Strategies for Using Energy Environmental Science 2

Conservation: The 1 st Priority The US economy was built of human enterprise and abundant, cheap energy For many years energy was used frivolously and or wasted Conservation is the easiest and most cost- effective way to preserve remaining energy reserves and prevent pollution First we will look at conserving energy in homes then in automobiles

1. Well-Insulated Buildings Insulation is the material used to prevent the transfer of heat  This means keep warm air and cool air out in the winter and cool air in and warm air out in the summer Insulation is measured its R- value – the higher the value the better the insulator An un-insulated wall has an R value of R1 (most houses built in the 60’s have an R value of R1)

1. Well-Insulated Buildings Homes today are around the R30 value  They also have insulation blown into the attic to prevent heat transfer, as well as insulation blown into walls and holes to seal any gaps

2. Vapor Barrier Vapor barriers stop air drafts and prevent moisture damage to the exterior walls The vapor barrier can be either polyethylene (plastic-like material) or a foam skin

3. Windows No matter how well insulated a home is windows always lose a high amount of energy Earlier windows were single paned and had a low value of R1 Windows today are usually double-paned and even triple- paned leading to an R value of R3-R7 The key to window efficiency is placement of the window and sealing the window properly to avoid leaks

4. Controlled Ventilation System As houses become better insulated air tends to get trapped in doors increase indoor pollutants Proper ventilation systems provide an exchange of fresh air from outdoors and indoor air while minimizing heat transfer

5. Carefully Selected Heating System Since homes are become better insulated furnaces today are larger than need be Larger furnaces use more energy to operate A smaller more efficient furnace are more effective with today’s insulation standards

Energy Efficient Appliances US refrigerators consume about 7% of the nation’s electricity Models in the 70’s consumed about 2000kWh of electricity per year Today’s models consume about 600 kWh If every household used energy efficient models it would eliminate the need for 12 power plants

Energy Efficient Appliances Front loading washer and dryers are more energy and water efficient that top loading models The reason is because top loading models use a pre-sent amount of water, whereas front loading models adjust to amount of clothes in the washing machine Appliances with higher energy standards are marked as “Energy Star”

More Efficient Vehicles Historically, fuel economy in vehicles was not a concern Speed, style and design were prioritized to energy use However, with rising oil prices fuel economy is now a major concern