Ten ways to save energy in 2011

Ten ways to save energy in 2011
Energy resolutions for your home and wallet

With special support from

The Danville Library

Gayler Construction

January 20, 2011

Sustainable Danville Area: Introduction

Local community organization inspiring
sustainable practices to support a healthy quality of
life and strong local economy throughout our
community.

www.SustainableDanville.com

Sustainable Danville Area – January 2011: Save Energy

Gayler Construction: Introduction

 Local, family business for 50 years
 Certified Green Builder since 2003 - including custom
designs for residential and commercial clients
 Chris is General Manager and a LEED certified Green
Associate


Sustainable Danville Area’s
Top Ten

Eliminate Phantom Energy

 Watt meters: helpful in gauging the „phantom‟ or „vampire‟ power
used by electronics in standby mode
 Kill-A-Watt ($25) & WattsUp ($96)

 Consumer Reports has confirmed readouts on these meters

matched those from a calibrated watt meter in their labs.
 Kill-A-Watt – Available for loan from the CC Library System

 Smart Strips ($29): power strip automatically switches
devices on/off when not in use to save energy

 PG&E‟s SmartMeters: track real-time energy use online
 PG&E offers free Energy Efficiency Workshops to all customers.

Lots of topics, schedule available at www.pge.com

Water – Every Last Drop Counts

 Mindful water use
 Fix leaky faucets and toilets
 Remember to turn off faucet when brushing your teeth
 Time your showers or beat stress, take a bath
 Use cold water and only wash full loads laundry
 Run the dishwasher only when full
 Use a broom to clean driveways and sidewalks
 Water your lawn only when it needs it
 Adjust sprinklers so they don‟t water driveways and sidewalks

 Plant California-friendly trees and plants

 Consider grey water systems to collect shower and
laundry water for landscaping use


Water – Every Last Drop Counts

 Maintain your water heater, consider replacing
with energy efficient model
 Choose energy efficient on-demand or solar units (30% tax credit until 2016)

 Consider alternatives to running hot water when washing dishes
 Soap all pots/pans, dishes before rinsing
 Use a basin full of hot water verses running water
 Install a pedal valve to control sink water (kitchen or bathroom)


Landscape for shade and windbreak

 Plant for Summer Shade
 Trees planted on the south-west side of house can cut air conditioning costs

an estimated 30% compared to an un-shaded house
 Trees, shrubs, ground covers and grass affect solar radiation more than

structural devices, such as awnings by absorbing sun‟s heat while transpiring
(release water vapor from leaves) cooling moisture into the air
Temperature under a tree can be 9ºF lower than an adjacent area -
and up to 25ºF lower than air near a blacktop surface street

 Plant for Winter Windbreak
 Barriers to reduce & redirect cold winds and protect area from
blowing dust, rain and soil erosion.
 Generally a single or multiple row of trees, shrubs, perennial crops,
tall grasses or fencing
 Can reduce wind by 50% and winter heating by up to 25%


Purchase Energy Star Appliances

ENERGY STAR® is a voluntary labeling program
designed by the U.S. government to identify and
promote energy-efficient products:
 Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants
caused by inefficient use of energy
 Make it easy for consumers to source energy-efficient products… save money
on energy bills without sacrificing performance, features and comfort.

• Refrigerator • Water Heaters & Coolers • Audio/Video
• Freezer • Air Cleaners & Purifiers • Battery Chargers
• Dishwasher • Dehumidifiers • Computers
• Washer/Dryer • Air Conditioners • Cordless Phones
• Microwave • Furnaces • Displays/Televisions
• Ranges & Ovens • Boilers • Light Bulbs & Fixtures
• Heat Pumps
www.energystar.gov


Purchase Energy Star Appliances

American homes consume six times
the energy of the world average.
• Replacing old appliances is one of the most
important things people can do to reduce GHG.
• Front-loading washing machines are much
more energy efficient than top-loading models
• ENERGY STAR refrigerators use 40% less
energy today than models did in 2001.

