Energy Efficiency at Home
Why be energy efficient at home?
It pays to make your home energy efficient.
By improving the efficiency around your house, you can:
- Save money by reducing your energy bills
- Increase the comfort of your home
- Make the most of advances in technology
- Do your bit to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and needless waste
Even small changes in your home can make a difference. And by using innovative new technologies, you can reduce the amount of energy you use without reducing your quality of life.
Here are some of the ways you can take some simple steps towards reducing your energy bills.
Efficient Appliances
When it’s time to replace appliances such as air conditioning units, washing machines, dishwashers, TVs, fridges and freezers, check the Energy Rating Labels – these are an Australian Government requirement on new appliances, making it easy to compare running costs. The more stars you see, the more efficient the appliance is, so the more you’ll save.
Draft proofing and insulation
Poor draft proofing, lack of insulation and old windows and doors can mean your home loses heat in winter and gets too hot in summer, which can lead to big energy bills. If you’re renovating, consider secondary or double glazing, special window coatings and ceiling or wall insulation? Not only will you save money, you and your family will stay cosy in winter and cool in summer.
Lighting
A simple and cheap way to make a big difference! Lighting consumes between 8-15% of the average Australian household electricity budget. By switching to good quality LED (light emitting diode) lighting, you could significantly reduce your energy usage – and you won’t need to change your light globes so often either.
Change your habits
You can save energy without spending any money at all by making some simple changes.
- Close doors to keep the heat/cool the rooms that you’re using
- Turn your appliances off at the wall so they’re not consuming energy on standby
- Turn your thermostat down by one degree – you won’t notice the difference until you see your energy bill!
Useful Links
There is lots of useful information on smart ways to reduce your energy use. Check out the following links: