Many people work from home at least one day per week.

Working from home saves

energy and time by cutting out the commute, but it may increase your home energy bills
unless you use energy-saving office equipment.
ENERGY STAR-labeled office equipment is widely available. It can provide dramatic
energy savingsas much as 90% savings for some products. Overall, ENERGY STAR-
labeled office products use about half the electricity of standard equipment.
Find ENERGY STAR products and standards.

HOME OFFICE TIPS
Selecting energy-efficient office equipment and turning off machines when they are not in
use can result in significant energy savings.
Using an ENERGY STAR-labeled computer can save 30%-65% energy than computers
without this designation, depending on usage.
Spending a large portion of time in low-power mode not only saves energy but helps equip-
ment run cooler and last longer.
Putting your laptop AC adapter on a power strip that can be turned off (or will turn off
automatically) can maximize savings; the transformer in the AC adapter draws power con-
tinuously, even when the laptop is not plugged into the adapter.
Using the power management settings on computers and monitors can cause significant
savings.
It is a common misperception that screen savers reduce a monitor's energy use. Use
automatic switching to sleep mode or simply turn it off.
Another misperception, carried over from the days of older mainframe computers, is that
equipment lasts longer if it is never turned off.
LONG-TERM SAVINGS TIP
Consider buying a laptop for your next computer upgrade; laptops use much less
energy than desktop computers.

HOME ELECTRONICS TIPS
Look for energy-saving ENERGY STAR home electronics.
Unplug appliances, or use a power strip and use the switch on the power strip to cut
all power to the appliance, to avoid "vampire" loads. Many appliances continue to
draw a small amount of power when they are switched off. These vampire loads
occur in most appliances that use electricity, such as DVD players, TVs, stereos,
computers, and kitchen appliances. Unplug battery chargers when the batteries are
fully charged or the chargers are not in use.
Use rechargeable batteries for products like cordless phones and digital cameras.
Studies have shown they are more cost effective than disposable batteries. If you
must use disposables, check with your trash removal company about safe disposal
options.


Estimate the energy consumption and cost to operate an appliance when making a
purchase. Investing in an energy-efficient product may save you money in the long run.
| Photo courtesy of iStockphoto.com/wh1600.
If you're trying to decide whether to invest in a more energy-efficient appliance or you'd
like to determine your electricity loads, you may want to estimate appliance energy
consumption.
FORMULA FOR ESTIMATING ENERGY CONSUMPTION
Use this formula to estimate an appliance's energy use:
(Wattage Hours Used Per Day) 1000 = Daily Kilowatt-hour (kWh) consumption
1 kilowatt (kW) = 1,000 Watts
Multiply this by the number of days you use the appliance during the year for the annual
consumption in kWh per year.
ESTIMATING ANNUAL COST TO RUN AN APPLIANCE
Multiply the annual consumption in kWh per year (that you calculated above) by your local
utility's rate per kWh consumed to calculate the annual cost to run an appliance.

Note: To estimate the number of hours that a refrigerator actually operates at its maximum
wattage, divide the total time the refrigerator is plugged in by three. Refrigerators, although
turned "on" all the time, actually cycle on and off as needed to maintain interior temperatures.
EXAMPLES:
Window fan:
(200 Watts 4 hours/day 120 days/year) 1000
= 96 kWh 11 cents/kWh
= $10.56/year
Personal Computer and Monitor:
[(120 Watts + 150 Watts) 4 hours/day 365 days/year] 1000
= 394 kWh 11 cents/kWh
= $43.34/year
WATTAGE
You can usually find the wattage of most appliances stamped on the bottom or back of
the appliance, or on its nameplate. The wattage listed is the maximum power drawn by
the appliance. Since many appliances have a range of settings (for example, the
volume on a radio), the actual amount of power consumed depends on the setting used
at any one time.
If the wattage is not listed on the appliance, you can still estimate it by finding the
current draw (in amperes) and multiplying that by the voltage used by the appliance.
Most appliances in the United States use 120 volts. Larger appliances, such as clothes
dryers and electric cooktops, use 240 volts. The amperes might be stamped on the unit
in place of the wattage. If not, find a clamp-on ammeter -- an electrician's tool that
clamps around one of the two wires on the appliance -- to measure the current flowing
through it. You can obtain this type of ammeter in stores that sell electrical and
electronic equipment. Take a reading while the device is running; this is the actual
amount of current being used at that instant.
When measuring the current drawn by a motor, note that the meter will show about
three times more current in the first second that the motor starts than when it is running
smoothly.
Many appliances continue to draw a small amount of stand-by power when they are
switched "off." These "phantom loads" occur in most appliances that use electricity,
such as VCRs, televisions, stereos, computers, and kitchen appliances. Most phantom
loads will increase the appliance's energy consumption a few watt-hours. These loads
can be avoided by unplugging the appliance or using a power strip and using the switch
on the power strip to cut all power to the appliance.
TYPICAL WATTAGES OF VARIOUS APPLIANCES
Here are some examples of the range of nameplate wattages for various household appliances:
Aquarium = 501210 Watts
Clock radio = 10
Coffee maker = 9001200
Clothes washer = 350500
Clothes dryer = 18005000
Dishwasher = 12002400 (using the drying feature greatly increases energy consumption)
Dehumidifier = 785
Electric blanket (Single/Double) = 60 / 100
Fans
Ceiling = 65175
Window = 55250
Furnace = 750
Whole house = 240750
Hair dryer = 12001875
Heater (portable) = 7501500
Clothes iron = 10001800
Microwave oven = 7501100
Personal computer
CPU - awake / asleep = 120 / 30 or less
Monitor - awake / asleep = 150 / 30 or less
Laptop = 50
Radio (stereo) = 70400
Refrigerator (frost-free, 16 cubic feet) = 725
Televisions (color)
19" = 65110
27" = 113
36" = 133
53" - 61" Projection = 170
Flat screen = 120
Toaster = 8001400
Toaster oven = 1225
VCR/DVD = 1721 / 2025
Vacuum cleaner = 10001440
Water heater (40 gallon) = 45005500
Water pump (deep well) = 2501100
Water bed (with heater, no cover) = 120380


Home appliance energy ratings
explained
The running costs of household appliance can vary a lot. It is
important to look for efficient products with low running costs.
Understanding home appliance energy ratings can help you save
energy and reduce your energy costs.
Choosing energy efficient appliances
Household appliances account for up to 30% of your home energy, so selecting
the most energy efficient appliances can save you money.
The Australian Government has an Energy Rating Labelling scheme to help
customers choose energy efficient appliances. The labels apply to both electric
and gas appliances.
Electric appliances
Energy Rating Labels are on televisions, air conditioners, clothes dryers,
dishwashers, washing machines, and most fridges and freezers.
There are two labels: the standard 6-star and the 10-star for more efficient
appliances, which are rated 7 stars and higher.
The label displays the appliance's energy efficiency and how much energy it uses
in a year. The more stars, the more efficient the appliance is compared to other
models, which can mean lower energy usage and potential energy savings. As
the consumption figure on the label is an average level of usage, you should
consider whether your usage is likely to differ from the average.
You can use the Australian Governments Energy Rating website to compare
the energy efficiency of electrical appliances. When comparing appliances, make
sure you compare models of a similar size, volume and capacity.
Gas appliances
Gas Energy Rating Labels can be found on gas space heaters, ducted heating
and gas water heaters (storage and instantaneous). As the scheme is voluntary,
not all manufacturers will have Gas Energy Rating Labels.
The labels display a star rating for energy efficiency and annual energy
consumption in MJ (megajoules) per yearthe lower this figure (MJ), and the
higher the number of stars, the more efficient the appliance.
Energy Star
ENERGY STAR from the US Environmental Protection Agency is used by
several countries, including Australia. Products earn the Energy Star label by
meeting energy efficiency requirements contained in Energy Star product
specifications. In Australia, items such as computers, televisions, printers,
photocopiers and DVD players can carry the Energy Star label.


Tips: Smart Appliances

Some manufacturers are now offering "smart" appliances -- appliances that can be connected to smart
electric meters or home energy management systems to help you shift your electricity use to off-peak
hours. Air conditioners, refrigerators, dishwashers, and other appliances may be available as smart
appliances.
Smart appliances don't just turn off during times of peak electricity demand -- instead, they use subtle
ways to shift energy use. You might not even be aware of it. For example, your air conditioner may run
slightly less often. Or your refrigerator might delay it's defrost cycle until the middle of the night. If your
utility charges lower rates for electricity at night, also called time-based rates, you could save on your
utility bill.
Such changes may be unnoticeable to you, but could add up to significant savings for your utility --
savings that can be shared with you. Your utility provider can tell you more about the availability of smart
grid technologies and time-based electricity rates in your area and how they can benefit you.
10 most costly appliances
Aaron Crowe
Jun 10th 2010 11:00AM
The average U.S. household will spend about $2,160 this
year on home energy, which is $60 less than in 2009,
according to the Alliance to Save Energy.

