Steps to Saving Energy

There a lot of steps we can take to save on energy. Here are a few to name.

~Install Low-Flow Fixtures: Federal regulations mandate that new shower head flow rates can't exceed more than 2.5 gallons per minute at a water pressure of 80 (psi).
~Insulate Hot Water Pipes : Insulating hot water pipes reduces heat loss and can raise water temperature 2-4ºF warmer allowing for a lower water temperature setting. By doing so you won't have to wait as long for hot water when you turn on a faucet or shower head, which helps conserve water.
~Apply Permanent Weather Stripping:  Any little crevice or crack can contribute to alot of your energy savings out the door. A 1/8" space between a standard exterior door and its threshold is equivalent to a two square inch hole in the wall. Closing the cracks, gaps, and/or crevices can save you up to 15 percent in heating and cooling costs and also can reduce the demand on your heating and cooling system.

Energy Costs in Office Buildings

Dim The Lights

Buildings such as office buildings use an average of 17 kilowatts an hour of electricity and 32 cubic feet of natural gas per square foot in the U.S. annually.In the average typically building heating, lighting, and cooling represents 65% of the total use making those systems the best target for energy savings. Energy represents 19% of total expense for the average office building. There are things that the average office building can do to reduce the amount of energy used is lights can be dimmed and turned off when the office is not in use. Computers and office equipment can be turned off when not in use but when they are in use turn the brightness of the screen down. Space heaters.. Really.. bring a blanket.

Alternative Building Material

Today there is alternative building material that range from high-tech to timber frame, today's houses are being built with more than wood and brick.  Here are a few to name.

Structural Insulated Panels. It is fiberglass panels that are made from insulated foam that is sandwiched between two layers of structural material. The advantages of this is it will be airtight than a conventionally built home because the insulation is installed in a controlled environment and measured to fit like a glove.

Steel Framing. Its light gauge steel studs instead of lumbar. The advantage of this is it supports heavier loads and provides longer-lasting construction.

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC). PVC is a hard, durable, synthetic material that is becoming a choice in new construction and remodeling for window frames, shutters, and siding.. The advantages of this is PVC materials last an average of 20 years with little or no maintenance. PVC pipes for water distribution, and sewage have been used for up to 50 years and are still in service.

Energy Consumption

Take a second to think about how much energy you use everyday.....
We use hot water which used a hot water heater that uses energy, we run the dishwasher, dryer, washing machine, a computer. Those are just a few to name. We use a lot of energy everyday. There are four groups that the U.S. Department of energy divides energy users into. There is Residential that uses 22% of energy, Commercial 19%, Transportation 28%, and Industry uses 31%. Any place that people live is considered a residential or commercial building. This consists of offices, hospitals, restaurants, homes, and school. There are grouped together because they use energy the same way such as heating water, heating and cooling, lights, and operation appliances. Homes and building consume more that a third of the energy used in the U.S. today.   Americans have reduced the amount of energy we used in the homes and work places in the past 30 years by improvements in technology and in the ways the equipment is made.

Passive Solar

Passive solar is a type of energy. Passive solar is the use of sunlight for useful energy without the use of active mechanical systems such as a furnace or air conditioner/swamp-cooler. These technologies convert sunlight into usable heat for the air in your home to keep it warm during the winter months and cool during the summer months.  This includes direct and indirect solar gain for many things and to name a few there is space heating and water heating. In the picture it shows a tree for shade and protection against wind and also will help reduce water evaporation. If the roof has a hang over it also helps keep the house shaded to keep the summer sun out and the cool air in. If you have heated insulation the windows will help keep the warmth in from the winter sun and keep the house at a comfortable temperature.

Water Conservation

Today in class we learned about water conservation and how much water we waste today. For instance a bath tub holds approximately 45 gallons of water and it takes 30 full bath tubes to make one cotton t-shirt. Really that's a lot of water wasted on one t-shirt. We also talked about conserving water and soil erosion.  To help prevent erosion of soil fertility we can cover the ground with vegetation and there are 4 ways to prevent water and soil runoffs. One way is contour planting or strip cropping which is rows of crops that goes in different directions. This creates a dam to help hold the topsoil in and slow down water runoff. Another way is alley cropping or wind breaks. Its rows of crops that have trees along side them. This keeps it shady and prevents water evaporation in the heat and also is a wind breaker to prevent wind erosion.  If farmers did this today they wouldn't have to waste water and get new soil every year when they are getting ready to plant their crops.  Now back on the water subject.  There are a couple of things that we can do to conserve on water in our daily lives around the home. We can turn the water off while we brush our teeth or do the dishes, wash full loads of laundry or use less water for a smaller load. Anther thing is water the lawn or garden early in the morning or late at night every other night or every two nights. When it comes to bathing, take a short shower and not a bath because again it takes approximately 45 gallons of water to fill a bath tub. I know it doesn't look like alot of water but it is. Once you notice that you are taking small steps to change the way you conserve on water you will notice that your water bill will go down. So in the long run you are saving water and money.