Energy Tips

ENERGY ON CAMPUS

  1. Pay attention to light switches and what each switch operates.

  2. If you’re away from your desk for more than 5 minutes switch off your monitor

  3. Turn your computer and monitor off every night when you go home

  4. Enable energy saving settings on your computer (such as turning down the brightness)

“Office lights left on overnight use enough energy in a year to heat a home for almost five months. Turn them off and save.” Carbon Trust, 2013

WALL INSULATION

About a third of all the heat lost in an uninsulated home escapes through the walls.

Find out if your walls are insulated by asking a registered installer for a borescope inspection or checking with your local authority’s building control department.

Then work out your wall type, insulate your home and save one energy bill!

ENERGY AT HOME

DID YOU KNOW?

Around 22% of the UK’s carbon emissions come from our homes!

Reducing home heat loss

Every little thing is important!

Fitting your hot water cylinder with an insulating jacket will save you £20 a year in heating costs and 150kg of carbon dioxide emissions.

Find out more.


Renewable Energy

Currently, 28% of the UK’s electricity comes from renewable energy, and this figure is set to grow over the next few years!

There are a few renewable sources that can provide you electricity and heat that you may want to consider.

Renewable heat

  • Air source heat pumps

  • Ground source heat pumps

  • Solar water heating

  • Biomass

  • Thermal energy stores

Renewable electricity

  • Solar panels

  • Wind turbines

  • Hydroelectricity

  • Off grid

  • Micro combined heat and power

Find out more.

energy efficient products

When looking for energy efficient appliances for your home, you need to look out for the energy ratings label and consider the size of the appliance that you require.

On 1 March 2021, new energy labels were introduced in the UK and EU, make sure you understand them so you can make better decisions while purchasing new appliance.


what ARE THE OTHER WAYS YOU CAN SAVE UP ON ENERGY?

Avoid leaving appliances on standby

Standby is the energy used by certain appliances when not in use and not switched off at the plug.
The average UK household spends £35 a year powering appliances left on standby!

“A computer left on overnight for a year creates enough CO2 to fill a double-decker bus. Turn it off and save.” Carbon Trust, 2013

Microwave

Microwaves often provide a much more energy efficient way of cooking food than in the oven. Unlike ovens, microwaves only heat your food and not the air-space inside!

Find out more.

LIGHTING



  • Be aware of how many lights you have on in a room. If you have the main light on, do you need the lamp on too?

  • Arrange light switches so it is easy to turn them off, for example, place switches for rooms at the door

  • Use sensors or timers on external lights, so they are only on when they need to be

  • Consider using transparent shades or fittings, as a dark lampshade can absorb some of the light a bulb emits

  • Ensure that you regularly clean any lamp shades or fittings to increase the impact of the light

Find out more.

Sources:
  1. Energy advice for your home - Energy Saving Trust
  2. Energy Awareness Month: How to Save Energy While Stuck at Home – Live Green! (wordpress.com)
  3. Energy Label - The next phase of the New Labels is here

Graphic sources:
<a href="https://www.vecteezy.com/free-vector/computer-icon">Computer Icon Vectors by Vecteezy</a><a href='https://www.freepik.com/vectors/house'>House vector created by studiogstock - www.freepik.com</a><a href="https://www.vecteezy.com/free-vector/plug">Plug Vectors by Vecteezy</a><a href="https://www.vecteezy.com/free-vector/microwave">Microwave Vectors by Vecteezy</a>