While the drop is good news, $2,160 is still a lot of money to
spend on gas and electricity, and it can be cut by up to 30%
by using efficient Energy Starproducts built to save energy,
according to Ronnie Kweller, director of media relations at
the Alliance to Save Energy. Since major appliances use the
most energy in a home, they're the best place to look to save money.

Start with how you heat and cool your home. Almost half, 47%, of the $2,200 it took to
power a typical American home in 2009 is from heating and cooling. According to a 2009
study by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, here's how the average annual utility bill
is broken down by appliance, along with some tips I've collected on how to lower costs:


1. Heating: $662
A home's heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC)
system is the worst offender, especially during the winter.
The best way to save money here is to insulate and seal all
ducts and air leaks so your money isn't flying out the
window, or a crack in the window. A home can save 20% on
its heating and cooling bills by sealing holes, Kweller said.
Other things to do include having the equipment serviced
each year, replacing air filters every three to five months, and
installing a programmable thermostat to turn down the heat while you're asleep or at work.





2. Cooling: $394
The same rules apply here as for heating, so insulate, seal ducts
and cracks, and use a programmable thermostat. If you have a
central air system, clean the ducts periodically. For a room air
conditioner, be sure the window unit fits tightly so outside air
isn't getting in. If replacing windows, choose Energy Star
qualified models designed for your area, and save $20-$95
each year in energy costs, according to EnergyStar.gov, a U.S. Department of Energy
website.

Federal tax credits that are worth 30% of the cost of each improvement, up to a cumulative
total of $1,500, are available through the end of 2010, so now may be a good time to
replace an aging HVAC system or do other home improvements to save energy. Eligible
products fall into two basic categories: the "building envelope," which includes windows,
storm windows, storm doors, certain types of roofs, and insulation and sealing products
such as caulking, weather stripping, and foam sealants; and highly efficiency heating and
cooling equipment, including furnaces, boilers, heat pumps,
water heaters, and central AC system. Installation costs are
NOT covered for building envelope products but are covered
for heating and cooling equipment.


3. Water heater: $317
A water heater uses 14% of an average home's energy costs,
working around the clock to heat water for clothes, dishes
and showers. A new, energy efficient water heater can cut the
water heating bill in half. When replacing water heaters, consider a tankless model that
only heats water on demand particularly if you have natural gas available.

Setting the water heater thermostat to 120 Fahrenheit or lower will save money by reducing
standby losses (heat lost from water heater into surrounding basement area). Using less
hot water will also save money. If set too high, or at 140 degrees Fahrenheit, your water
heater can waste anywhere from $36 to $61 annually in standby heat losses and more than
$400 in demand losses, according to the DOE. If you have an older water heater, you can
improve its insulation by wrapping it with an insulating jacket and save more than $30 per
year in excess heat loss.


4. Lighting: $269
This makes up 12% of an energy bill. The Environmental
Protection Agency estimates that if every U.S. household
replaced just one traditional light with an Energy Star-
qualified bulb, America would save enough energy to light 6
million homes, save $600 million in utility bills, and reduce
enough greenhouse gas emissions to equal the removal of 1
million cars from the road. Compact fluorescent light bulbs use
less energy and last up to 10 times longer than standard
incandescent light bulbs, saving money on energy bills and replacement costs.




5. Clothes dryer, washer: $143
Major appliances account for about 13% of a home's energy
use, with a clothes washer and dryer the largest consumer at
6%. Many states have sales tax holidays this summer, making
it a good time to buy energy efficient appliances such as
washers. Washing full loads of laundry in cold water is a good
start to saving money, saving more than $40 annually from an
electric water heater and $30 from a gas water heater. An energy efficient washer will
wring more water out of clothes, cutting drying time in half.

The dryer uses more energy, so using it less will save more. Moisture sensors will turn off a
dryer as soon as the clothes are dry, preventing the common
problem of over-drying clothes. As your mom probably told
you, clean the lint trap before every load, which will increase
drying efficiency.


6. Refrigerator: $95
Using 4% of a home's annual energy doesn't sound like much,
but it's still money out of your pocket that can easily be
reduced. New energy efficient models are so much better than
old ones. Even though new ones are bigger and have more features, they still use much less
energy than older models. "If it's 10 to 15 years old you are losing money all the time you
are running it," Kweller said. And buying a new one, but putting the old one in the garage
and plugging it in, negates the savings. A refrigerator retirement savings calculator can
help determine how much yours costs to run.

Keep it at 35 to 38 degrees Farenheit, allow air circulation behind it, minimize the amount
of time the door is open, keep the fridge full so it won't lose as much coolness when the
door is opened, and check the gaskets around the door. If a piece of paper can easily be
pulled out with the door closed on it, the gaskets may be worn and need to be replaced.


7. Electric oven: $90 per year, although this figure isn't
from the Berkeley study but from an energy use website.
Annual cost is based on using a 350-degree oven for one hour
per day. This is a rough estimate and may be much lower if you
don't use the oven as much.

All else being equal, an oven with a self-cleaning feature will
tend to be better insulated and thus more efficient than one
which does not, according to the Alliance to Save Energy. Also
avoid excessive use of the self-cleaning option, put lids on pans, and use range burners that
are the same size or slightly smaller than the pan being used. Also, replace electric ranges
and ovens with gas ones if possible, and avoid gas ovens and
ranges with continually burning pilot lights.


8. TV, DVD, VCR: $57
These add up to 3% of a home's energy use. One easy way to
save electricity is to plug them all into a power strip and then
turn the strip off when they're not being used, since standby
mode can still use several watts of power. There are devicesthat
will tell you how much energy is being sucked by things you
thought were "off."






9. Dishwasher: $49
Dishwashers are 2% of a typical utility bill and are another easy
area to cut. Rinsing dishes can use up to 20 gallons of water
before the dishes are even loaded, according to the DOE. Just
scrape food off dishes, since Energy Star qualified dishwashers and today's detergents are
designed to do the cleaning so you don't have to. Dishwashers use about the same amount
of energy and water regardless of the number of dishes inside, so run full loads whenever
possible. And turn off the heat drying.





10. Computer: $28
Using a computer and monitor make up 1% of a utility bill.
Simple tips include using a power strip that is turned off when
not in use, and turning off the computer when it won't be used
for more than 30 minutes. When looking to buy a new
computer, remember that laptops use significantly less energy
than desktop models, and LCD flat panel screens use less
energy than the bigger CRT displays.


The energy crisis has given rise to a growing set of energy myths. In this article,
researcher Evan Mills of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Environmental
Energy Technologies Division reviews the myths and then lay out the facts.
Myth: When my appliance is turned off, its off.
Fact: Weve found that most devices continue to consume power when theyre
switched off, sometimes as much power as when theyre on! A surprisingly large
number of electrical products -- from air conditioners to VCRs -- cannot be switched
completely off without unplugging the device. These products draw power 24 hours a
day, often without the knowledge of the consumer. We call this power consumption
"standby power."
Myth: Fluorescent lighting is unhealthy.
Fact: Fluorescent lighting has changed dramatically in the last few years. Todays
fluorescents have greatly improved color quality. And the annoying flicker and hum
has been eliminated from fluorescents that use electronic ballasts. Of course,
fluorescents are more efficient than standard incandescent lighting. Because they
require less electricity, fluorescents generate less power plant pollution, emissions
which have many known health effects. Flourescent lights also contain small amounts
of mercury, and should be disposed of properly. However, even more mercury
releases are avoided thanks to reduced use of the mercury-containing fossil fuels used
to generate electricity. If its been awhile since you tried fluorescent lights, you
might give them another chance.
Myth: Halogen lighting is super-efficient.
Fact: Its true that halogen lights use less energy than standard incandescent bulbs.
However, compact fluorescent lights are nearly three-times as efficient as halogen and
dont have the energy-hogging transformers. Also, halogens require transformers
that can use extra energy, even when the light is off.
Myth: Cleaning refrigerator coils improves efficiency.
Fact: While this seems intuitively logical, and very small savings may indeed arise,
efforts to actually measure this effect on residential refrigerators have typically come
up empty-handed.
Myth: Leaving lights, computers, and other appliances on uses less energy than
turning them off and also makes them last longer.
Fact: The small surge of power created when some devices are turned on is vastly
smaller than the energy used by running the device when it is not needed. While it
used to be the case that cycling appliances and lighting on and off drastically reduced
their useful lifetimes, these problems have been largely overcome through better
design.
Myth: Energy efficiency products increase the initial cost of houses.
Fact: While efficient products usually cost more, in some cases there is no, or even
less initial cost. Most efficient products are also premium products (in terms of
features, warranty, etc.), so it's difficult to say what you are paying for the efficiency.
In some instances, efficiency can even reduce first cost as in the case where smaller
"down-sized" heating and cooling systems can be installed if theyre highly
efficient. Smaller units with high efficiency generate as much heating or cooling
benefit as large, inefficient ones.
Myth: Insulating the ceiling will just cause more heat to leak out of the windows.
Fact: Adding insulation to one part of a home wont increase the "pressure" on heat
losses through other parts. However, it is certainly true that poorly insulated areas will
be the major loser of heat and they often merit attention before improving already
well-insulated parts of the home.
Myth: Switching to electric room heaters will reduce your energy bill.
Fact: This is true only under some circumstances. If you have central electric heating,
then using room heaters will most likely save you money. But, if you have central gas
heating (which is far cheaper per unit of useful heat), you can easily match or even
exceed your heating bill by switching to electrical units. Further details online.
Myth: Electric heating is more efficient than fuel-based heating.
Fact: Its true that all, or almost all, of the electricity that goes into an electric heater
is transformed to useful heat in your home. However, making electricity is an
inefficient process, with as much as two-thirds of the input energy (coal, natural gas,
etc.) being lost in the process. This is why electricity is so much more expensive for
the consumer than direct fuels.
Myth: Buying an efficient air conditioner or furnace will automatically reduce
my utility bill.
Fact: This is true to some extent, but you won't realize all the possible savings if the
equipment is not sized or installed properly. Studies have shown that typical air
conditioner and duct systems are improperly installed, wasting one third or more of
the energy used by the air conditioner. New and replacement equipment (and ducts)
need to be properly designed and installed to realize all the possible savings. The
same caveats about proper installation hold true for insulation, windows and many
other energy-efficiency upgrades.
Myth: Installing foam gaskets in electrical outlets will significantly reduce air
leakage.
Fact: Measurements have shown that less than one percent of a homes air leakage
is due to electrical outlets.


