Energy Efficiency

Last time we talked about ways to save energy overall in the winter.  This go-around, we’re going to focus specifically on heat since HVAC is the big spender when it comes to your monthly utility budget.

1. Like we mentioned last time, turn down your thermostat.  Every degree lowered below 70 saves you up to 5% on heating costs.  You can also set the temperature to go down (no lower than 55 though) while you’re away for extended periods of time – even to work – to save even more on the bill.   Don’t be afraid to wear a sweater and slippers in the house.  It’s winter anyway – make yourself feel cozy.  This is where a programmable thermostat comes in handy.  We have ours set to 67 in the morning (we find it makes it easier to leave the warm cocoon of the bed), 60 upon leaving for work (we have a dog), 65 upon returning for work (make sure to pre-plan for an hr ahead of when you actually get home so it’s warm by the time you get there), and 65 throughout the night until morning again (again pre-plan an hr for when you typically wake up).

3. Dial down your hot water heater.  Turn it back to 110 and start there (be aware, though, that some dishwasher require a higher setting – so pull out the manual).  If you find yourself needing more hot water at the end of the day (if you have a bigger family with more showers), turn it up 5 degrees.  Keep testing until you’ve found a setting that works.  The other thing to also dial down is the time you actually spend in the shower.  While not everyone can maintain the military standard of a shower in 3mins, try to keep it to the length of 3 songs.  Egg timers are a simple tracking method for this.  You can do it in the same way you do the water heater.  Time your typical shower, then resolved to cut off a minute every new instance.

2. Clean your furnace filters as frequently as required.  You’d be surprised how much energy this can draw.  Think of it this way: You get in your car in the winter and it’s cold.  You blast the heat to make it comfortable.  What if you put a fishing net over the outlets (normal/clean filter)? Doesn’t really change the flow.  Change the thin film to a cotton ball (dirty filter).  Even stretched out it’s affecting your transfer of heat in a major way.  You should also take the time at the beginning of the season to get your furnace serviced.

4. Seal leaks.  We brought this up last time and it’s getting brought up again for a good reason.  As my dad use to say, he “doesn’t care to heat the outdoors” and that’s basically what you’re doing if you are living in a poorly sealed home.  The same goes for windows – use pane glazing or thick curtains to shut out the night cold.  It might also be time to check your insulation.

5. Winter seems to be the season of cooking.  Let the oven continue to do the work for you.  When you’re done baking, TURN IT OFF, but also leave the oven door open until it’s lost most of its heat.  Obviously you should choose safety over finances, so if you have a little one in the home this may not be ideal.  Our first home was the space above a 2car garage and our winter cooking probably provided half the heat needed on those cold winter nights.

6. This seems like a no-brainer, but we’re still going to mention it.  Heat only the rooms you USE.  You’d be amazed the price savings when you aren’t heating that extra 2000 cubic feet of guest bedroom space.  The same principle applies to sleeping arrangements.  Unless you’re living somewhere in a gluttonous gas environment (and if you live on Earth, we know that’s not the case), it’s cheaper for you to use an electric blanket at night than to heat the entire space of the bedroom.  Or buy a down comforter and live like the nordic do.

7. When the fireplace is on, turn off the heat (or at least turn it down).  When the fireplace is off, remember to shut the damper.

What other ideas do you have?  We hope you’re feeling warm and toasty tonight and that these tips and tricks help you out through the winter ahead!

As the temperatures begin – or continue – to dip, it’s important to make sure not only you are ready for winter, but also your home.  We’ve created a list of tips for winterizing your home and keeping the energy bill down.  If you follow it, you’ll hopefully have some more spending money for the holiday season.

1. The first no-brainer is to turn down your thermostat when you’re out of the house.  You can either do that manually each day, or purchase a programmable thermostat that you can set to make sure the house is back to your preferred temperature when you get home.
2. Install low-flow shower heads to reduce hot water waste.
3. Check your windows, doors, and any other holes (think cables, vents, etc) for drafts and use caulk or weatherstripping to seal them.  You can use incense, long matches, or anything that will create smoke to check for the air movement caused by leaks.
4. Seal leaking ducts with metal tape.  You can hire a vendor to check for leaks and seal these if you think it might be too hard to do yourself.
5. Close any dampers connected to stoves or fireplaces when not in use.
6. Check your insulation in your attic, exterior walls, and crawl space (if you have one).  If there are spaces lacking insulation, or lacking sufficient insulation, it’s time to consider beefing it up.
7. If you don’t have newer, energy-efficient windows, install a plastic film (available for purchase at most home improvement stores) on the inside of all windows.  This will help not only keep the cool out in the winter, but also help regulate heat in the summer.
8. Change your furnace filter, if you don’t already do it regularly.
9. Check fixtures and appliances to ensure that they are as efficient as possible.
10. We know you love holiday lights, but try to keep the usage to a minimum.  You’d be amazed how much energy they use.