Tax Credits –
30% of the cost in 2009 & 2010 (<$1,500 total) for
energy-efficient improvements to existing homes for
new windows, doors, insulation, roofs, HVAC systems
and water heaters.
30% of the cost (no max) until 2016 for solar panels,
geothermal heat pumps, solar water heaters


Lights, Please

“Low-hanging fruit”
for reducing energy consumption.
Lighting accounts for 22% of all electricity consumed nationwide
One-fifth of all energy used by commercial buildings is consumed by lighting

Lighting has evolved in response to unprecedented
amount of new laws focused on energy efficiency &
environmental protection:
Light …
Energy Efficient Light …
Environmentally Conscious Energy Efficient Light


Three main technologies available today:
 Incandescent: warm dimmable
light but fragile filaments and glass, lasts
about 1000 hours, only converts 10% of
energy used to produce light – so 90% is
wasted as heat

 Fluorescent: more energy efficient
but wastes 30% of energy as heat, ballasts
consume energy when fixtures “off”,
unpleasing buzz, delays & color, poor
„dimmability‟, unpredictable life, relies on
igniting mercury vapor within fragile glass…
hazardous materials cannot go into garbage
(but they do because lack of messaging & services)


 LED (light emitting diode): digital device
that emits light, fits existing fixtures,
exceptional color & quality, requires highly
engineered thermal management to ensure
longevity & performance.
 Typically 50,000 to 60,000 hours (50 times longer life)
 More Energy Efficient – saves up to 80%
 Recyclable, no mercury or lead or fragile glass
 Smooth phased „dimmability‟ &
full brightness without delays
 High Cycling Capacity –
never loses life with frequent on/off‟s
 Directional, Versatile & Scalable –
light goes where it is needed


Lights, Please

Wild-Wild-West of LED Lighting – Buyer Beware
• Very crowded, unregulated product category today
• Lots of products being rushed to market… unreliable, poor light quality
• Causing consumers to lose confidence in the technology

LED lighting is not hype, just not ready for retail market yet
• Commercial-grade products delivering outstanding performance & ROIs
• Large buildings able to capitalize most on the energy savings today (volume)
• Once demand by facilities drives production up, pricing will fall to make
advanced features and quality products cost effective for general consumers
(within next 2 years)


Paradigm Shifts in Lighting
• Refer to light output rather than watts
to describe the intensity of a bulb
• Integrated system (like heating &
cooling); phasing out bulb + fixture
• “Cost of ownership” vs. initial cost
• Hopefully leading away from
“product obsolescence”
• Collective buying programs within
school districts, HOAs, Chambers of
Commerce to help residents & small
businesses benefit from reliable LED
products today


Stricter building codes
raising energy efficiency
standards for residential &
nonresidential buildings,
with specific requirements
for lighting (i.e. CA Title 24)

Energy Independence &
Security Act of 2007:
requires general-purpose
light bulbs that produce 310–
2600 lumens of light be 30%
more energy efficient by 2012
to 2014. Starting with 100-
watt bulbs in January 2012
and end with 40-watt bulbs in
January 2014.

Point-based green building
programs: LEED, HERS,
HOME STAR®, CHPS


Program your thermostat

Using a programmable
thermostat in your home is
one of the easiest ways to
save energy, money and help
fight global warming.

• Average household spends
more than $2,200/year on
energy bills - nearly half goes
to heating & cooling.

• Homeowners can save about
$180/year by properly setting
programmable thermostats &
maintaining those settings.


Program your thermostat


You can achieve significant savings by sticking with these default settings
(intended to deliver savings without sacrificing comfort)…
SETPOINT TEMPERATURE
PROGRAM TIME (HEATING) (COOLING)
Wake 6 AM ≤ 70º F ≥ 78º F
Day 8 AM Setback at least 8º F Setup at least 7º F
Evening 6 PM ≤ 70º F ≥ 78º F
Sleep 10 PM Setback at least 8º F Setup at least 7º F

… or adjust them as appropriate for your household. But keep in mind the
number one failure of these devices is manual overrides


Getting the most out of your programmable thermostat
• Keep temp set at energy savings set-points for long periods (at least 8 hours)
• You use more energy (and spend more money) by consistently overriding the
pre-programmed settings; overrides are cancelled automatically at next program start.