The energy we use is usually measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh); 1 kWh is equal to
1,000 watts working for one hour. In 2001, the entire world consumed 13.9 trillion
kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity [source: Clean-Energy]. Of that global 13.9 trillion
kWh, 25 percent (3.45 trillion kWh) powered electrical devices in the United States
[source: IndexMundi]. And of that 3.45 trillion kWh, 1.14 trillion were used in households
[source: EIA]. That's more than 30 percent of U.S. electricity going to power homes,
which is more than either the commercial or the industrial sector uses [source: EIA].
Why the huge glut of energy consumption in the residential sector? Simple: Home
appliances draw extreme amounts of energy. An appliance rated at 1,000 watts, left on
for one hour, will use 1 kWh of electricity. Now think about all the appliances -- large
and small -- you have in your home.
Over the last 30 years, the efficiency of many appliances has increased dramatically. A
refrigerator manufactured in 1979 consumed between 120 and 300 kWh per month; in a
post-2001 unit, that monthly range is down to 31 to 64 kWh [source: Hawaiian Electric].
But still, refrigerators are a big draw on the energy supply. And they're not alone.
Small appliances like toasters, hair dryers, coffee makers, vacuum cleaners and curling
irons all use more watts than refrigerators do. Ranges and dishwashers do, too (you've
probably noticed a trend -- producing heat takes lots of watts). But these big-watt items
are only on for short periods of time, so they don't use as much power as an appliance
that draws fewer watts but works indefinitely -- like a fridge/freezer or a water heater.
So for the biggest energy hogs in the home, we're left with the household appliances
that we leave running for hours -- or days -- at a time. In this article, we'll take a look at
five of the most energy-hungry appliances in our homes.
No. 5 on the list is refrigerator/freezers. Despite their huge efficiency jump in the last few
decades, they still rank high in energy use.


Thermostat
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the temperature regulating device. For the French cooking oven temperature
scale, see Gas Mark#Other cooking temperature scales.

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please
help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources.
Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2009)


Honeywell's iconic "The Round" model T87 thermostat, one of which is in the Smithsonian.


A Honeywell electronic thermostat in a retail store
A thermostat is a component of a control system which senses the temperature of a system so that
the system's temperature is maintained near a desired setpoint. The thermostat does this by
switching heating or cooling devices on or off, or regulating the flow of a heat transfer fluid as
needed, to maintain the correct temperature. The name is derived from the Greek words thermos
"hot" and statos "a standing".
A thermostat may be a control unit for a heating or cooling system or a component part of
a heater or air conditioner. Thermostats can be constructed in many ways and may use a variety
of sensors to measure the temperature. The output of the sensor then controls the heating or cooling
apparatus. A thermostat may switch on and off at temperatures either side of the setpoint the extent
of the difference is known as hysteresis and prevents too frequent switching of the controlled
equipment.
Early technologies included mercury thermometers with electrodes inserted directly through the
glass, so that when a certain (fixed) temperature was reached the contacts would be closed by the
mercury. These were accurate to within a degree of temperature.
Common sensor technologies in use today include:
Bimetallic mechanical or electrical sensors
Expanding wax pellets
Electronic thermistors and semiconductor devices
Electrical thermocouples
These may then control the heating or cooling apparatus using:
Direct mechanical control
Electrical signals
Pneumatic signals
Contents
[hide]
1 History
2 Mechanical thermostats
o 2.1 Bimetal
o 2.2 Wax pellet
2.2.1 Automotive
2.2.2 Shower and other hot water controls
o 2.3 Gas expansion
o 2.4 Pneumatic thermostats
3 Electrical and analog electronic thermostats
o 3.1 Bimetallic switching thermostats
o 3.2 Simple two wire thermostats
3.2.1 Millivolt thermostats
3.2.2 24 volt thermostats
3.2.3 Line voltage thermostats
4 Digital electronic thermostats
5 Thermostats and HVAC operation
o 5.1 Ignition sequences in modern conventional systems
o 5.2 Combination heating/cooling regulation
o 5.3 Heat pump regulation
o 5.4 Thermostat location
o 5.5 Dummy thermostats
6 See also
7 References
8 External links
History[edit]
Possibly the earliest recorded examples of thermostat control were built by Cornelius
Drebbel around 1620 in England. He invented a mercury thermostat to regulate the temperature of a
chicken incubator.
[1]
This is one of the first recordedfeedback-controlled devices.
Modern thermostat control was developed in the 1830s by Andrew Ure, a Scottish chemist, who
invented the bi-metallic thermostat. The textile mills of the time needed a constant and steady
temperature to operate optimally, so to achieve this, Ure designed the bimetallic thermostat, which
would bend as one of the metals expanded in response to the increased temperature and cut off the
energy supply.
[2]

The first electric room thermostat was invented in 1883 by Warren S. Johnson
of Wisconsin.
[3][4]
Albert Butz invented the electric thermostat and patented it in 1886.
One of the first industrial uses of the thermostat was in the regulation of the temperature in poultry
incubators. Charles Hearson, a British engineer, designed the first modern incubator for eggs that
was taken up for use on poultry farms in 1879. The incubators incorporated an accurate thermostat
to regulate the temperature so as to precisely simulate the experience of an egg being hatched
naturally.
[5]

Mechanical thermostats[edit]
This covers only devices which both sense and control using purely mechanical means.
Bimetal[edit]
Domestic water and steam based central heating systems have traditionally been controlled by bi-
metallic strip thermostats, and this is dealt with later in this article. Purely mechanical control has
been localised steam or hot-water radiator bi-metallic thermostats which regulated the individual
flow. However, Thermostatic Radiator Valves (TRV) are now being widely used.
Purely mechanical thermostats are used to regulate dampers in some rooftop turbine vents,
reducing building heat loss in cool or cold periods.
Some automobile passenger heating systems have a thermostatically controlled valve to regulate
the water flow and temperature to an adjustable level. In older vehicles the thermostat controls the
application of engine vacuum to actuators that control water valves and flappers to direct the flow of
air. In modern vehicles, the vacuum actuators may be operated by small solenoids under the control
of a central computer.
Wax pellet[edit]
Automotive[edit]
Main article: Wax thermostatic element


