Lighting

Lighting

Being energy efficient with your lighting doesn’t mean living in the dark:

• Turn off lights when not in use.
• Save over 500 kWh of electricity per year simply by changing six 75 Watt incandescent bulbs for 14 Watt energy efficient compact fluorescent globes (used 4 hours/night) and use fluorescent lighting wherever possible in your home
• When replacing existing incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents, take one of the bulbs you want to replace with you when you visit your lighting store to ensure you get the right wattage, connection and size
• Clean lamps and shades frequently for better lighting
• Use lampshades with a white liner to reflect more light.
• If seeking an energy efficient replacement for 12V 50W dichroic lamps, consider models that provide the same level and quality of light while consuming only 35W (a n energy saving of 30%)
• When installing new fittings, if you want the mini-flush mounted type units, consider the 240V 7 Watt compact fluorescent models now on the market
• Reflect on installing energy efficient LED lighting for garden paths.

Plug-in appliances (including televisions, DVDs, stereos, game consoles, computer equipment etc)

Recent in-home studies show the average household has almost 70 plug-in appliances, many consuming power while performing no function most of the time. This “standing by” power is estimated to account for up to 9% of your home’s electricity consumption!

You might be surprised at the levels of energy your appliances are using just because they are plugged in. You may find this information in your appliance manuals.

• In ‘active standby’ mode, where it is not performing its main function but is still on – this includes things like VCRs that are ‘on’ but are not playing or recording, and appliances being charged
• In ’passive standby’ mode, where it is ‘off’ but ready to be switched back ‘on’ (usually with a remote), or is still performing some secondary function (like showing the time or other display)
• ‘Off’, where it still connected, isn’t doing anything you can see or hear, can’t be switched ‘on’ with a remote but may be performing some internal functions.

In all three cases, you are consuming energy.