SMALL TIPS THAT GIVE US BIG GAINS

·         ENERGY SAVING TIPS

• Switch off the lights in unoccupied rooms.
• Make use of natural light available if possible. Use light color or loose-weave curtains to allow daylight to penetrate into the room so that you do not need to switch on too many lights.
• Paint the wall with lighter color in the area where you want it to be bright. Light color reflects light and makes the area look brighter. 

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• Consider installing dimmers, timers and sensors to control the amount of time when the light is switched on and the level of brightness.
•  Clean the lights and fixtures regularly. Dust on lamps and reflectors impede the light from shining through.
• Dim the light while watching television. This saves electricity and also cuts annoying glare from television screen.

LIGHT

INCANDESCENT LAMPS VS FLUORESCENT LAMPS

• An incandescent lamp produces more heat when it emits light. About 90% of the power consumed by an incandescent lamp is emitted as heat rather than light.
•   A compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) produces less heat when it emits light. CFL consumes 80% less electricity than an incandescent light bulb to produce the same amount of luminosity.
•  CFL or energy saving light bulb is more energy efficient. The initial cost is higher, but CFL or energy saving light bulb can last up to ten times longer than incandescent lamp.

TELEVISION  Switch off the television set when no one watches it.  Do not leave the television set on just for background noise. Consider using a small radio instead as it uses lesser electricity than a television set.

APPLIANCES ON STANDBY MODE  After switching off your appliances like televisions, computers and DVD players, many of them continue to draw electricity power.  Each appliance consumes a small amount of 'phantom energy' as long as it is plugged into power socket. Standby power can account for up to 10% of your home electricity use. Switch off home appliances at the power socket when they are not in use.

AIR-CONDITIONER

INVERTER VS NON-INVERTER

• The compressor of a conventional non-inverter air-conditioner runs at the full speed to bring the room temperature to the pre-set temperature. Thus, it consumes more energy. 
• The compressor of an inverter air-conditioner brings the room temperature to the pre-set temperature gradually. During the start-up when the room is warm, the air conditioner works closer to full load. When a certain room temperature is achieved, the air conditioner operates at lesser load and hence consumes lesser energy. 
• The amount of energy saved by using an inverter air conditioner depends on many factors such as the hours of usage, physical condition of the indoor air conditioner unit, the room size, and etc.

ENERGY SAVING TIPS

•  Switch on the air-conditioner for about an hour. After the room has become cool, switch to a fan. The electricity used by an air-conditioner is equivalent to the energy used by about 32 fans.
•  Switch off the air-conditioner half an hour before waking up by using a timer.
•  Clean the air filter regularly so that the air-conditioner can run efficiently. Dirty air filter impedes airflow and consumes more electricity.
•  Service the air-conditioner unit regularly. Besides the air filters, the condition of other components such as the refrigerant, pipe and motor also affects its energy efficiency.
• Set the thermostat to the recommended temperature of 25^oC. The lower the temperature, the more electricity used by the air-conditioner. 
•  Close curtains/ blinds or use solar window films to keep the room cool. 
•  Consider putting up dividers or partitions so that you cool a smaller and more targeted space. The larger the space to be cooled, the more energy is needed to cool the space. 
• Avoid using appliances that emit heat (e.g. bar fridge) in an air-conditioned room.

COMPUTER  Enable the computer energy-saving feature, such as hibernation mode, when it is not in use for some time. Switch off the computer completely when it is not in use for a long period. Switch off the monitor when it is not required (e.g. scanning for virus or downloading of documents)

IRONING  Use fabric conditioner for washing as it reduces crease and hence reduces the ironing time.   Start ironing the clothes which require lower temperature (e.g. silk and wool) before ironing clothes which require higher temperature (e.g. cotton). This will allow the iron to increase the temperature gradually and reduce unnecessary heating, cooling and reheating process. Set the appropriate temperature for the various types of fabrics. Overheating will damage the fabric and also waste electricity. Turn off the iron after you have finished ironing.

REFRIGERATOR  A refrigerator consumes electricity for 24 hours a day. There are many factors affecting the electricity consumption of a refrigerator such as the number the doors the refrigerator has, the frequency the doors are opened and closed, the content of the refrigerator, and etc. Cover liquids and foods stored in the refrigerator. Uncovered liquids and foods release moisture and make the compressor works harder to keep the temperate low inside the refrigerator. Allow hot food to cool before putting it into the refrigerator. Placing hot food into the refrigerator will cause the compressor to work harder to lower the temperature inside the refrigerator. Avoid overloading the refrigerator as it will block the air circulation inside the refrigerator and reduce the cooling capability of the refrigerator.   Do not place your refrigerator near heat sources such as sunlight, stove or oven. The higher the ambient temperature near the refrigerator, the more energy it requires to operate the refrigerator. Do not open the door unnecessarily as the cool air will escape. Decide what you want to take out from the refrigerator before opening the refrigerator door.   Test the door seal occasionally by closing the door on a thin piece of paper. If it does not stay in place, the seal should be replaced. Loose seal will result in escaping of cool air and more energy will be required to operate the refrigerator. Allow some space around the refrigerator (e.g. 5cm or as recommended by the manufacturer) to allow heat to escape from the compressor and condensing coil. Ensure that the air around the refrigerator can circulate without hindrance. Otherwise, the refrigerator has to work harder, resulting in an increase in electricity consumption.  Switch off the refrigerator when cleaning it to save electricity.  Adjust the thermostat in the refrigerator to the recommended setting. Over cooling the refrigerator wastes electricity.