Car engine thermostat
Perhaps the most common example of purely mechanical thermostat technology in use today is
the internal combustion engine cooling system thermostat, used to maintain the engine near its
optimum operating temperature by regulating the flow ofcoolant to an air-cooled radiator. This type
of thermostat operates using a sealed chamber containing a wax pellet that melts and expands at a
set temperature. The expansion of the chamber operates a rod which opens a valve when the
operating temperature is exceeded. The operating temperature is determined by the composition of
the wax. Once the operating temperature is reached, the thermostat progressively increases or
decreases its opening in response to temperature changes, dynamically balancing the coolant
recirculation flow and coolant flow to the radiator to maintain the engine temperature in the optimum
range.
On many automobile engines, including all Chrysler Group and General Motors products, the
thermostat does not restrict flow to the heater core. The passenger side tank of the radiator is used
as a bypass to the thermostat, flowing through the heater core. This prevents formation of steam
pockets before the thermostat opens, and allows the heater to function before the thermostat opens.
Another benefit is that there is still some flow through the radiator if the thermostat fails.
Shower and other hot water controls[edit]
A thermostatic mixing valve uses a wax pellet to control the mixing of hot and cold water. A common
application is to permit operation of an electric water heater at a temperature hot enough to
kill Legionella bacteria (above 60C/140F), while the output of the valve produces water that is cool
enough to not immediately scald (49C/120F).
Gas expansion[edit]
Thermostats are sometimes used to regulate gas ovens. It consists of a gas-filled bulb connected to
the control unit by a slender copper tube. The bulb is normally located at the top of the oven. The
tube ends in a chamber sealed by a diaphragm. As the thermostat heats up, the gas expands
applying pressure to the diaphragm which reduces the flow of gas to the burner.
Pneumatic thermostats[edit]
A pneumatic thermostat is a thermostat that controls a heating or cooling system via a series of air-
filled control tubes. This "control air" system responds to the pressure changes (due to temperature)
in the control tube to activate heating or cooling when required. The control air typically is maintained
on "mains" at 15-18psi (although usually operable up to 20 psi). Pneumatic thermostats typically
provide output/ branch/ post-restrictor(for single-pipe operation) pressures of 3-15psi which is piped
to the end device (valve/ damper actuator/ Pneumatic-Electric switch, etc.).
[6]

The pneumatic thermostat was invented by Warren Johnson in 1895
[7]
soon after he invented the
electric thermostat. In 2009, Harry Sim was awarded a patent for a pneumatic-to-digital
interface
[8]
that allows pneumatically controlled buildings to be integrated with building automation
systems to provide similar benefits as DDC.
Electrical and analog electronic thermostats[edit]
Bimetallic switching thermostats[edit]


Bimetallic thermostat for buildings.
Water and steam based central heating systems have traditionally had overall control by wall-
mounted bi-metallic strip thermostats. These sense the air temperature using the differential
expansion of two metals to actuate an on/off switch. Typically the central system would be switched
on when the temperature drops below the set point on the thermostat, and switched off when it rises
above, with a few degrees of hysteresis to prevent excessive switching. Bi-metallic sensing is now
being superseded by electronic sensors. A principal use of the bi-metallic thermostat today is in
individual electric convection heaters, where control is on/off, based on the local air temperature and
the set point desired by the user. These are also used on air-conditioners, where local control is
required.
Simple two wire thermostats[edit]


Milivolt thermostat mechanism
The illustration is the interior of a common two wire heat-only household thermostat, used to regulate
a gas-fired heater via an electric gas valve. Similar mechanisms may also be used to control oil
furnaces, boilers, boiler zone valves, electric attic fans, electric furnaces, electric baseboard heaters,
and household appliances such as refrigerators, coffee pots, and hair dryers. The power through the
thermostat is provided by the heating device and may range from millivolts to 240 volts in common
North American construction, and is used to control the heating system either directly (electric
baseboard heaters and some electric furnaces) or indirectly (all gas, oil and forced hot water
systems). Due to the variety of possible voltages andcurrents available at the thermostat, caution
must be taken when selecting a replacement device.
1. Set point control lever. This is moved to the right for a higher temperature. The round
indicator pin in the center of the second slot shows through a numbered slot in the outer
case.
2. Bimetallic strip wound into a coil. The center of the coil is attached to a rotating post attached
to lever (1). As the coil gets colder the moving end carrying (4) moves clockwise.
3. Flexible wire. The left side is connected via one wire of a pair to the heater control valve.
4. Moving contact attached to the bimetal coil. Thence, to the heater's controller.
5. Magnet. This ensures a good contact when the contact closes. It also provides hysteresis to
prevent short heating cycles, as the temperature must be raised several degrees before the
contacts will open. As an alternative, some thermostats instead use a mercury switch on the
end of the bimetal coil. The weight of the mercury on the end of the coil tends to keep it
there, also preventing short heating cycles. However, this type of thermostat is banned in
many countries due to its highly and permanently toxic nature if broken. When replacing
these thermostats they must be regarded as chemical waste.
6. Fixed contact screw. This is adjusted by the manufacturer. It is connected electrically by a
second wire of the pair to the thermocouple and the heater's electrically operated gas valve.
Not shown in the illustration is a separate bimetal thermometer on the outer case to show the actual
temperature at the thermostat.
Millivolt thermostats[edit]
As illustrated in the use of the thermostat above, all of the power for the control system is provided
by a thermopile which is a combination of many stacked thermocouples, heated by the pilot light.
The thermopile produces sufficient electrical power to drive a low-power gas valve, which under
control of one or more thermostat switches, in turn controls the input of fuel to the burner.
This type of device is generally considered obsolete as pilot lights can waste a surprising amount of
gas (in the same way a dripping faucet can waste a large amount of water over an extended period),
and are also no longer used on stoves, but are still to be found in many gas water heaters and gas
fireplaces. Their poor efficiency is acceptable in water heaters, since most of the energy "wasted" on
the pilot still represents a direct heat gain for the water tank. The Millivolt system also makes it
unnecessary for a special electrical circuit to be run to the water heater or furnace; these systems
are often completely self-sufficient and can run without any external electrical power supply. For
tankless "on demand" water heaters, pilot ignition is preferable because it is faster than hot-surface
ignition and more reliable than spark ignition.
Some programmable thermostats - those that offer simple "millivolt" or "two-wire" modes - will control
these systems.
24 volt thermostats[edit]
The majority of modern heating/cooling/heat pump thermostats operate on low voltage (typically 24
volts AC) control circuits. The source of the 24 volt AC power is a control transformer installed as
part of the heating/cooling equipment. The advantage of the low voltage control system is the ability
to operate multiple electromechanical switching devices such asrelays, contactors, and sequencers
using inherently safe voltage and current levels.
[9]
Built into the thermostat is a provision for
enhanced temperature control using anticipation. A heat anticipator generates a small amount of
additional heat to the sensing element while the heating appliance is operating. This opens the
heating contacts slightly early to prevent the space temperature from greatly overshooting the
thermostat setting. A mechanical heat anticipator is generally adjustable and should be set to the
current flowing in the heating control circuit when the system is operating. A cooling anticipator
generates a small amount of additional heat to the sensing element while the cooling appliance is
not operating. This causes the contacts to energize the cooling equipment slightly early, preventing
the space temperature from climbing excessively. Cooling anticipators are generally non-adjustable.
Electromechanical thermostats use resistance elements as anticipators. Most electronic thermostats
use either thermistor devices or integrated logic elements for the anticipation function. In some
electronic thermostats, the thermistor anticipator may be located outdoors, providing a variable
anticipation depending on the outdoor temperature. Thermostat enhancements include outdoor
temperature display, programmability, and system fault indication. While such 24 volt thermostats
are incapable of operating a furnace when the mains power fails, most such furnaces require mains
power for heated air fans (and often also hot-surface or electronic spark ignition) so no functionality
is lost. In other circumstances such as piloted wall and "gravity" (fanless) floor and central heaters
the low voltage system described previously may be capable of remaining functional when electrical
power is unavailable.
Terminal codes and colors:
Terminal
Code
Color Description
R Red 24 volt
RH / RC Red 24 volt HEAT / COOL load
C / X Blue 24 volt Common (Ground)
W / W1 White Heat
W2 White Backup Heat
Y / Y1 Yellow Cool
Y2 Purple/Yellow/White Cool Second Stage
G Green Fan
O / OB Orange Reversing valve (Heat Pump)
E

Emergency Heat (Heat Pump)
S1/S2 Brown/Black/Blue
Temperature Sensor (Usually outdoors on a Heat
Pump System)
Line voltage thermostats[edit]
Line voltage thermostats are most commonly used for electric space heaters such as
a baseboard heater or a direct-wired electric furnace. If a line voltage thermostat is used, system
power (in the United States, 120 or 240 volts) is directly switched by the thermostat. With
switching current often exceeding 40 amperes, using a low voltage thermostat on a line voltage
circuit will result at least in the failure of the thermostat and possibly a fire. Line voltage thermostats
are sometimes used in other applications, such as the control of fan-coil (fan powered from line
voltage blowing through a coil of tubing which is either heated or cooled by a larger system) units in
large systems using centralized boilers and chillers, or to control circulation pumps in hydronic
heating applications.
Some programmable thermostats are available to control line-voltage systems. Baseboard heaters
will especially benefit from a programmable thermostat which is capable of continuous control (as
are at least some Honeywell models), effectively controlling the heater like a lamp dimmer, and
gradually increasing and decreasing heating to ensure an extremely constant room temperature
(continuous control rather than relying on the averaging effects of hysteresis). Systems which
include a fan (electric furnaces, wall heaters, etc.) must typically use simple on/off controls.
Digital electronic thermostats[edit]
See also: Programmable thermostat