As we mentioned before, if you currently have a home energy monitoring device – like the current cost powersave envi – there are plenty of othersoftware sources for analyzation out there.  Google Powermeter also provides a list of other partners who can pick up the analysis where they left off.

If you’re getting ready to take the leap into a home energy monitoring device, here’s the lowdown on 3 products to look into:

1. GE Nucleus – tracks usage in kwh and shows estimated money spent (based on prices you plug in).  Will adapt to the smart grid that the govt is looking to install and connects easily to the computer with provided CD (must have Adobe Air 2.3 or newer – free).  It doesn’t need to be installed into your main electrical box, but simply plugs into any outlet and monitors electric currency data.  They also plan to have an app for smartphone monitoring while away from the home ready for public use later this year.

**It is, however, currently only available to utilities so you need to contact your utility company to see if it is available in your area. GE will have the Nucleus available for nationwide purchase soon.

2. TED (The Energy Detective) – 2 residential models: 1000 series and 5000 series. 1000 obviously has less features, but still collects realtime data at a 10kw minimum.  The 5000 series has more bells and whistles, with an application for smartphones for realtime tracking at a 1kw minimum.  Both systems require being installed to the electrical mainframe of your house.  You also then plug a reader into the outlet near your computer so that the data can sync with your PC.  They also have a list of other third party apps available to analyze your usage.  The basic 5000 series product costs $199.95, and the 1000 series costs $164.95.

Energy Joule – made by ambient devices, this little cutie plugs into an outlet and changes color based on your energy usage or price increases based on heavy loads.  It’s only available for people who are customers of Consumer Powerline right now but hopefully it will expand as time passes.

Hope this has helped and you begin your challenge of decreased energy consumption on the right foot.  Check back soon for our next look into something good for the home.

…or it’s lack thereof.

As some of you might have heard, Google has decided to discontinue its service of “Google Powermeter” for a variety of reasons, which they explain here, mainly being that it did not take off as quickly/well as they expected or would have liked.

We mentioned the uses of Google Powermeter here and here as a tool to track, analyze, and hopefully curb electric usage.

The good news is that Powermeter is not a product being discontinued, but a source of analyzation, so if you have one of the actual products – like the current cost powersave envi – there are plenty of other software sources for analyzation out there.

It is unfortunate that Google is no longer supporting this service, but from a business standpoint it is understandable.  Their objective was to “raise awareness about the importance of giving people access to data surrounding their energy usage.”  I can see why they think they didn’t succeed wholly, because it’s not necessarily a topic of conversation or an institution in everyone’s household, but I do think they had an effect.  Things that change how mainstream works tend to require more time to impact and what they began was a trickle effect, quite a feat in this bad economy where every dollar is important.  As they mentioned, studies show that the average person can and will lower their electric usage by 15% if provided with the tools or ability to monitor their usage.  The White House is even looking at the possibility of introducing smart grid technology nationwide. So yes, Powermeter is out, but it served its purpose.

For those of you with home energy monitoring devices, or those looking into getting one, check back for the next blog post – a follow-up on the latest and greatest devices and software available.

Part One: Are you in the room? No? Then why is the light on?

We all know that we have been guilty of this before.  You leave a room and you forget to hit the light switch, causing energy to be wasted lighting an empty room.  This happens at home and at work.  One of our staff members remembers her father going around the house when she was young, turning off lights saying “do you think I own the power company?”  While there are sometimes security reasons for leaving a light on, most of the time it’s just absentmindedness that causes us to light the room for no one.

The good news is that there is a wonderful way to combat this!  Occupancy sensors have been gaining notoriety in sustainable and energy saving circles in the work place for years, and luckily for us they have also been adapted for home use as well.  A quick look shows 6+ brands that get good reviews from energy-wise sources like TreeHugger, Apartment Therapy Re-Nest and Unplugged, Energy Star, and the EPA (to name a few).  They are: Watt Stopper, Ergolight (a Phillips:Ledalight brand), Lutron, Leviton, Dwyer, and Lightolier (another Phillips brand)…and these are only a few on the market.  Some cater more to the commercial environment than residential, or vice versa, but they all cover both areas in some way.  Some are also more architectural than others (meaning more $$), but most of the time with price you also get better quality.  These six listed range from $26 to $130+ per switch, the higher end being the more architectural and technologically advanced (read: runs on radio waves, so no messy wire installation, but also requires specific coordinating switches).  In general, occupancy sensors run on passive infrared or ultrasonic technology, sending out a pulse that monitors for movement in the room.  Most types can be adjusted for sensitivity levels.  Many brands also provide a dual-tech option, which is a combination of the two.

