Smart power strips can help improve energy efficiency.
Whether it’s to save money or the environment, replacing standard appliances with these green technologies can reduce the energy and resource consumption.
1. Solar Hot Water Heater
Sometimes referred to as solar domestic hot water systems, these cost-effective heaters can be used in any climate. They use storage tanks and solar collectors to heat water for your home via solar power. Many of these heaters have supplementary standard water heaters for the early morning hours of the day to provide hot water for a morning shower or other early activities.
2. Solar Panels for Electricity
These photovoltaic panels generate electricity for homes by converting sunlight into usable energy. Panels are most commonly placed on roofs of homes and are an excellent way to save money on electricity. The initial costs of these panels are a deterrent for many, but for those planning on living in their home for quite a while these panels will undoubtedly pay for themselves.
3. Dual Flush Toilets
Tremendously popular in Australia, these unique toilets can save you a considerable amount of water by allowing the user two flush options. With the price of water on the rise, this may be a smart option for those looking to save some money on their water bill.
4. Programmable Thermostat
These advanced thermostats allow users to program their home temperature for any given time of the day, so energy isn’t wasted while no one is home. With fine-tuned programming, users can even have their home start to cool itself twenty or so minutes before they get home from work, meaning no waiting around and sweating until the A/C kicks in.
5. Smart Power Strip
Many appliances continue to use energy when not in use just by being plugged-in or put on standby. Even though the amount of energy used to keep it on may be quite small, it can add up over time. That’s why smart power strips are so useful. These special power strips reduce power usage by shutting down power to products that go into standby mode. Energy experts say that the average household’s standby energy usage takes up about 5-10% of the total consumption. These smart power strips can save quite a bit in the long run if you’ve got a fair number of appliances that are left plugged-in.
Michael Bain is an analyst for New Home Source.
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