing your home properly to prevent heating and cooling from escaping your home will reduce your energy demand and in turn, greatly reduce your energy bills. Advanced energy-efficient windows and doors can help to prevent loss of heat and air conditioning. Additionally, large windows and glass sliding doors can maximize your solar gain through natural light, further minimizing the amount of artificial lighting you will actually need. To find out more about how to properly design, renovate, and insulate your home, do a free home energy audit, or go to the Passive House Institute of the United States (PHIUS), contact a PHIUS professional near you, and learn about the passive house components that could make your home more energy efficient. (#insulation #passivehouse #energydemand #energybills #PHIUS).

On-site Renewables

A great way to save money on energy bills in the long-term as well as become more self-sufficient is to add solar panels. Solar panels help on a larger scale to transition away from polluting fossil fuels and therefore are an important step to fighting climate change. Installing a solar power system takes only a few days and significant solar tax credits and rebates are available from states and cities to support this transition to renewable energy. With net metering, when your solar power system actually produces more than you use, this will help towards the cost of your grid electricity use.

Solar panels do not necessary have to go on your roof. Ground mount solar and solar gardens are another way to add solar if your roof is not suitable. Additionally, installing solar on-site energy can also increase the value of a home. Any business owner or home buyer would be excited about the prospect of no energy bills.

Adding renewable energy is a great step on the path to becoming Net Zero or even Net Positive. In a Net Zero building, energy bills are at $0, while Net Positive buildings actually produce more energy than they consume, and this surplus energy can then be sold back to the grid. (#renewables #solar #selfsufficiency #netmetering #netzero #netpositive).

Heat Pump Technologies

Another way to save energy is through energy efficient appliances and systems. The right heating and cooling system can go a long way towards making your business or home much more energy efficient. Heat pump technologies are currently the most energy efficient way to heat and cool your home, while also producing no additional emissions. The three kinds of heat pumps: air source, water, and geothermal transfer heat instead of creating it from a fossil fuel source, and are 2-3 times more efficient than standard systems. The type of heat pump to install depends on the type of home you have, but the savings are significant. Tax credits and rebates are also available to help with the installation cost. Try a free home energy audit for example and find out how much you can save! (#heating #cooling #energyaudits #heatpumps #energyefficiency #upgrades).