Thames Magazine: Energy Management

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Energy Efficient Lighting

Energy Efficient Lighting
One kWh is enough energy to run one 100 watt bulb for 10 hours. An average home has approximately 25 sockets and
you can imagine how much energy is waster everyday.
Compact fluorescent bulbs are about 3 to 4 times more efficient than incandescent bulbs. Therefore if all 25 bulbs were
replaced with 15 watt compact fluorescent bulbs, the energy and money savings will be much.
By switching from incandescent lighting to compact fluorescent lighting the average consumer can save 50% to 80% in
electricity costs without any loss in lighting quality. The average compact fluorescent bulb lasts 8 to 10 times longer than
any incandescent bulb.
The full purchase price of the bulb will be paid back well within the 3 to 5 year life expectancy.
First generation CFLs earned a bad name with inadequate technology. For this reason many people think of unnaturally
bright lights and loud humming noises when they think of CFL lamps. Fortunately, CFL technology has greatly improved
since those days.
Expert Tips for Saving Energy with Lighting
Lighting accounts for 5- 10 percent of total energy use in the average home and costs Rs. 50 to 250 per month in
electricity. That's not a huge amount, but it's enough to justify doing something about - especially when the advantages of
energy-efficient alternatives are considered.
Simple Solutions
MAKE USE OF NATURAL DAYLIGHT
Nothing is nicer than natural light, and in terms of energy use, nothing' is more efficient. A single skylight or properly
positioned window can provide as much light as dozens of light bulbs during the daylight hours. To benefit more from
natural lighting you may need to rearrange your rooms. For example putting your favorite reading chair over by the south
window, or you may want to go to more effort and install one or more skylights. To help get that light deeper into the room,
you can paint your walls a light color and use reflective louvers or Venetian blinds.
REDUCE BACKGROUND LIGHT LEVELS AND RELY MORE ON TASK LIGHTING
You can save a lot of energy by concentrating light just where it's needed and reducing background or ambient light levels.
This strategy - called task lighting - is widely used in office buildings, but it makes just as much sense at home. Install track
of lower-level lights to illuminate your desk or the kitchen table where you do the study/work, and keep the ceiling lights
off.
SWITCH TO COMPACT FLUORESCENT LAMPS
Most of the lighting currently provided by incandescent lights can be provided just as well with compact fluorescent lamps.
Replacing your incandescent lamps with compact fluorescents is the best way to save lighting energy in the average
home.
USE TUBE FLUORSCENT LIGHTING
The best tube fluorescent lamps with new electronic ballasts are a far cry from what most of us think of as fluorescent
lighting. In fact, they can provide very satisfactory (and energy-efficient) recessed lighting around the perimeter of a living
room, or overhead lighting in kitchens and bathrooms.
USE INCANDESCENT LIGHTS WISELY
Higher-wattage incandescent light bulbs are more efficient than lower-wattage bulbs. It takes two 60-watt bulbs or four 40-
watt bulbs to provide as much light as a single 100-watt bulb. In a fixture that holds several bulbs, you'll save by using a
single higher-wattage bulb instead of several smaller bulbs.
QUICK SUGGESTIONS
* Turn lights off when you leave the room, or install occupancy sensors.
* Install Energy-saving floodlights outdoors.
* Use solar-powered lights outdoors.
* Buy energy-efficient lighting equipment.

