Home Energy Efficiency

Achieving home energy efficiency is simply a matter of using less power to provide your home with the same level of energy service. Energy efficiency can be achieved by the use of efficient technology rather than by changes in your individual lifestyle.

For example, by choosing to insulate your home enables you to use less heating and cooling energy to achieve the same temperature.

By installing fluorescent lights, LED lamps or skylights instead of incandescent lights you can achieve the same level of brightness in your home. Did you know that the output of a 13 watt fluorescent light bulb provides the same amount of illumination as a 60 watt incandescent bulb, thus, providing your home with the same amount of light for less energy.

Having an energy efficient home helps minimize the effects of global warming and at the same time, it will save you money on energy bills.

Home Energy Consumption

The average energy we use at home is responsible for around a fifth of U.S. global warming pollution.

By following some or all of these simply steps, you can feel proud that you are helping reduce pollution, at the same time, saving energy and money:

• Install a programmable thermostat to heat and cool rooms only when necessary.
  
  
• In summer, keep your shades drawn to keep the cool in.
  
  
• In winter, open your shades to let in sunlight that will help to help warm rooms.
  
  
• Make sure you keep your thermostat cooler at night or when the house is empty.
  
  
• Insulate your roof, walls and ceilings to save heating and cooling energy.
  
  
• If possible, plant trees around your house to cut cooling costs in summer.

After heating and lighting, your home's next big energy eaters are electrical appliances, refrigerators and freezers.

On the next page, we look at some great Energy Saving Devices you can use to reduce your energy bills even further.