Either way, if you’ve been thinking about ways to combat “ghost lighting” occupancy sensor switches can be as easy or as in depth of an addition to your workplace/home as you would like to make them.  The installation of occupancy sensors can save 30-60% on the average energy usage related to light; restrooms being the higher end of the spectrum (60%), private offices or rooms in the home on the lower end of the spectrum (38%), and conference rooms, classrooms, and main rooms of the home as the median (50-58%).  While lighting only accounts for 12% of the energy usage in a home, and close to 15% in an office, if the energy bill for the month is $150, that means $18 is lights.  If you save 50%, that’s $9, or $108 on the year.  It is also important to remember that these savings will drastically increase if you convert from old incandescent lights to newer LEDs or compact fluorescents (CFLS).

It is important to know what type of sensor to use for the different spaces.  In table 6.10 of this article from the EPA, you can find a list of the best places to use each of the sensor types.

Part Two: It’s getting sunny! Are you turning off your lights?

As we move into spring and summer, it’s important to realize that there are times of the day where you may not need to flip that light switch.  While certain office environments, or spaces in a home, can lack windows, there are also places that get a lot of sunlight.  Because of this, an add-on that you can choose to do when you are picking your lighting equipment for install or upgrade, is to think about adding a daylight sensor in rooms with good sunlight, or any amount of windows.  As mentioned before, the occupancy sensors notice movement in the room and choose whether the lights should be off or on based on that.  This does you no good, however, if – while people ARE working in the room – the sunlight is providing enough light to work by.  The daylight sensor addition connects into the lighting system and is a photosensor which constantly measures the lumens provided in the room and automatically adjust the artificial light based on its readings.  Dimmed lights (from quality bulbs) draw even less energy than one which is shining at full power.

It is important to realize with light dimming that many lights require a “burn in” time of a certain amount of hours of being on at full power before being switched to a dimmer setting.  Many lights, if put immediately on a dimmer, can fade quicker and lose the ability to shine at full power when needed.

This is your last chance to join us for lunch tomorrow!

We are helping host a discussion about “working with your design team” alongside Shannon Alther of TMS Architects and Randy Trainor of CRT Interiors.  We will be talking about strategies for making your home project, whether big or small, run smoothly so that your build/remodel is the rewarding experience that it can and should be.

The Lunch and Learn is being hosted at Greenovations on 599 Lafayette Rd in Portsmouth and will begin at 12pm.  All are welcome.  For further questions about the event, please contact Christopher at Greenovations (603-319-8219).

We hope to see you tomorrow!!

(or: Why it’s worth updating your plumbing fixtures)

We’ve recently been doing some research as  a part of a commercial retrofit that involves removing bathroom fixtures to update the bathroom materials and talked the owners into upgrading the fixtures in the process.  We always knew that the newer, more efficient toilets and faucets were “better”, but didn’t realize HOW MUCH better they were – both for the environment and your pocket!

We looked into what the water/sewer costs are for the area and the usage factors for the location and the national averages for bathroom usage.  We then took those usage parameters and plugged them in to calculations for both the current model and the replacement options.  Because this is a commercial outfit, the usage is obviously higher (and therefore more of a payback) than if installed in a home. (That still, however, doesn’t make it a bad choice to update to efficient fixtures in your home. You WILL save resources, both natural and economic.)

In our scenario:

• The current toilet usage equates to just above $11,000 in water use per year, based on a usage factor of 2* flushes per day for both men and women, at a rate of 350 people per day.  If replaced with a dual-flush 1.28/1.6 gpf toilet, the cost savings over the initial year (including fixture purchase) is almost $3,000.  Over 5 years, this cost savings is over $27,000.
• The current urinal usage equates to just under $5,000 in water use per year, based on a usage factor of 3 flushes per day for 200 men.  If replaced with a waterless urinal, the cost savings over the initial year (including fixture purchase and sealant replacement cost) is just over $3,500.  Over 5 years, this cost savings is over $22,200.
• The current faucet usage equates to just over $2,600 in water use per year, based on a usage factor of 3 uses per day per person at a rate of 15 seconds per use.  If replaced with an updated 5.gpm touchless faucet with basin, the cost savings over the initial year (including fixture purchase) is minimal.  Over 5 years, however, this cost savings is almost $7,000.
• The current hand dryer usage equates to just under $14,500 in paper usage per year, based on a usage factor of 3 pieces per person per hand-washing.  If replaced with a Dyson Airblade, the cost savings over the initial year (including the fixture purchase is over$9,000.  Over 5 years, this cost savings is over $65,000.