By Anohar John

Energy Saving Tips at Home

Natural House Cooling Tips
You can reduce energy bills and lower the use of an air conditioner by implementing "natural conditioning" or "passive
cooling" in your home. Besides saving money the goal is also to reduce our impact on the environment.
All homes contain sources of heat within their building called internal heat gain, and they combine to heat up your house.
Common sources include appliances, electronic devices, and lights. Even small transformers for answering machines
produce a small amount of waste heat. While much is written for cooling a home by tapping into natural forces such as cool
breezes, shade, and cool nighttime air, paying attention to internal heat gain often is glossed over. But it is important!
Dramatically reduce your internal heat gain in your home using these 11 tips:
Home designers group passive cooling measures in four general categories:
(1) reducing internal heat gain, (2) reducing external heat gain, (3) purging built-up heat, and (4) cooling people directly.
Reducing Internal Heal Gain
The most significant sources of heat include conventional stoves and ovens, cloth dryers, dishwashers, water heaters,
conventional incandescent lights, aquarium lights and heaters, television sets, electric iron and computers. In the summer
internal heat sources become a liability.
Using the following chart’s blueprint, make a list of all the appliances, electronic devices, and lights in your home. Problem
solve about how to use each one less. As you work through the list, you will find that most heat-reducing solutions are fairly
easy and inexpensive.
Here is a list of internal heat gain with cheap and more costly solutions.
Heat Source: Incandescent lights
Contribution to Internal Heat Gain: Major
Cheap Option: Use lights more sparingly. Turn lights off when not in use.
More Costly Option: Replace with compact fluorescents. Install occupancy sensors.
Heat Source: Water heater
Contribution to Internal Heat Gain: Major
Cheap Option: Turn temperature down to 48 ◦C. Install insulation: water heater blanket. Insulate hot water pipes.
More Costly Option: Replace old models with on-demand (tank-less) water heaters.
Heat Source: Stove and oven
Contribution to Internal Heat Gain: Major
Cheap Option: Eat more cold meals during the summer. Cook outside as much as possible. Use the microwave more during
the summer. Bake at night.
More Costly Option: Replace old, worn-out gas stoves with models that have electronic ignition switches.
Heat Source: Clothes washer
Contribution to Internal Heat Gain: Minor
Cheap Option: Use the cold or warm water settings. Wash clothes at night.
More Costly Option: Replace with a more energy-efficient model.
Heat Source: Computer
Contribution to Internal Heat Gain: Minor
Cheap Option: Turn the computer off when not in use.
More Costly Option: Replace old, outdated computers with energy-efficient models with LCD Monitors.
Heat Source: Television
Contribution to Internal Heat Gain: Minor
Cheap Option: Watch TV more sparingly. Unplug TV when not in use. Plug TV into power strip and turn off when not in use.
More Costly Option: Purchase the most energy-efficient model possible, when buying a replacement TV set.
Heat Source: Shower
Contribution to Internal Heat Gain: Major
Cheap Option: Turn water heater temperature down. Take shorter showers. Open windows when showering. Run exhaust
fan when showering. Replace showerhead with a more efficient model.
2
Heat Source: Dishwasher
Contribution to Internal Heat Gain: Major
Cheap Option: Hand-wash dishes. If it is not already off, switch off the drying option.
More Tips for Keeping the House Cool
Puzzling out how to keep your house as cool as possible during these hot summer months? Trying to remember the
conventional wisdom but not quite sure how it goes? Those window fans, for example, should they be placed to draw air in
or out? Upwind or downwind of the dwelling? And what about windows, shades, and awnings? Are windows on the North
side of the house better left closed or open during the day? Are awnings better than shades?
Efficient cooling saves money, energy, and the quality of our lives.
Tricks for keeping the house cool.
1. Reduce the cooling load by employing cost-effective conservation measures. Provide effective shade for east and west
windows. When possible, delay heat-generating activities until evening on hot days.
2. Over most of the summer season, keep the house closed tight during the day. Don't let in unwanted heat and humidity.
Ventilate at night either naturally or with fans.
3. You can help get rid of unwanted heat through ventilation if the temperature of the incoming air is 25 ◦C or lower. (This
strategy works most effectively at night and on cooler days.) Window fans for ventilation are a good option if used properly.
They should be located on the downwind side of the house facing out. A window should be open in each room. Interior
doors must remain open to allow air flow.
4. Use ceiling fans to increase comfort levels at higher thermostat settings. The standard human comfort range for light
clothing in the summer is between 22 ◦C and 25 ◦C.
5. In hot climates, plant shade trees around the house.
6. If you have an older air conditioner, consider replacing with a modern, high-efficiency unit. Make sure that it is properly
matched to the room dimensions.
7. If buying a new air conditioner, be sure that it is properly sized. Get assistance from an energy auditor or air conditioning
contractor.
8. Buy a high-efficiency BEE Energy Star Labeled air conditioner
9. In hot, humid climates, make sure that the air conditioner you buy will adequately get rid of high humidity. Models with
variable or multi-speed blowers are generally best. Try to keep moisture sources out of the house.
10. Try not to use a dehumidifier at the same time your air conditioner is operating. The dehumidifier will increase the
cooling load and force the air conditioner to work harder.
11. Seal all air conditioner ducts, and insulate ducts that run through unheated basements, crawl spaces, and attics.
12. Keep the thermostat set at 25◦C or higher if using ceiling fans. Don't air-condition unused rooms.
13. Maintain your air conditioners properly to maximize efficiency.
Additional tips .
Warm Weather Window Solutions
14. Install white window shades or mini-blinds. Mini-blinds can reduce solar heat gain by 40-50 percent.
15. Close south and west-facing curtains during the day for any window that gets direct sunlight. Keep these windows
closed, too.
16. Install sunshade on south-facing windows, where there's insufficient roof overhang to provide shade.
3
17. Hang tightly woven screens or bamboo shades outside the window during the summer to stop 60 to 80 percent of the
sun's heat from getting to the windows.
18. Apply Sun Control Films on window glasses
19. Consider exotic in fills in your windows, a new technology that fills the space between panes with krypton or argon,
gasses that have lower conductivity than air, and which boost R-values.
Additional Tips for your A/C
Buy/Use Air conditioners with BEE Star Energy Ratings
Provide shade for your room A/C, or the outside half of your central A/C if at all possible. This will increase the unit's
efficiency by 5 percent to 10 percent.
Clean your A/C's air filter every month during cooling season. Normal dust build-up can reduce air flow by 1 percent per
week.
Turn off your A/C when you leave for more than an hour.
Several studies have found that most central air conditioning systems are oversized by 50 percent or more.

