Sustainability Program for Community Housing Organisations Compass Housing Services This project has been assisted by the New South Wales Government through its Energy Efficiency Training Program

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Appliances and Lighting The importance of efficiency Energy ratings Water ratings Using appliances efficiently Lighting

Some appliances have improved…..

Some ‘appliances’ are perfect! Free to run solar dryer 100% reliable Takes a little planning and weather watching

Energy ratings Star rating indicates relative efficiency. The number gives the actual energy consumed per year (average use) It is easy to calculate how much an appliance will cost to run. Multiply the yearly kWh x cost/ kWh unit for annual cost. Daily cost= divide that by 365 Efficiency standards are improved every few years, last done April 2010.

Energy efficiency comparisons Always the best place to start when considering purchasing appliances. It is better not to be tempted by specials alone! Often a cheaper appliance is far more expensive to run in the long term Activity-20 minutes

Dryers- A close look.. Things to consider Some units/ apartments don’t have a washing line Ensure all homes have access to one. Compass check availability? Time issues, work, etc.? Physical issues?

Dryers- the types A condenser dryer tank. Standard dryer Approx 80 cents / load ! ( recent 2 star model) peak metering How much to run if using a smart meter at peak time? If vented inside - damp/ mould issues Ducted dryer same cost / load vented to outside Condenser dryer some use more water than a washing machine (to run the condensing unit). Some condenser dryers don’t, and also use less electricity, but are substantially more expensive to buy.

Dryers-attitude/ behaviour Attitudes- why we need a dryer vs. why we don’t… Some people don’t realise how expensive they are to run. ( perhaps too, the money could be spent on other priorities ) Some don’t appreciate the opportunity for a stretch/exercise A few can’t physically manage First option- always dry on the line Partial air dry, then only finish off in the dryer Lint blockages cause increased energy usage and a fire hazard.

Washing machines General rules of thumb; Front loaders more energy and water efficient Cold wash is generally sufficient for the majority of items Substantial energy savings with cold wash A larger machine used less frequently is generally more efficient than a small machine used frequently Go for machines with very high spin speeds

Refrigerators Ticking away 24/7… A medium size efficient fridge-freezer can cost as little as 20c/ day Many old fridges cost around 60-70c/day Some homes have many fridges Many (more than 1 fridge) can be a liability, rather than an asset Attitudes. Shops can do cold storage far cheaper than homeowners It always used to be possible to have one fridge/ freezer- even when families were bigger- and shops were not as convenient.

Fridge buyback scheme In recognition of the enormous cost to householders and the enormous combined GHG pollution State Govt. has arranged for old and inefficient fridges to be collected. People getting rid of fridges will be paid $35 Ring Central coast and some parts of South Newcastle

Dishwashers Quick, or eco setting saves substantial energy, and always cleans everything ( in most cases) A very efficient dishwasher uses 1 KWH per load on eco setting Activity: How much cost difference would there be if used at different times on a smart meter?

Appliance replacement ……Early intervention. Energy prices rising rapidly, Best to go for higher efficiency, rather than be tempted by ‘a bargain’ Education is important before people need to replace appliances.

Electric hot water systems Use an enormous amount of energy Generally between 25-30% of household energy consumption. Being phased out because of inefficiency beginning 07/2011

Electric HWS- efficiency improvements Setting the element to 60 degrees Celsius. This must be done by a qualified/ licensed person to avoid electric shock If tanks are in a dry location, they may be covered with a cylinder wrap. Pipes around the tank should be insulated with a UV proof insulation-if exposed to the sun.

Gas hot water systems A relatively efficient form of water heating Gas creates approx. 30% less CO2 than coal fired electricity. 50 degrees it is most efficient setting. Best used with natural gas If using bottled gas, greater expense and also CO2 associated with delivery.

Gas storage system All storage systems waste energy from radiation Creates less CO2 than normal electric systems ( not using green power)

HWS Relative running costs – a rough guide.

Connecting Solar Hot water to appliances To dishwasher- save approx 50% energy per load- ie about 1 Kwh. (9-40c per load) ( 30-$145/year) To washing machine. Substantial savings if doing hot washes, smaller if doing warm, no saving if doing cold washes. Important: Input temperature should be less than 50degrees. (this is standard on all recent installations of all hot water system types.

