Energy Saving Tips for your Home and Business

In this article, we will discuss some simple options for effectively reducing our demands on the electrical grid and therefore reducing the monetary and environmental costs of our lives.

Reduce Direct Energy Use

It might sound like a little bit of a no brainer, but the easiest way to save on energy consumption is to use less of it. Consider reading a book instead of watching television, or using low energy consumption lightbulbs. Making sure computers are shut down at the end of the work day is also a good company initiative to cut energy costs.

Do an Energy Audit

This process can involve an initial monetary outlay to an electrical services contractor but can save you a lot of money in the long run. An energy audit will identify appliances in your home or business that are consuming the most electricity and make suggestions on how to reduce this. You may also be interested in hiring an electrician to investigate whether there are any faults in your electrical wiring that could be causing your power consumption to be highly inefficient, particularly plausible in old properties.

Install Solar Panels

Solar panels will not reduce the amount of energy you consume but they will reduce the cost of it in the long run by producing it onsite. If you install enough solar panels you can even make money feeding it back into the grid. Given how much electricity is produced in Australia, installing solar panels is a great way to become more ethically responsible in your energy consumption.

Maximise Passive Energy Efficiency

Essentially, passive energy efficiency is about utilising local climate variations to heat and cool spaces efficiently. The simplest example is opening windows if you want to let the hot air in or out.

Another effective example is to lower blinds or external roller shutters on a hot day to reflect sunlight back outside rather than letting it heat up your internal space. This will save you a heap of energy that would otherwise be consumed by the air conditioner to reach your desired internal temperature.

Automatic Lighting

It may be easy to think that automatic lighting could result in increased power consumption, but given how much energy is consumed turning lights on and off in quick succession, having lights on timers can reduce the human switch flicking compulsion. Similarly, having automatic safeguards in the workplace can prevent appliances running overnight given most workplaces are only full of people half or less of the day.

By fitting your lights with an RTS lighting receiver, you can control them using our automation solution Connexoon Window RTS and set them on automatic schedules for your convenience. Alternatively, you can use the Connexoon Window RTS app to control your Phillips Hue Lighting.

If you'd like to discuss motorised window covering options further, or if you'd like to know more about automating your home with Somfy, speak to your local Somfy Expert retailer today!