By

Anohar John

How CFL Saves Energy

Use CFL to save energy and reduce electricity bill.
60 Watt Ordinary
Incandescent Lamp
Good Quality*
11 Watt CFL
Operating life 1000 Hrs 8000 hrs
No. of lamps required for 8000 hrs
operation
8 1
Cost of lamps (Rupees) 8 x 12 = 96 1 x120 =120
Energy consumed for 8000 hrs operation 8000 x 60 = 480 Units
1000
8000 x 11 = 88 Units
1000
Energy Savings by using CFL -- 392 Units
Energy cost (Domestic-Kerala)
(@ Rs.2 /unit)
960 176
Total Cost = Bulb + Energy 1056 296
Cost Savings by using CFL Rs. 760
*Use only good quality CFL manufactured by reputed companies.
Low quality CFLs may damage power distribution equipments, home appliances and
electronic gadgets.
Operating life of CFL is dependent on the quality of electricity.
To get maximum operating life for CFL and other electronic fluorescent lamps, avoid
frequent ON/OFFs.

By

Anohar John

How Energy Can be saved in Kitchen

Save Energy in Kitchen
Fridge
Checklists of things that will help any fridge do its job more easily, and more efficiently.
 Cover liquids and wrap food stored in the fridge. Uncovered foods release moisture (and get
dried out), which makes the compressor work harder.
 Clean the door gasket and sealing surface on the fridge. Replace the gasket if damaged. You
can check to see if you are getting a good seal by closing the refrigerator door on a currency
note. If you can pull it out without resistance, replace the gasket. On new fridges with
magnetic seals, put a flashlight inside the fridge in the evening, turn off the room lights, and
check for light leaking through the seal.
 Unplug the extra fridge or freezer.
 Move the fridge out from the wall and clean its condenser coils at least once a year. Some
models have the coils under the fridge. With clean coils the waste heat is carried off faster,
and the fridge runs shorter cycles. Leave a couple of inches of space between the coils and
the wall for better air circulation.
 Check to see if you have a power-saving switch or a summer-winter switch. Many refrigerators
have a small heater inside the walls to prevent condensation build-up on the fridge walls. If
yours does, switch it to the power-saving (winter) mode.
 Defrost your fridge if significant frost has built up.
Turn off the automatic ice maker. It's more efficient to make an ice in ice trays.
 If you can, move the fridge away from heat producing equipments like stoves, dishwasher, or
direct sunlight.
 Set your refrigerator's temperature between 0◦C and 4◦C, and your freezer between -12◦C
and -9◦C. Use a real thermometer for this, as the temperature dial on the fridge doesn't tell
real temperature.
 Keep cold air in. Open the fridge door as infrequently and briefly as possible. Know what
you're looking for. Label frozen leftovers.
 Keep the fridge full. An empty fridge cycles frequently without any mass to hold the cold. Cold
Beverages makes excellent mass, and you probably always wanted a good excuse to put
more of it in the fridge, but it tends to disappear. Plain water in old milk jugs works just as well.
Ten Cooking Tips
These ten tips are worth their weight in gold, especially with energy bills being what they are! And
they are so brilliantly simple that you’ll find them easy to incorporate without feeling put-upon or
strained in any way.
Find out the ten simple cooking tips that will save you some energy in the kitchen, right here:
1. Cover pans while cooking to prevent heat loss.
2. Make sure your pan covers the flame/coil of your stove/cooking range. If you can see flame/coil
peeping out from the sides of your pan, you are losing energy and you need a bigger pan!
3. Try one-pot cooking. Stews, soups, and other great peasant meals only take one burner to cook
and they are so nourishing and satisfying!
4. Just before your food is cooked completely, turn off the oven or burner and allow the heat in the
pot or pan to continue the cooking process for you.
5. The less liquid and fat you use, the quicker the cooking time.
6. Always make more food than you plan to use and freeze it for your own “fast food.”
7. Leftovers take less energy to reheat on top of the stove rather than in the oven.
8. Make extra and keep in the fridge so you don’t have to heat an entire pot of water to the boiling
point every time you want some.
9. If you have a pressure cooker, use it. It really saves on energy.
10. Try using a solar box cooker.

By Anohar John

Energy Efficient Lighting

Energy Saving Tips at Home

How CFL Saves Energy

How Energy Can be saved in Kitchen

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