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When it comes to energy efficiency, there are numerous terms that are constantly being thrown around. You might have heard a term before but your’e not quite sure what it means exactly, and sometimes you’re left scratching your head in confusion. Here are four popular energy efficient trends explained.
Going Green
The phrase “Going green,” often associated with environmentalism, dates back to the publication of The Maine Woods by Henry David Thoreau written in the 19th century. The phrase has been gaining popularity in recent years and has become a movement to achieve a more sustainable lifestyle that helps protect the environment and its resources. The end result is not only benefiting the environment, but also benefiting your wallet.
Triple Bottom Line
The Triple Bottom Line (3BL) is essentially the highest form of “going green” for businesses. It factors in three components to a company’s bottom line (net income) – people, planet, and profit – hence Triple Bottom Line. This concept suggests that a company conducting fair business and practicing energy efficiency will experience additional economic value to the total net income. Below is an explanation of each element:
- People: focusing on doing honest and favorable business for both employees and customers
- Planet: practicing sustainability, limiting resource consumption, and reducing negative environmental and community impact
- Profit: instilling people and planet into a company strategy will lead to an economic value adding to your total profits
Renewable Energy
Most of you have heard the term “renewable energy,” but it is gaining serious recognition as more companies, states, and even nations, are trying to further their efforts of becoming more energy efficient. Denmark is currently on a mission to get the entire country to be energy efficient by 2050. The Danes plan on accomplishing this by primarily using renewable power and ending the burning of fossil fuels indefinitely. Already off to a great start, Denmark expects to have 50% of its energy supply coming from renewable power in 2020!
Home Appliances Implementing Technology
Technology is constantly evolving and has been a huge enabler of promoting energy efficiency. You can now reduce your electric bill with updated household appliances that lower energy consumption. Programmable thermostats reduce your energy use and can even be linked to an app on your smartphone. There are also apps that help you calculate your electricity usage. As technology advances, more companies are communicating digitally, increasing the ease of transitioning to a more energy-efficient lifestyle.
These are some common energy-efficiency trends we’ve noticed. What trends have you noticed?
Basements are a common place for significant air leaks. If you have an unfinished basement or crawlspace, look for spider webs. If there is a web, there is a draft. Inspect vents, ducts, pipes, and electrical wires that lead to the outside. The Department of Energy recommends sealing small gaps with caulk, filling holes with spray foam, and covering large holes with spray foam and foamboard. Seal air ducts with mastic or foil tape and avoid cloth-backed, rubber adhesive. Be sure not to cover any of the vents for combustion appliances.
Basements are particularly susceptible to poor insulation, and a large amount of heat can be lost from an uninsulated basement. While insulating the basement ceiling or floor is a less intensive project, you’ll get better energy savings by adding insulation to the walls. Hire a certified professional to determine if you need interior or exterior insulation, estimate the return on investment, and install it properly to help avoid moisture issues later.
If the water heater or washer/dryer is located in the basement, check if it’s time to upgrade to newer, more energy-efficient models. Insulate your water heater, as well as ducts and hot water pipes that pass through unheated areas of the basement. If you have a little-used old refrigerator or freezer in the basement, unplug it until it is needed.
Make sure your attic is ventilated properly. In the summer, some attic power fans can draw cool conditioned air out of the house and pull in warm air into the house, causing your A/C unit to work harder. In the winter, decrease heat loss by covering your exhaust fan using a box to seal around the duct where it opens into the attic. Check that your vents are not blocked by insulation or later construction.
The attic is another location known for considerable air leakage, adding sometimes hundreds of dollars to your energy bills. Caulk wire holes and exteriors of windows and door frames, and seal around electrical boxes, air ducts, and returns. Pull-down attic stairs can be a huge source of air leakage so be sure the access door is properly sealed with weather-stripping and that it closes tightly.
Once you’ve finished air sealing, adding insulation to an unheated attic can make a big difference on energy savings, especially if you have hot or cold ceilings or uneven temperatures between rooms in the house. Check if you can see your ceiling joists. If so, it’s likely you need additional insulation.