• Units have permanent/vacation & temporary hold features.
Avoid permanent hold feature to manage day-to-day temperature settings.
You'll waste energy & money if “hold” is at a comfort setting while you're away.
• Cranking your unit up to 90º or down to 40º will not heat
or cool your house any faster. Most thermostats begin to
heat or cool at set time, to reach set point temperatures
sometime thereafter. (Adaptive recovery units constantly
calculate amount of time required to heat or cool house.)

• Multiple HVAC zones? Customize programming to maximize
comfort, convenience & energy savings throughout house.

• Don‟t forget to change batteries if your thermostat is not hard-wired.


Heat and Cool Efficiently

Maintain your equipment

 Change your filter at least two times per year – 4 times
per year is best
 Consider using electrostatic filters which last 12-15 years
 Need to be washed every two months

 Rated Allergy Gold

 “Whistling could be an issue

 Have a Professional tune up your HVAC system each
Spring and Fall



 Ducts that move air from forced heating/cooling systems
are often energy wasters – typically up to 20% can be lost to
leaks
 Seal air leaks using mastic sealant or metal tape – do not
use duct tape
 Make sure connections at vents and registers are sealed
where they meet floors, walls and ceiling – common
locations for leaks



 Energy Star recommends considering a change to your system if:
 Some rooms are too hot or cold, have humidity problems or excessive

dust.
 Your equipment needs frequent repairs and your energy bills are

going up.
 Your heating and cooling equipment is more than 10 years old.

Age & condition of your heating and cooling equipment
may have caused it to become less efficient.
Consider replacing it with newer, more efficient equipment.
 You used EPA‟s ENERGY STAR Home Energy Yardstick

(www.energystar.gov/yardstick) and your score is below 5 –
which means you‟re paying for more energy than most Americans.



 Purchase ENERGY STAR qualified gas furnaces:
 have annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) ratings of 85% and

90% - or greater, making them up to 15% more efficient than
standard models.
 have highly efficient blower motors.

 Purchase ENERGY STAR qualified central air conditioners:
 have higher seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) and energy

efficiency ratio (EER) ratings, making them about 14% more efficient
than standard models.
 The only way to ensure that your new air conditioner performs at its

rated efficiency is to replace your heating system at the same time.
It‟s especially recommended if your furnace is over 15 years old.


Insulate

 Insulation Energy Loss Areas of Concern:
 55% Attic

 35% Exterior Walls

 5% Outlets and around windows

 5% Subfloor with crawl space

 To get the biggest savings, the easiest place to add insulation is the attic.
 Type of Insulation to use:
 Fiberglass, recycled glass, is the safest and most cost effective way to

insulate your home. 40% produced in US with remaining usually from
Canada
 Cellulose (70% recycled newspaper) contains fire-retardant/control for

vermin and mold chemicals
 Blue jean material is heavy & and hard to fit properly around pipes and
electrical (hard to cut).

Insulate

 To get the biggest savings, the easiest place to add
insulation is the attic.
 Recommended levels of insulation for your attic

 Existing 3-4 inches of insulation: R25 - R38

 Floor: R19 – R25

 If you are removing siding from a wood-frame wall without
insulation:
 Add R5 insulation wall sheathing beneath new siding


Seal the air

 Seal the "envelope“ of your home - outer
walls, ceiling, windows, doors, and floors
 Many drafts are easy to feel – leaky
windows & doors. Seal with caulk, spray
foam, or weather stripping
 Holes hidden in attics, basements, &
crawlspaces are usually bigger energy
problems.
 Fireplaces without doors are one of the
biggest heat loss & cold gain areas in your
home. Add doors!
 After any home sealing project, have a
heating & cooling technician check to
make sure that your combustion
appliances (furnace, water heater, and
dryer) are venting properly.

Replace old windows and doors


Every Choice Counts

www.SustainableDanville.com

Ten ways to save energy in 2011

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