Heating and Cooling Fundamental- Minimise the energy wastage. This is because heating is one of the major potential areas for energy and cost savings-(Refer to Thermal Performance)

Reverse-cycle air- conditioning. (Also sometimes referred to as heat pumps) The most efficient and potentially the cheapest form of heating. Potentially GHG free- if using sustainable energy Inverter style is the most efficient of RC/AC It is more difficult to cool than heat a space. Less efficient and more expensive. A ‘Split system’ Integrated system

Why are RC/AC so efficient? They use the heat in the exterior air and ‘pump’ it to the inside. Works like a fridge, but in reverse. The Co-efficient of Performance COP is around 3:1 This means that 3 times more heat energy is delivered, than is consumed, to make that heat. This is why a RCAC is far cheaper to run than a regular heater. Also this is why they produce less GHG

Things to watch with RC/AC It is so easy to use the switch, and then forget about the cost Heat pumps often average around 2.6KW input, and running costs are high, especially at peak rates. Some people find the noise irritating Discuss what techniques might be used for heating while keeping costs low, if the house has a smart meter.

Regular electric heaters Convection and radiant Radiant Inefficient heating COP=1. (1 x unit in, 1 unit output) OK for small spaces or if needing radiant heat Cheap to buy, EXPENSIVE to run

Gas heating Flued Dry heat Maintains good air quality Best option for health and efficiency More expensive to install than unflued Unflued Combustion produces CO2 and water- best not to have these inside. In humid climates- ie here, mould can build up Associated with asthma Need to leave windows or vents open, (partly defeating energy efficiency) Reasonably economical- similar to RC/AC Not subject to TOU peak pricing in evening CO2 emissions less than coal fired electricity

Gas heating- types Exposed flue improves heat delivery into house Typical format of an unflued gas heater, though to be sure, look behind to see if flue comes out the back or not. All flued Gas heaters are stationary/ fixed.

Wood fires Carbon neutral and a sustainable fuel source Only use modern low pollution models Some areas have restrictions due to smoke pollution. (Smoke pollution generally due to wet timber, or incorrect combustion) Wood MUST be FULLY dry. Ensure wood is sourced from licensed operators. It should be from sustainable wood supplies.

Wood pellet fires Very efficient Very low pollution Fuel is compressed dried sawdust Low – medium cost to run Some machines have a noisy fan/ blower Sustainable and renewable fuel made from sawmill waste.

Electric underfloor heating Often located under tiles Zonable Often very expensive to run

Hydronic underfloor heating Warm feet Zonable Can be sustainable Can be relatively low cost.

Cooling After the fundamentals are attended to, as covered in Thermal Performance, well positioned trees, and reflective insulation, and shaded windows, Then keeping cool comes to the operation of windows, breezes, and appliances

Cooling options Breezes- free Ceiling fans, or pedestal fans- about 1 cent/ hour Average modern reverse cycle A/C (2.6 Kw) -about 50 cents-$1.04/hour -Requires thoughtful planning but great rewards credit: yourhome

Adaptation to conditions Try to adapt to warmer air, i.e. less clothes, cool drinks swimming Breezes from fans or windows are often same temp, but have cooling effect.

Reducing cost of air con. 1 degree= 10 % difference Partitions/ zones

TV’s- up to 10% of power bill… Even the most efficient LED TVs can use substantial power because of size, and usage patterns Energy ratings normally taken at 10hrs / day

Other appliances Fish-tanks and Reptile habitats. Consider the expense of hobbies before committing. So many appliances to consider, but always consider long term costs before commitment

Standby wastage increasing rapidly (Shows average standby, some houses are up to 10%)

Appliance energy use (countrywide)

Non appliances- Discussion In real terms, there is no such thing as an energy saving appliance…

Standby energy Name the ones you can think of that are always on…

Standby adds up quickly! Hidden ones RC/AC- standby some 50 watts continuously Television amplifiers 5W Modems 10 W Garage door openers. 4 W (each) Water beds Common ones Microwave ovens W dvd, Blu-ray, Set top boxes Playstation, etc. Washing machines, Dryers, Dishwashers Video players, Hi fi, Battery chargers Computers, Laptops, Printers Portable phones- up to 5/ household Scanners, Mini dvd players, MP3 players Always on, rarely needed….

Solutions to standby wastage…? Turn off at powerpoint- best solution Avoid buying appliances, esp inefficient ones Get a standby power saver master / slave set of powerpoints

Efficient appliances are one thing… Rbg Just as important is how they are used…

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