The power-saver's diet

Still undecided on an achievable new year's resolution? Unless you are contemplating a pledge to be more decisive in 2011, perhaps you should consider resolving to reduce your energy consumption by 20 per cent.

Not only will you be helping to potentially reduce carbon emissions and additional capital expenditures on supply infrastructure, you may well reduce the impact on your hip pocket of the ever-increasing utility costs. You may also provide leadership, ideas and inspiration to others, enabling a cumulative benefit to the broader community.

If you are now leaning in this direction, the good news is that there is an infinite number of websites and articles providing advice and suggestions on how to save power. A quick Google on “top 10 tips for energy efficiency” will provide you with enough reading for the rest of the summer, but can be overwhelming.

So, to help you make a start, here is a consolidated list of the best tips that I have come across – and used with ease in my own household to reduce energy consumption.

Turn things off when you are not using them: Simple, but very effective. How many times do you get home after work and realise someone has left a light or two on? Or forgot to turn off the heater or A/C? Check and check again. Even when you are home, there may be areas of the house where you can turn off lights or heating/cooling – close the doors and restrict your activities to one part of the house.

Reduce power board consumption: Install energy-saving power boards wherever you have a collection of power cords (eg: the stereo, TV, phone chargers, computer/printer set ups etc.). Regular power boards and charging devices can consume significant amounts of power even when your appliances are off if they are left plugged in to “on” circuits. These new power boards will isolate that demand if you hit the switch before going out, going to bed or (especially) going away on a trip. More sophisticated boards even will do this automatically when not in use.

Install energy efficient light bulbs:  These have been around for a while but most houses will still have plenty of older bulbs still operating that need replacement. You can further reduce your consumption by installing timers and sensors, particularly for outside lighting.

Keep the sun out and the warmth in: On sunny days, reduce the heat load on your house by closing all of the internal blinds on windows where the sun hits. Better still, shade the windows from the outside. Use venetian blinds on those windows where you still want the breeze to flow in. Equally, in winter, blinds and curtains will keep the heat in and retain the heat even during the day. Check the house for cracks and gaps and get these fixed and seal up any unnecessary permanent vents.

Reset thermostats: A degree or two higher in summer on the thermostat setting (along with a degree or two cooler in the winter) for your cooling and heating systems can make a big difference to your consumption. Reduce the fan speed to the minimum that you need to be comfortable. Check the age and ratings on your appliances – it may well be time to replace them and take advantage of much more efficient technology. Reduce your hot water system temperature as well – not only will you use less power, but you may use less water overall as you balance the hot water with cold to get the temperature right in the shower. And save even more water by using a water-saving shower rose.

Use ceiling fans: Install or use ceiling fans in the most used areas of the house. These fans will move air around very efficiently and reduce your reliance on cooling/heating units. Good fans have a “summer/winter” switch – changing the fans rotation so that it keeps to cool air flowing in summer and the warm air in winter.

Be green in the laundry: Wash clothes in cold water and maximise the size of the loads. If you do not have a clothes line, set up a drying rack in your garage and avoid using the dryer (we also hang shirts on hangers in the laundry to dry). Again, check your appliances for age and efficiency rating.

Check the fridge: These run 24x7 so if there are leaks in the seals you will be burning a lot of unnecessary power and working your fridge harder than necessary. If the seals are shot, get them fixed – and if the fridge is past its use-by date, get a new energy efficient unit that is the right size for your needs.

Shift load: If you have a time-of-use meter and tariff (check your meter or ask your retailer), then you can minimise your power costs by doing time discretionary activities in the off peak time period, such as washing, drying and running the pool pump. This will not reduce your consumption, but can save you money as the off-peak tariff is typically only 30-40 per cent of the peak tariff.

Insulate: This is for the extra gold star! Check all of your current insulation and take the steps to make sure the ceiling, walls and floors of your house are properly insulated. It goes without saying that you should only use qualified contractors that have proper reference sites that are still standing.

Drive responsibly: Lead foot? Always in a hurry? Try driving your car within the speed limits, accelerate smoothly and slow the car with gentle use of brakes. You will save on fuel and tyres, be less stressed and find that your total trip time is only minutely longer, if at all. Most importantly, you may save heaps by avoiding speeding and red camera fines and reduce the possibility of being involved in an unnecessary accident.

Measure your progress: No point dieting without a scale. Learn how to read your electric and gas meter and get a feel for your daily, weekly and monthly consumption. You'll be able to reconcile any estimated meter reads from your energy provider and see if the fruits of your energy reduction efforts are being realised at the all-important meter score card.    

Think you can do it? There has never been a better time to resolve to cut energy usage – and it is probably a lot easier than you might think. A 20 per cent reduction in energy consumption will go a long way to making a meaningful difference to achieving a sustainable energy strategy for the long term.

Print this off and stick it on your properly sealed fridge. Certainly it's an alternative to the annual act of trying a new diet!

Andrew Dyer, a former McKinsey & Co consultant, has worked extensively in the energy and utilities industries in Europe, the US, Asia and Australia.  He is now a Company Director.