Do you have any idea how much energy is used in running your fridge?

Do you know that the electricity used to heat water for your shower or bath has the highest rate of energy consumption (excluding space heating)?

Have you ever thought that leaving your TV on standby (with red dot showing) uses as much electricity as when it is in use?

Knowing where the highest energy consumers are in your home will make you aware of what you can do to save energy.

Virtual house

We have selected an average family home with 4 occupants: it might represent your home otherwise you will have to adjust according to the appliances in your home. So by making a tour of our virtual house you can identify where the energy is being used and how savings can be made.

Typical annual consumption is based on information displayed on the EU energy label or fiche for each appliance. It is assumed that existing models in your home are 5 - 10 years old and savings are made when replacing existing appliances with new models which are more energy efficient.

Immediate savings are also possible by switching off appliances at the mains when not on use and by using appliances more efficiently and further practical hints are given.

According to the appliances that you use in your home and their usage, you will now have a better idea of your total consumption. If you have discovered after your tour that it is useful to know your consumption more accurately, then proceed to the next section on evaluating your consumption.

The living room

Our family usually spends most of its time together in the living room. This involves quite a high level of lighting, much viewing of the TV and use of a DVD or video recorder. It is common for the video or DVD recorder to be left on stand by and also the TV. There may also be a hi-fi system for listening to compact disc recordings. During hot summers, an air conditioner may also be used for space cooling. Annual consumption and possible savings when replacing existing appliances with more efficient models are -

Lighting	140 kWh	possible savings	50 – 80%
TV	210		15 – 30%
VCR + decoder	190		30 – 60%
Hi-fi system	80		40 – 70%
Air conditioner	180		25 – 50%

Energy saving hints

• switch off appliances at mains rather than remote when not in use to save consumption in stand by mode
• use low energy rather than filament light bulbs whenever possible

The kitchen

The kitchen is full of household appliances. Here we find high energy consumption but also a high savings potential with new more efficient appliances. The fridge and freezer run continuously but all other appliances are used intermittently and so consumption will depend upon use. Some of the appliances listed here may be located in other rooms like the washing machine or tumble dryer. Annual consumption and possible savings are:

Lighting	125 kWh	possible savings	50–80%
Fridge/freezer	540		30-50%
Washing machine	300		20-35%
Tumble drier	120		20-40%
Dishwasher	350		30-40%
Oven	190		20-30%

Energy saving hints

• avoid high temperature cycles (more than 60C);
• use a full rather than part load whenever possible;
• use the eco-cycle when possible as this has the lowest energy usage;
• connect your appliance to both hot and cold water supplies where possible

The bathroom

The bathroom is mostly used mornings and evenings and occasionally during the day time. The major consumer of energy is heating of the water the quantity of which will depend upon the size and age of the family and how often baths or showers are taken.

Annual consumption and potential savings are -

Lighting	45 kWh	possible savings	50-80%
Water heating	1700		20-50%
Small appliances	40		20-40%

Energy saving hints

• showers generally use less hot water than baths

NB power showers can use large amounts of hot water very quickly

The bedroom

These are mostly used afternoons and evenings and during the day at weekends. All appliance usage is intermittent and to some extent also depends upon whether homework is done here or elsewhere in the house. Annual consumption and possible savings are -

Lighting	100 kWh	possible savings	50-80%
TV	90		20-40%
Personal computer	120		20-40%

Energy saving hints

• A red light on an appliance shows it is in stand by mode and so appliance should be switched off at the mains if not in use.
• Switch off appliances when they are not being used such as the TV or printer.
• Ensure that the automatic stand-by and screen saver of your personal computer is activated.
• Use low energy rather than filament light bulbs.

Surveying your consumption

It is possible to identify which of your household appliances consumes the most energy by completing our survey of appliance use. The survey will also indicate where possible savings can be made.

The survey is in the form of an Excel spreadsheet which can be downloaded from this website.

For each of your appliances you need to input the required information about their usage into the yellow cells. In the red column you will then find the estimated consumption for each of your appliances and in the green column an estimate of the possible savings using best available technology. At the bottom of the red and green columns are the total appliance consumption and the possible savings.

It is worth comparing your calculated consumption with that shown on your electricity bill. If the amount of energy used is substantially larger than the calculated amount, then one or more of your appliances is much less efficient than that assumed in the calculation. The only way to identify such appliances is by

• visual inspection such as a broken door seal
• using an electricity meter of the type that can be inserted between the appliance socket and the mains plug current
• using a current cost meter and switching off each appliance in turn and monitoring reduction in current

Energy savings can be achieved by adopting good practice with existing appliances and by selecting energy efficient models when buying new appliances.

Appliance survey form

Reducing your heating demand
Potential for using renewable energy sources