Residential digital thermostat


Lux Products' Model TX900TS Touch Screen Thermostat.
Newer digital thermostats have no moving parts to measure temperature and instead rely
on thermistors or other semiconductor devices such as a resistance thermometer (resistance
temperature detector). Typically one or more regularbatteries must be installed to operate it,
although some so-called "power stealing" digital thermostats use the common 24 volt AC circuits as
a power source, but will not operate on thermopile powered "millivolt" circuits used in some furnaces.
Each has an LCD screen showing the current temperature, and the current setting. Most also have
a clock, and time-of-day and even day-of-week settings for the temperature, used
for comfort and energy conservation. Some advanced models have touch screens, or the ability to
work with home automation or building automation systems.
Digital thermostats use either a relay or a semiconductor device such as triac to act as switch to
control the HVAC unit. Units with relays will operate millivolt systems, but often make an audible
"click" noise when switching on or off.
More expensive models have a built-in PID controller, so that the thermostat knows ahead how the
system will react to its commands. For instance, setting it up that temperature in the morning at
7 a.m. should be 21C, makes sure that at that time the temperature will be 21C, where a
conventional thermostat would just start working at that time. The PID controller decides at what time
the system should be activated in order to reach the desired temperature at the desired time. It also
makes sure that the temperature is very stable (for instance, by reducing overshoots
[citation needed]
).
Most digital thermostats in common residential use in North America and Europe areprogrammable
thermostats, which will typically provide a 30% energy savings if left with their default programs;
adjustments to these defaults may increase or reduce energy savings.
[citation
needed]
The programmable thermostat article provides basic information on the operation, selection
and installation of such a thermostat.
Thermostats and HVAC operation[edit]
Ignition sequences in modern conventional systems[edit]
Gas
1. Start drafting fan (if the furnace is relatively recent) to create a column of air flowing
up the chimney
2. Heat ignitor or start spark-ignition system
3. Open gas valve to ignite main burners
4. Wait (if furnace is relatively recent) until the heat exchanger is at proper operating
temperature before starting main blower fan or circulator pump
Oil
1. Similar to gas, except rather than opening a valve, the furnace will start an oil pump
to inject oil into the burner
Electric
1. The blower fan or circulator pump will be started, and a large electromechanical
relay or TRIAC will turn on theheating elements
Coal (including grains such as corn, wheat, and barley, or pellets made of wood,
bark, or cardboard)
1. Generally rare today (though grains and pellets are increasing in popularity); similar
to gas, except rather than opening a valve, the furnace will start a screw to drive
coal/grain/pellets into the firebox
With non-zoned (typical residential, one thermostat for the whole house) systems,
when the thermostat's R (or Rh) and W terminals are connected, the furnace will go
through its startup rituals and produce heat.
With zoned systems (some residential, many commercial systems several
thermostats controlling different "zones" in the building), the thermostat will cause
small electric motors to open valves or dampers and start the furnace or boiler if it's
not already running.
Most programmable thermostats will control these systems.
Combination heating/cooling regulation[edit]
Depending on what is being controlled, a forced-air air conditioning thermostat
generally has an external switch for heat/off/cool, and another on/auto to turn
the blower fan on constantly or only when heating and cooling are running.
Fourwires come to the centrally-located thermostat from the main heating/cooling
unit (usually located in a closet, basement, or occasionally in the attic): One wire
usually red, supplies 24 volts AC power to the thermostat, while the other three
supply control signals from the thermostat, usually white for heat, yellow for cooling,
and green to turn on the blower fan. The power is supplied by a transformer, and
when the thermostat makes contact between the 24 volt power and one or two of
the other wires, a relay back at the heating/cooling unit activates the corresponding
heat/fan/cool function of the unit(s).
A thermostat, when set to "cool", will only turn on when the ambient temperature of
the surrounding room is above the set temperature. Thus, if the controlled space
has a temperature normally above the desired setting when the heating/cooling
system is off, it would be wise to keep the thermostat set to "cool", despite what the
temperature is outside. On the other hand, if the temperature of the controlled area
falls below the desired degree, then it is advisable to turn the thermostat to "heat".
Heat pump regulation[edit]


Thermostat design
The heat pump is a refrigeration based appliance which reverses refrigerant flow
between the indoor and outdoor coils. This is done by energizing a reversing
valve(also known as a "4-way" or "change-over" valve). During cooling, the indoor
coil is an evaporator removing heat from the indoor air and transferring it to the
outdoor coil where it is rejected to the outdoor air. During heating, the outdoor coil
becomes the evaporator and heat is removed from the outdoor air and transferred
to the indoor air through the indoor coil. The reversing valve, controlled by the
thermostat, causes the change-over from heat to cool. Residential heat pump
thermostats generally have an "O" terminal to energize the reversing valve in
cooling. Some residential and many commercial heat pump thermostats use a "B"
terminal to energize the reversing valve in heating. The heating capacity of a heat
pump decreases as outdoor temperatures fall. At some outdoor temperature (called
the balance point) the ability of the refrigeration system to transfer heat into the
building falls below the heating needs of the building. A typical heat pump is fitted
with electric heating elements to supplement the refrigeration heat when the outdoor
temperature is below this balance point. Operation of the supplemental heat is
controlled by a second stage heating contact in the heat pump thermostat. During
heating, the outdoor coil is operating at a temperature below the outdoor
temperature and condensation on the coil may take place. This condensation may
then freeze onto the coil, reducing its heat transfer capacity. Heat pumps therefore
have a provision for occasional defrost of the outdoor coil. This is done by reversing
the cycle to the cooling mode, shutting off the outdoor fan, and energizing the
electric heating elements. The electric heat in defrost mode is needed to keep the
system from blowing cold air inside the building. The elements are then used in the
"reheat" function. Although the thermostat may indicate the system is in defrost and
electric heat is activated, the defrost function is not controlled by the thermostat.
Since the heat pump has electric heat elements for supplemental and reheats, the
heat pump thermostat provides for use of the electric heat elements should the
refrigeration system fail. This function is normally activated by an "E" terminal on the
thermostat. When in emergency heat, the thermostat makes no attempt to operate
the compressor or outdoor fan.
Thermostat location
The thermostat should not be located on an outside wall or where it could be
exposed to direct sunlight at any time during the day. It should be located away from
the room's cooling or heating vents or device, yet exposed to general airflow from
the room(s) to be regulated.
[10]
An open hallway may be most appropriate for a
single zone system, where living rooms and bedrooms are operated as a single
zone. If the hallway may be closed by doors from the regulated spaces then these
should be left open when the system is in use. If the thermostat is too close to the
source controlled then the system will tend to "short cycle", and numerous starts
and stops can be annoying and in some cases shorten equipment life. A multiple
zoned system can save considerable energy by regulating individual spaces,
allowing unused rooms to vary in temperature by turning off the heating and cooling.
Dummy thermostats
It has been reported that many thermostats in office buildings are non-functional
dummy devices, installed to give tenants' employees an illusion of
control.
[11][12]
These dummy thermostats are in effect a type of placebo button.
However, these thermostats are often fully functional in the sense that they are used
to detect the temperature in the zone, even though their controls are disabled and
not used in lieu of the environmental controls of the building. This function is often
referred to as "lockout".
[13]





What uses more
energy, heat or AC?
BY JOSHUA KEATING
MAY 10, 2013 - 11:25 AM



As the weather starts to heat up here in D.C., local businesses will begin
keeping the temperature at refrigerator-like levels of coolness. When it
comes to energy use and environmental impact, air conditioning tends to
get more heat, so to speak, but as the University of Michigan's Michael
Sivak finds, the heating needs of people in the frigid north are
actually more of a problem:
Energy demand for climate control was analyzed for Miami (the
warmest large metropolitan area in the US) and Minneapolis (the coldest
large metropolitan area). The following relevant parameters were
included in the analysis: (1) climatological deviations from the desired
indoor temperature as expressed in heating and cooling degree days, (2)
efficiencies of heating and cooling appliances, and (3) efficiencies of
power-generating plants. The results indicate that climate control in
Minneapolis is about 3.5 times as energy demanding as in Miami.
This finding suggests that, in the US, living in cold climates is more
energy demanding than living in hot climates.[...]
To the surprise of many, air conditioners are more energy efficient than
furnaces or boilers. Another way of stating this is that it takes less
energy to cool down an interior space by one degree than to heat it up by
one degree. This is the case, because (in layman's terms) it takes less
energy to transfer heat (air conditioners) than to generate heat (furnaces
and boilers).[...]
The traditional discussion of climatology and energy demand
concentrates on the energy demands for cooling in hot climates.
However, the present results indicate that the focus should be paid to the
opposite end of the scale as well: In the US, living in cold climates (e.g.,
in Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Rochester, Buffalo, and Chicago) is more
energy demanding than is living in hot climates (e.g., in Miami,
Phoenix, Tampa, Orlando, or Las Vegas).
On the other hand, world demand for air conditioning is soaring --
potentially growing as much as 40-fold this century -- as temperatures
rise and middle classes grow in formerly poor warm-weather countries,
while the demand the global demand for heating is relatively constant.
Air conditioners are becoming more efficient but perhaps not fast
enough to keep up with this growth.