THESE COST SAVINGS TOTAL OVER $15,000 IN THE FIRST YEAR AND ALMOST $121,500 OVER THE FIRST 5 YEARS! In our case this 5 year savings pays for the entire commercial retrofit.

Over the 1 year usage, the installation of more water efficient fixtures saved 855,925 gallons of water.  This is enough for 37, 520 people to drink 8 glasses of water per day for a year.  In our changing times, this reduction could save someone’s life in the future.

We were amazed most, however, about the hand dryers.  We knew that the decreased water usage would obviously save money.  What we didn’t realize was the insane usage cost of the paper towel dispensers.  It’s usage cost in one year is over $14,000!  The initial cost of the Airblade is $1,200 (and we budgeted purchasing 4), so we expected it to be hard for the efficiency to overcome that initial cost, but it blew it away.  The Dyson website itself says that the cost of one paper towel equates to 22 people drying their hands using the Airblade.  Amazing.

This research proved to us that, no matter the instance, it is worth taking the steps to be more energy efficient.

*all usage calculations are based on national averages.

We recently ran across some new information for one of the devices that works with Google powermeter, called the Current Cost Powersave Envi.  It seems to have started out as a UK device, which is probably why we overlooked it in our first Google powermeter review.  They now have a version of it that works for the United States.

It can be installed on your own and seems relatively easy to set up.    Two clamps are connected to your electrical panel and the transmitter sits within the electrical box (or some other weatherproof structure nearby).  The display can be placed anywhere within your home but only has a 100′ radius, 10′ less per wall that it has to go through.  Once installed, you plug in your cost of electricity (provided on most utility bills) and it begins generating information for you.  It tells you how many kwh you are currently using and what that would make your monthly bill cost.  It shows a graph bar of the average time of day that most electricity is used.  The display runs off the power supply (at what they say is a rate of 2.5cents per month (depending on your cost of electricity).  The transmitter, however, uses two D-sized batteries.

If you also purchase the web bridge or the usb cable, you can sync the display with your computer and upload the information that the display is gathering to Google powermeter, which will then analyze all the data.  This news video tells you a bit more about the Current Cost Powersave Envi.  It seems as though you might need to use the powermeter program if you want to know a better approximation of the final bill at the end of each month because the Envi is only showing real-time usage.  So the cost per month that it shows you doesn’t reflect the load of laundry you did an hour ago, or the tv you have on 2hrs/night; only what you currently have running.

The Envi can be used, though, to track appliance kwh usage and find out if any appliances are malfunctioning or are getting to the age where they need to be replaced for efficiency reasons.  Every time an appliance is turned on, the display updates (it syncs every 6sec), so you can see how much pull that specific appliance creates.  You can also see what the ghost load is for your home by turning off most appliances and see what kwh you are still drawing.  Remember that anything can pull electricity unless it is officially unplugged.

Google has recently been working to expand their information gathering to include data analysis of home energy use.  They have created an application called the “Google powermeter“, which takes information from your utility service or other device that has partnered with Google, analyzes it, and allows you to view it online. You can track it over a variety of time periods and also see what appliances or units are constantly drawing energy (the dreaded “ghost load”).  After plugging in your kwh cost, you can see your estimated expenses and create a budget.

The downside is that this idea is still in its infancy and only a handful of utility companies are currently using this feature. There are also even fewer device manufacturers separate from the utility companies that have partnered with Google for this. You would then have to purchase one of these devices and install it (and its separate components) correctly in your home; some of the additional components are still not on the market yet. You have to wonder whether the device takes into account and tracks its own energy use.

While this is a very good idea, maybe we should wait a little while so that they can catch up on their ideas and just make sure to turn off/unplug our lights/appliances for now.

Per the DOE, 50-70% of energy use in homes goes towards heating or cooling of some sort.  Most people, when thinking about the heating losses of their homes quickly look to the insulation of their walls (which is good), but forget another easy place where heat can evaporate.  Water pipes!

If you cannot insulate all of the hot water piping that is visible, be sure to focus your efforts on a 3′ diameter of piping around the hot water heater.  Be sure to use a quality insulation wrap and make sure the fit is snug.  If you have a gas hot water heater, leave at least 6″ of space around the flue before applying insulation.  By insulating all visible portions of hot water pipes, a homeowner can rest easy knowing that they are saving energy, and therefore money, as well as helping their hot water heater work more efficiently.