Which Green Tech Will Save Money in Your Building?

Whether you are a landlord or a homeowner, it is important to understand how your building loses money by wasting energy. As recurring expenses, energy bills can add up heavily especially in a big building like an office block or warehouse. It means less rental income for you as a landlord. Homeowners can realize savings as well by plugging energy waste. There are several ways in which buildings waste energy which can also be looked at as loss of money:

Air leakage

Heating costs take up the biggest percentage of the energy bill. A building with leakage allows heated air to escape and cold air to get in, which necessitates constant heating hence higher energy bills.

Leakages will be found in gaps around the edges of doors and windows. This is especially in older buildings where strict building codes and precision measurement of building materials was absent. Gaps in the ceiling fixtures also allow infiltration of cold air which can have a “stacking effect.” This is where colder air which is denser pushes warmer air down and out of the building through gaps and cracks in the foundation.

Lighting energy wastage

Lighting wastage occurs in three ways. The first is the usage of lighting bulbs that waste energy. These are the older bulbs that relied on heating filaments to produce light. Lighting energy can also be wasted by using bulbs of the wrong wattage rating, where there is more light than needed. Energy is also wasted when lighting is left on unnecessary, for example, security lights during the day.

Appliance energy wastage

Devices that rely on electricity in a home or office will waste energy when they are left powered up when not in use. They will also draw a residual charge when they are in standby mode.

How to fix energy wastage

• Proper insulation – Insulation plugs the gaps that allow air leakage. Proper attic, wall and basement insulation can significantly reduce heating costs.
• High-tech thermostats – Programmable thermostats ensure that heating is done only when necessary. Modern systems will have sensors to heat rooms only when there are people in them.
• Better lighting bulbs – Sodium bulbs are being phased away in favor of the more energy efficient LED bulbs that are dimmable.
• Automated lighting – Automation lighting systems are programmable to light areas at specific times or when they sense a presence.
• Energy rated appliances – Energy rating shows how efficiently a device uses energy. Many appliances use the ENERGY STAR rating. Pick only appliances that have been rated favorably.
• Intelligent power adapters – These adapters control appliance energy use and switch off when they sense a standby mode or powering off.

Remember that making a home green involves more than conserving energy. Save much more by also conserving water and implementing the 3R’s; reduce, reuse, recycle.