20 tips to save energy
Cebu Daily NewsFirst Posted 15:40:00 08/04/2008Filed Under: Consumer Issues, Energy &
Resources
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ADVERTISEMENT
In light of the surging energy crisis, the Cebu Chamber of Commerce
and Industry (CCCI) appeals to the public to observe the energy
efficient practices.
CCCI gathered suggestions from its member companies to share fuel and energy saving
measures. The results were trimmed to 20 practical methods that could be done easily in the
workplace and homes.
1. Always turn off the lights when leaving a room.

2. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs. They use less electricity and last up to 10 times longer
than incandescent bulbs.

3. Make sure that bulbs, fixtures, lenses, lamps and reflective surfaces are cleaned regularly. By
removing the grease, dust and other dirt, you can increase the output of your lights.

4. Refrigerator accounts for 11 percent of a household's total energy consumption. Today's
energy-efficient refrigerators use 50 percent less energy than old models.

5. Organize food on refrigerator shelves to allow ample airflow and efficient operation.

6. Chest freezers are more energy efficient than upright models. Cold air stays in better when the
door is opened.

7. A room air conditioner filter should be cleaned once per quarter. A dirty air filter reduces
airflow and may even damage the unit.

8. A poorly performing air conditioner should be serviced without delay. A leaking refrigerant
not only reduces the unit's efficiency, it also emits greenhouse gases that contribute to climate
change.

9. Using a microwave oven instead of a conventional oven can save 50?percent of cooking
energy costs. Microwave ovens cook food faster than conventional ovens.

10. Oven toaster uses much less energy than a conventional oven. It is also faster and more
convenient for cooking small quantities of food.

11. Iron clothes in bulk once a week.

12. Give your car a break. Combine trips whenever possible. Use mass transit, walk or bike
whenever possible. Leaving your car at home just two days a week will save 1,590 pounds of
greenhouse gas emissions each year.

13. Always maintain your car to maximize its fuel efficiency, safety and reliability.

14. Refrain from charging cellular phones when the battery is not yet fully empty. This does not
only save energy, it also prevents damage on your cellular phones.

15. Unplug any battery chargers or power adapters when not in use.

16. Activate ?sleep? features on computers, copiers and other machines that power down when
the equipment is on but not in use for a while. Turn off equipment during long periods of non-
use to cut energy costs.

17. Use lap top computers since they use up to 90 percent less energy than a standard computer.

18. Consider using ink-jet printers which also use 90 percent less energy than laser printers.

19. Choose a flat-panel computer monitor rather than a regular cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor.
Some flat-panel liquid crystal display monitors use considerably less electricity than
comparably-sized CRT models. Prices for LCD monitors have been dropping. Buy the smallest
monitor. The bigger the monitor, the more energy it uses. A 17-inch monitor consumes 35
percent more electricity than a 14-inch monitor.

20. Implement paper-reducing strategies, such as double-sided printing, re-using paper and
using e-mail instead of sending memos or faxing documents to save energy and conserve other
resources.


Efficiency how to: 12 clever ways to save lots of electricity and money (and by the way: also the
planet) 'The clever way: better with less'
Heating and cooling
This web page concentrates on electricity use in households. It should, however, be noted that in
moderate and cold climate zones, space heating takes up at least half of the overall energy use.
Therefore, proper insulation and ventilation is the first and most important energy saving measure. It
can reduce heating needs to one-third (about 50 kWh heat/m2/y) or even one tenth (less than 15
kWh heat/m2/y) of what an average house would need. Remarkably, a properly insulated house,
which only needs a third of the heat to keep you warm, will not be more expensive to build. The extra
investments in insulation, ventilation and high-efficiency glazing, can be offset by a smaller and
cheaper heating system. An efficient house will also be healthier and more comfortable to live in - it
avoids 'cold radiation' (as from windows), the differences of temperature between heated and non-
heated rooms is less, and it can be more efficiently ventilated.
In hot regions, energy use for active cooling (air conditioning) can be minimised or even avoided if the
construction is well-thought out. In a moderated climate, active cooling can always be avoided.
Electricity
Electricity consumption in households differs immensely throughout the world. Even within the OECD
(industrialised countries), an average European household consumes 4,667 kWh, whereas a household
in the US consumes 11,209 kWh and in Japan 5,945kWh per year . A US household uses three times
more electricity for lighting, and twice as much in refrigerators than in the EU. This does not
necessarily reflect a difference in comfort. As we will explain, there are high efficiency appliances that
consume two to 10 times less electricity for an equal functionality, and that are most often also of
higher quality. Using only highly efficient and money saving appliances can reduce the electricity
consumption of an average household to as low as 1,300 kWh/y, without any loss of comfort. This is
almost 10 times less than the US average.

Try to minimise electricity use: its generation needs a lot of energy, mostly heat produced in coal, gas
or nuclear plants. Using electric hot water heaters or space heating is extremely inefficient. At the
power plant, some 60 percent of the energy is lost as waste heat. Another 10 percent is lost in
electricity lines and transformers before the electricity even reaches your home.

