Impact Partner Content: Absa / by Vishay Rabbipal, Head of Renewable Energy, Absa
As the Covid-19 crisis spread around the world, many people started working from home which required embracing life in a ‘new normal’ overnight. If you are working from home, it is important to feel comfortable in your space. It is natural that working from home means that you will be using more energy.
All those cups of tea and coffee, online meetings and training sessions, live-streaming TV, active laptops and cellphones, longer showers, heaters in the winter and more dirty dishes all add up to a bigger household utility bill. However, this does not mean that your utility costs need to spiral out of control.
Whilst there are clear cost-saving advantages to working from home such as less fuel or transport, but these savings can be eroded quickly if you do not manage your utility consumption carefully.
Utilities in any form cost money - be it electricity, water, gas, oil or coal. In most homes a portion of this is wasted on energy (see fig.1). It is time to stop wasteful practices to save on your utility bill.
Fig.1 Household Energy Consumption (Source: DoE, South Africa)
Don’t be concerned, conserving energy won’t make your life uncomfortable. In fact, by making small changes and creating new habits, you can make a big difference to your pocket and, at the same time, support the environment too.
Here are few clever tips to save energy and money whilst working from home. Gradually work through the list and you will be pleasantly surprised.
1. Turn off all lights, appliances, and electronics not in use
This is one of the simplest energy conservation techniques. You can make it even easier by installing a timer that turns off multiple items at once. Power strips also help to efficiently distribute energy to your appliances, wasting less electricity.
2. Fix electrical problems in the home
Fix electrical problems such as electrical surges, burnt out bulbs or constant flickering. Such fixes ensure that your electrical equipment runs more efficiently, whilst optimizing energy output.
3. A light bulb moment
If you install energy-saving LED lights you can reduce your energy use by around 25-35 per cent. If you can’t use energy-saving bulbs just yet, make sure that you turn off all incandescent bulbs around your home when not in use.
4. Avoid opening the refrigerator unnecessarily and turn the temperature setting down
Your refrigerator consumes on average 9% of your total home energy usage. To save electricity at home, avoid unnecessary visits to the refrigerator, set your fridge to 4 degrees Celsius and your freezer to -18 degrees Celsius. Also ensure that there is adequate space behind your refrigerator to allow heat to dissipate. This way, the fridge, and the freezer will consume less energy.
5. Don’t overfill the kettle
Only fill and boil the kettle with as much water as you need. Don't fill it to the brim of you are only making one cup of tea.
6. Let the sunlight in
Not only does natural light help improve your mood, but it also eliminates the need for a desk lamp. Make sure you open your blinds and curtains fully every morning.
7. Dry it out
The tumble dryer is an energy vampire, so air-dry your clothes where you can.
8. Put a lid on it
If you're cooking on the hob, a lid locks in the heat. It's a super simple tip, but will save energy.
9. Plug power
Remember to switch off television sets, electrical appliances and chargers when you're not using them, as this is easily forgotten and one of the most easily ignored energy conservation techniques. Unplug chargers as soon as the batteries are fully charged or the chargers are not in use. Most chargers continue to draw power to maintain the charge of the device.
10. Keep an eye on the kids
Check that your child's electrical devices aren't left on and teach them to be energy conscious. Minimise the number of electrical gadgets that are used at the same time. Everything does not need to be on at once.
11. Load it up
This is one of the easiest ways to conserve energy at home. Wait for a full load before running your dishwasher and washing machine. You don’t need to do laundry every day. It can be tempting to put small loads of washing into the machine but waiting until you have a full load will be much more energy efficient.
12. Wash clothes in cold water
This is one of the best energy saving tips to save you money. When washing your laundry, use the cold setting on your washing machine instead of using hot water. This way you’ll save.
13. Clean the dryer lint filter regularly to keep your dryer running efficiently
As a dirty filter will uses more energy, clean it regularly and don’t forget to clean the tubing too. The long nozzle on your vacuum cleaner makes it easier to clean out particles that get beyond the filter.
14. Be eco-clever
Use the eco setting on your dishwasher to heat the water more efficiently at low temperatures. You can use the dry sensor feature on the dryer and remember to clean the lint trap between dry cycles.
15. Avoid using the rinse hold setting on your dishwasher
This feature uses 10-15 more liters of hot water per use. By turning off this setting you will save water and electricity.
16. Air-dry dishes
Air-dry your dishes instead of using your dishwasher’s drying feature.
17. Cook using the right-sized burner
Use your stove’s small burners for small pots and large burners for large pots when cooking.
18. Use microwaves and toaster ovens to cook or warm leftovers
These use less energy than conventional ovens, resulting in less energy usage when you cook.
19. Keep cool in summer and stay warm in winter without heaters or an air-conditioners
Wear lighter clothes in summer and a few extra layers in winter instead of changing thermostat settings. Close your blinds or curtains to keep the sun out during summer and keep them open during winter to bring in the sunshine.
20. Take shorter showers
Typically, you use about 20 liters of water per minute as you shower, so reducing your shower time will save water and energy. Replace your showerhead with one with a flow rate of less than 8 litres per minute to save on water bills. Fit aerators to your faucets with a flow rate of about 3.5 liters per minute for maximum energy savings.
21. Set the water heater to the lowest comfortable setting
If your home has more than two people then your ideal water heater setting should be around 55 degrees Celsius. This setting will reduce the amount of energy necessary for heating water.
If possible, cover your geyser with an insulating blanket and reduce standby heat loss by 25%–45%. This will save you about 4%–9% in water heating costs. A timer will automatically turn off your geyser when you are not at home or at night.
22. Invest in energy-efficient appliances for the home
Replace old appliances such as washers, dryers, and fridges with new ones that are more energy-efficient. Look for appliances with an ENERGY STAR rating and logo and use less energy.
23. Save money with solar energy
Solar energy is a safer alternative to electricity and gas. It is cheaper (actually almost free) and kinder to the environment.
These tips on how to conserve energy may seem like inconsequential adjustments but add up to make a real impact on your utility bills and the right thing to do for the environment too.