1. Use efficient lighting
Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents (CFLs). Compact fluorescents use four times
less energy, and last eight times longer (8,000h instead of 1,000h) than incandescent light bulbs. For
example, a typical 75W incandescent bulb will be replaced by an 18W compact fluorescent. The
compact fluorescent will be more expensive to buy, but you will need to replace it eight times less
often and it will use less electricity, which often makes it the biggest electricity saver in your house.
At a minimum, we recommend replacing the bulbs in all lamps that are used for 30min/day or more.
Fluorescent tubes are even more efficient than compact fluorescent lamps, and last even longer
(10,000-20,000h). Only use tubes with a modern ballast starter that avoids flickering and lights
immediately - good ones add another 20 percent efficiency. Another option is a CFL with a dedicated
fixture. The electronic ballast which is part of the fixture lasts 40,000 hours and bulbs can be replaced
separately at lower cost. Both CFLs and fluorescent tubes are available in a dimmable fixtures. This
can increase comfort, save even more energy and extend the lifetime of the bulb.
Especially avoid halogen floor lamps, which typically have a power of 300W or more, produce lots of
heat and are actually so hot (some 500 Celsius) that they can cause serious burns and start fires.
Besides, on hot summer days they are very uncomfortable to be around. A CFL floor lamp only uses
50-80W at 40 Celsius. They can save loads of energy and even your life.
Also pay attention to the light fixtures. Clever use of reflectors, and directional lamps to get the light
where you need it can save you another 50 percent energy cost and improve your comfort! Well
thought out use of efficient lights can thus reduce electricity needs up to 8 times.
CFLs at the end of their operating life should be disposed of properly so the mercury inside can be
recycled. To be clear, even if not recycled, CFLs are still the better choice, since the inefficiency of
incandescent and halogen lights causes far greater environmental damage - including mercury
emissions from coal fired power plants. (But please do recycle the CFLs.)
Also, conversion to efficient lighting often leads to an increase in the use of light. To some degree,
this can be a positive effect, as it can increase comfort and your well-being. But it can also lead to
wasting light, such as leaving lamps on when there is no need to (e.g. when you leave the room). This
is reinforced by the misconception that turning CLFs on and off is expensive. As a general rule,
always turn off the lights when you leave the room or the house.
For more information see the Rocky Mountains Institute.
2. Buy efficient electric appliances.
They use two to 10 times less electricity for the same functionality, and are mostly higher quality
products that last longer than the less efficient ones. In short, efficient appliances save you lots of
energy and money.
In many countries, efficiency rating labels are mandatory on most appliances. In the EU, models are
labelled A++ for the most efficient, then A+, A, B, C, D for subsequently less efficient models. Look
for the A++ or A+ models. In the US, the Energy Star label is used.
The label gives you information on the annual electricity consumption. In the paragraphs below, we
provide some indication of the consumption of the most efficient appliances to use as a rough guide
when shopping. Lists of brands and models and where to find them are country-specific and so cannot
be listed here, but check the links on this page for more detailed information.
Average consumption of electric appliances in different regions in the world, compared with the high
efficient models on the market
3. Refrigerators:
Buy a high efficiency refrigerator that consumes around 100 kWh/y. This is 10 times less than the
average in the US, and four times less than the EU average.
Remarkably, energy consumption by the most efficient refrigerator models is largely unrelated to their
size. The most efficient 400-litre fridge on the market today only consumes 106kWh/y.
These efficient refrigerators are about 5-15 percent more expensive to buy, but will save you loads of
money and energy in use. In general, they are also high quality products that will last longer, will
need less repairing and make less noise.
Avoid refrigerators with a built-in frozen food compartment, if you have a separate freezer. These
models are less efficient and you loose cooling space.
4. Freezers:
For most home consumers it is better to buy a two door refrigerator/freezer combination with separate
compartments, than a separate refrigerator and freezer. Refrigerator/freezer combinations where the
freezer is at the top or bottom of the unit are generally better than ones with side by side doors. Of
course, you should always compare energy consumption ratings, pay attention to energy efficiency
labels (see above), and look for Greenfreeze technology.
This award-winning two door refrigerator/freezer only consumes 137kWh/year.
Chest type models are more efficient than uprights.
Unlike refrigerators, with freezers size does matter. Larger freezers do need more electricity. So don't
buy a freezer that is larger than you need, especially if you live close to the store.
The most efficient models on the market will only use 180 kWh for a 300 litre chest, and 240 kWh/y
for a large 450 litre freezer chest. The best upright models range from 170 kWh for a 190 litre model
to 220 kWh for a 310 litre model.
5. Clothes washing machines
Buy a high-efficiency model with a power consumption of less than 0.9 kWh/washing cycle.
Consider a 'hot fill' model which connects directly to your efficient gas-fired water heater. Using gas to
heat the water almost halves electricity consumption.. Installing a hot fill appliance needs to be done
correctly, so good advice is required.
Check the energy label. The EU A+/A/A label will guarantee you the best energy efficiency and
washing and drying result.
If using a clothes dryer, make sure that your washing machine can spin at 1600 or even 1800 rpm.
The most efficient washing machines save some 1,500 litres of water per year - a double gain!
6. Clothes dryers
Traditional clothes dryers are very energy intensive. So-called 'condensation' models - without an
exhaust tube - use even more energy.
Consider drying the natural way (i.e. on a clothes line outdoors) if practical, this will save you 3-4
kWh/washing cycle.
If line drying is not an option, first make sure that your washing machine can spin at 1600 or even
1800 rpm. This will almost halve the energy needed for drying. Drying through spinning is 20 times
less energy intensive than with heat.
There are two clothes-drying technologies that use far less energy: the gas-fired clothes dryer and the
dryer with an electric heat pump. The gas-fired dryer is the best alternative, especially for more
intensive use: it uses 60 percent less energy (including the gas) and dries 40 percent faster. If gas is
not available, consider a dryer with a heat pump. A heat pump dryer will use half the electricity of a
traditional dryer. However, heat pumps can be rather expensive.
7. Dishwashers
An efficient dishwasher consumes no more than one kWh/washing cycle, compared with 1.4 kWh for
an average model.
Consider a 'hot fill' model which connects directly to your efficient gas fired hot water heater. That
way, gas is used to heat the water instead of electricity, thereby reducing electricity consumption by
50 percent, or even up to 90 percent for the top models. This is because gas is almost twice as
efficient for heating water as electricity. Note that installing a 'hot fill' needs to be done properly so
good advice is required.
8. Computers and IT
Buy a laptop instead of a desktop, if practical. It consumes five times less electricity.
If you buy a desktop, get an LCD screen instead of an outdated CRT.
Enable the power management function on your computer, the screensaver does not save energy.
Check if your computer supports the more advanced Speedstep power management.
Switching off a computer extends its lifetime, contrary to some misconceptions. Leaving a computer
running the whole year will cost you more than 1,000 kWh/y, or almost as much a the total electricity
consumption of a high-efficiency household.
Use one large power strip for your computer, broadband modem, scanner, printer, monitor, and
speakers. Switch it off when equipment is not in use. This is a practical way to cut 200 kWh/y or more
of standby losses (see standby).
Minimise printing. Laser printers use more electricity than inkjet printers.
For more information see Greencampus Harvard and the Rocky Mountains Institute.
9. Cut off standby losses ("The vicious energy-suckers")
Most modern electric appliances consume electricity even when turned off. For TVs, VCRs, faxes, HiFis,
computer screens, cable boxes, and broadband modems this is on average some 40 - 120 kWh/y. In
total, household losses can reach several hundreds kWhs/y, all for doing nothing useful.
The best solution is to buy appliances that have a very low standby energy consumption. Standby
power consumption is mentioned in the product manual and can be checked before buying. Or you can
look for it on specialised websites (see links). For most appliances, it should be around 0.5 - 1
watts/hour or 4-8 kWh/year. Keep in mind that the cost of wasted standby energy over a model's
lifetime can be higher than the cost of buying it!
A power strip is also the most practical way to switch of VCR, TV and DVD-player stand-by losses (you
can cut off all three devices at once).
The multi socket power strip: a practical way to combat stand-by losses. This model costs only 1.8
euro and can save you more than 100kWh/y!
In the 15 countries of the EU in 2000, the total energy lost to standby in households was estimated at
94 billion kWh, or the equivalent of 12 large nuclear or coal power plants. The fast growth of
inefficient ICT and multimedia applications could nearly double this in 10 years.
10. Do not use an electric boiler (hot water heater) for hot water ("Heat the water, not the sky!")
An electric boiler consumes about 3,200 kWh/y (average OECD). But producing that electricity in
highly inefficient gas, coal or nuclear plants, and then transmitting that electricity down the power line
to your home costs some 9,600 kWh in electricity wasted as heat - so roughly 2/3rds of the energy is
lost before it even reaches your home. Using gas or oil directly to heat water reduces energy use to
3,800 kWh.
A solar boiler can further halve that figure to 1,900 kWh in a moderate climate zone (and even less in
sunny regions) - for a total energy savings of about five times what the electric boiler uses. However,
do not use a solar boiler combined with an electric heating, as this will be less efficient than a gas
boiler alone - the energy cost of the electric heating usually wipes out the savings gained by the solar
boiler.
11. Use a water-saving shower head
The water-saving shower head delivers high comfort for only half of the water use (5-7 litres/min.
Instead of 10-18 litres/min.).
Hot water is the second most important area of energy use in a household, after space heating, and
thus needs extra attention. An efficient shower head can save almost 1,500 kWh electricity/y if an
electric boiler is used, or 1,900 kWh heat if a gas or oil boiler/geyser is used. All this for just a few
dollars/euros extra when you buy the showerhead. Over its lifetime of 10 years, a showerhead will
also save some 70,000 litres of water.
Using a water-saving showerhead, combined with a solar boiler reduces energy needs to some 950
kWh heat (gas or oil), or almost 10 times less than when an electric boiler is used with a traditional
shower head!
12. Do not use electric space heating
Same reasons as for the electric boiler. Instead add insulation, and (ideally) heat your house using a
renewable energy solution like solar thermal. However, gas heating is still far better than electric
heating.
Interested in doing more? Check out more green living tips from Greenpeace in Canada.
To learn more about energy efficiency you can visit the following links:

Asia Energy Revolution

Blogging for Greenpeace: Do your part

Check out our animations section for some fun and helpful tips on living green
\
5 Surprising Ways to Lower Your
MERALCO Bill
Is your electric bill spiraling out of control?
For most households, utility bills make up a huge chunk of their
monthly expenses. And it doesnt matter if its summer season or not;
Electric bill will always remain as long as our need for comfort and
convenience exists.
But you dont need to keep pulling your hair out over a
skyrocketing MERALCO bill. As long as you have the will to change
some habits and learn few money-saving tips from now on, a lower
MERALCO bill is just one leap away.
Listed below are some of the lesser known tipid tips you can apply on
your appliances today. Please take note that refrigerator, lighting
fixtures, and air-conditioning units consume the most energy so
emphasis have been given to them.

Keep your refrigerator full (but not
TOO full)

Refrigerators eat up 15 to 20 percent of household electricity. For this
reason, extra care must be observed both in buying and maintaining
one.
We all know that frequently opening the refrigerator can cause heat to
enter the unit. And the more heat trapped inside, the higher the
operating cost will be.
But the effect is doubled once you leave your refrigerator empty. This
is because more space in the unit means more cold air will escape
once the door is opened.
To keep the coolness intact, it is recommended to fill both the
refrigerator and the freezer with necessary items like bottled water.
These will displace the empty air and avoid unnecessary energy waste
every time the door is opened. Just be extra careful not to overload it,
though, because too much stuff in your ref can also take its toll on
your electric bill.
Bonus tip: If youre shopping for new refrigerator, choose a unit with
high Energy Efficiency Factor or EEF. This information is usually printed
in a yellow label attached in every unit. The higher the EEF, the more
cost- and energy-efficient the refrigerator is. [Image source]


Avoid oversized aircons

Especially during summer, air-conditioning units are one of the most
indispensable appliances in the house. But the convenience it brings
requires a hefty price. In fact, a 1.5 horsepower consumes electricity
that costs around 2, 413 pesos per month.
Needless to say, choosing the right aircon unit that suits your room is
one of the best decisions you can make from the get-go.
As a standard, rooms with a size of 10 sq. meters and below must
stick to the conventional window-type aircon. Rooms of up to 18 sq.
m, on the other hand, will find 1.0 HP inverter split-type aircon as a
more efficient alternative. This aircon uses an inverter technology that
allows the compressor to do automatic adjustment once the desired
temperature is achieved. In other words, it will slow down to maintain
room temperature without the need for the compressor to switch on
and off. As a result, cool temperature is maintained while less power is
consumed.
Bonus tip: As much as possible, avoid placing heat-generating
appliances such as lamps and TV sets near the aircon unit. The heat
coming from these items will be recognized by the thermostat and
significantly affect how much energy the aircon consumes. [Image
source]


Goodbye incandescent bulbs, Hello
CFLs

Does changing your light bulbs becoming a pain in the ass?
If you cant count how many times you have visited the local
hardware, chances are you still use those low-cost incandescent bulbs.
Although more costly, compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) are much
cheaper if you consider their long-term benefits. CFLs last eight times
longer and use 75% less energy that their cheaper counterparts. In
fact, a 16-watt CFL produces the same light as a 60-watt
incandescent bulb at the fraction of the cost. In addition to that, CFLs
are covered with warranty so you can easily replace one for free in
case it blows up.
Bonus tip: You can opt to buy dimmer switches along with your light
bulbs if you seriously want to cut down on your utility bills. Dimmers
help in lowering down wattage while giving you more control over
lighting quality. [Image source]


Switch to induction cooking

Compared to gas stoves, induction cookers are more expensive in
terms of initial cost. But just like in the case of CFLs, induction cookers
promise a safer and more energy-efficient way of cooking.
Although in runs in electricity, induction cookers prevent excessive
heat transfer in the atmosphere. As a result, both refrigerators and
aircon units wont need to work twice harder to eliminate the heat.
Inductive cookers operate under electromagnetic induction, a process
wherein 82% of the heat is directly transferred to the cooking vessel.
This is in stark contrast with gas stoves which can waste up to 64% of
heat during the cooking process.
Bonus tip: To avoid overworking your refrigerator, place it away from
heat sources such as ovens and gas stoves. [Image source]


Use an electricity cost calculator

Wondering why your MERALCO bill is getting out of control? Perhaps
its about time to look closer on your consuming habits and pinpoint
where and when the highest energy goes into waste.
And this is when using electricity cost calculator becomes even
more essential.
In the case of MERALCO, a free computer application is currently
available in their website. This MERALCO Appliance Calculator or
M.A.C. offers two options: The My Appliance Calculator and My Bill
Manager.
My Appliance Calculator gives you an idea of how much energy a
specific type of appliance unit can consume. This option will help those
who are just trying to decide which type of appliance units to buy.
My Bill Manager, on the other hand, gives you an estimate of your
monthly electricity bill. It lets you know how much energy you
consume for every appliance unit and therefore help you do the
necessary adjustment to reduce consumption.


What are your energy-saving tips?
WORDS WORTH By Mons Romulo (The Philippine Star) | Updated May 18, 2014 - 12:00am
0 1 googleplus0 0
In school we are taught how to conserve energy. At home we were constantly reminded
by our elders to always turn off the lights, electric fans, aircons and computers when not
in use. But as years have gone by, more new electrical devices have been developed
and we have started to consume more and more energy than before.
Wasting energy is like wasting money. We need to conserve energy because the
energy sources we depend on like coal and natural gas cant be replaced. The
electricity that we use comes from nuclear power, coal power plants. When burned they
emit carbon dioxide, which is harmful to humans and the environment. Saving energy
not only saves us money but the environment as well.
Read on as some personalities share tips on how we can conserve energy.

Lila Almario, shoe designer
When cooking Italian, after dropping the pasta in boiling water, shut off the stove and
cover the pot with a lid. Time it and stir once in a while then test it for desired doneness.
Same thing with boiling eggs.
Lifestyle Feature ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch:
At bedtime, you can turn the timer of the air-conditioner on so that it automatically shuts
off after several hours. You wake up to a cool room without having to get up, and you
saved kilowatt hours, too.

Annie Ringor, president, Bridges@com
I changed all my households light bulbs to LED and bought all the energy-efficient
appliances from Samsung. Our ironing day is reduced to just once a week, and we also
unplug all electrical appliances/gadgets whenever we go out of town.

Paraaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez
In our Bagong Paraaque Program, we encourage people to turn off and unplug
electrical appliances rather than putting it on standby mode; use fluorescent light
instead of incandescent bulb or LED if possible; unfurl curtains and open windows to let
sunlight and fresh air in minimizing the use of electrical lighting; put just the right amount
of water to boil when making coffee or if you have a vacuum flask put the excess hot
water in it and walk, rather than ride a vehicle.
Loud sounds and high volume also consume a lot of energy and are stressful to our ear.
Lower volume to what is enough to hear.

Atty. Mela Bengzon
Go green in the kitchen. Renewable energy is currently the latest trend in business, and
in the legal profession. With the recent gas leak in New York that caused a building to
collapse, there now exists an imperative need to have a grasp on how to be energy-
efficient and safe, especially in the kitchen.
Have high-quality pots and pans copper-bottom or cast-iron are best; while baking,
never open the oven door; always check for cracks or tears or, even signs of wear and
tear, on your oven or furnace doors. If you smell a foul odor like that of rotten eggs, you
may have a gas leak. Leave the area right away, and call proper authorities.

Congressman Dato Arroyo
Instead of turning the lights on during the day, you can keep the windows and/or doors
clear and uncovered so that the sunlight filters in.

Eileen Macapagal De Leon, entreprenuer
The blinking lights on fax machines, phones, printers and other appliances is 15 percent
of your electric bill. So, I unplug my appliances, computer (and other gadgets) when not
in use instead of standby or sleep mode. Also turning the refrigerator thermostat down
by two levels consumes less energy.

Yvette Fernandez, editor in chief, Town & Country
I bike to and from my exercise classes since I dont live too far away. That burns extra
calories. I wish I could bike to work and elsewhere but the pollution on EDSA is just too
bad. I wish they had bike lanes in Manila. I used to live in New York, and I would bike or
walk to places whenever possible.

Maxine Eigenman, actress, podcast host
Buy LED lights, take cold showers as to not feel like being in the air-conditioned room
all the time. Hit the mall and go for a movie marathon inside the cold cinema. (Laughs)

Carol Javier Taffs, housewife
Turn the air-conditioner off in unoccupied rooms. When buying an aircon, check out one
with a lower energy-efficient ratio. Clean the filters of air-conditioners regularly. Keep
windows/doors shut when the aircon is in use. Use electric fans instead of aircon
whenever possible. Power off all electrical appliances not in use. Only use hot water
(water heater) when necessary. Take a shower instead of using the bathtub to save
water and heating costs.

Nifleda Huab Wessling, mompreneur
Unfortunately, in the many cities weve lived in, my home has always been prone to
break-in attempts only one being successful, but enough to jar me for the rest of my
life. Thus, I never want to leave the impression that my home is unoccupied especially
when we are away on holiday for long periods, particularly during the winters here in
London where it can be dark as early as 3 p.m. I have since discovered programmable
timers, which are small devices that you install between the plug of your electrical
equipment and the main socket (or extension sockets, if you like) and which allow you
to control the on-off cycle of your equipment. Nowadays, I simply position strong
enough stand-alone lamps in the rooms I want lit during the dark hours and use these
timers to program them to turn on and off at specific times. Most of the light bulbs I use
at home are energy-saving LED bulbs.
I dont know why my friends make fun of me for this but I also still use a traditional
whistling (or screaming) kettle to boil me some water for a cup of tea or coffee.

Karen Vogelsang Beltran, housewife
If we do turn on the air-conditioning its in one room and it should be the smallest room
in the house. We also stopped using a big freezer as it consumes a lot of power, too.
We just go to the grocery more often. The water dispensers, which automatically cool
and heat water, are also big electricity users. Cool your water in the ref and heat your
water on the stove.

Michelle H. Lao, retailer
Lighting aromatic candles in the evening not only helps me to save on energy, it also
allows me to revel in a fancy ambience and to luxuriate in a room that is filled with
complexity and depth.

Kim Bernardo-Lokin, managing editor Business+Class magazine
We replace most of our lights to energy-saving light bulbs. which use lesser watts but
are just as bright. We use curtains that block off sunlight, which is useful especially in
the afternoon where its hottest. We also ask our kids to sleep in the room with us every
time theres no school, so well use only one aircon. The kids actually find this a fun way
to bond, and an added bonus was it makes us closer as a family.

Claire Seelin Diokno, makeup artist
Unplug all electric appliances as soon as youre finished using them. I use a lot of lights
when I work but I make sure I use energy-saving light bulbs. Meralco has an app that
computes the electric consumption of each appliance so you can be sure to use each
one wisely.