Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency is good for everyone. It saves you money on your power bill, it creates a healthier home, and it’s better for the environment. Whether it’s replacing your lightbulbs, buying energy efficient appliances, or simply creating new habits to use at home, there are plenty of ways to be more efficient with the energy we use. You don’t have to change your whole house, either. You can start small and ramp up as you go. Even small changes add up over time.

Below you’ll find a few helpful tips on being more energy efficient at your place.

Switch your light bulbs to LEDs

Lighting can have a significant impact on your energy consumption. Replacing those old conventional light bulbs with LEDs is a great way to reduce your energy use. LEDs use up to 85% less power and it’s said they can save you up to $300 over the lifetime of the bulb. While they’re a little bit more expensive to buy, they typically last around 15 times longer than an incandescent bulb. LEDs also have the added benefit of coloured options and compatibility with smart home systems. Switching to LEDs is one of the cheapest and easiest things you can do to conserve energy, and you don’t have to do them all at once either.

Get a time-of-use power plan

A time-of-use power plan is one where your hourly rate for the power you use changes throughout the day. This typically means rates are their highest from 7am to 10am and from 5pm to 9pm. Typically, these are the busiest times of day in terms of energy use. Now, we’re not saying to live in darkness or become nocturnal, but it makes sense to defer any intensive appliance use until outside peak times, if you can. This might mean hitting the “start” button on your dryer or dishwasher before you go to bed, or setting up timers for your heat pump or heater to warm the house up before you get up.

Use your a heat pump instead of a heater

Heating is one of the largest ongoing energy costs in a Kiwi home. It’s estimated to make up about a third of your power bill. Heat pumps are highly energy efficient, producing 3-5 times the amount of heat as a portable heater for the same energy cost. A heat pump does cost a lot more than a heater up front and you’ll need a licensed electrician to hook it up, but the long-term savings are considerable. With the additional flexibility of having cooling available from the same unit, a heat pump really is the best and most efficient solution to keep your home comfortable and healthy all year round.

Make sure your home is well insulated

Good insulation is key to making your heating solution effective. Insulation keeps heat from escaping your house. During winter, heat loss will mean your heat pump or heater has to work even harder to maintain a comfortable temperature for you and your family. As well as keeping warm air in, it also keeps damp air out, and helps prevent moisture building up, becoming mouldy, and impacting your health. Wall and ceiling insulation is essential, but many Kiwi homes were built before this was required under the building code, making retrofits difficult, but not impossible. Another important factor is ensuring your curtains fully cover your windows. The best way to prevent heat loss through windows (without replacing them) is to hang floor-length curtains or invest in some window film.

Use the clothesline whenever you can

The sun is one of the best free energy sources we have, and you should make it your first choice for drying clothes on laundry days. A dryer is an absolutely fantastic tool in winter, but it’s contributing to your power bill in more ways than one. In addition to the cost of running it, your dryer will transfer moisture from the clothes to the air in your home, sometimes up to five litres per day, and make it much harder for your heating solution to do its job. A ducted or a condenser dryer will either collect or redirect the moisture, allowing your heat pump, heater, or wood fire to work more efficiently. Even using an indoor clothes horse will add moisture to your home, so it’s best to use the sun whenever you can.

Choose the most energy efficient appliances you can

Appliances aren’t exactly the cheapest thing in the world, so we’re not suggesting you run out and replace everything. But when the time does come to replace or upgrade your appliances, you should always buy the most energy efficient one you can afford. Look for appliances with a high energy star rating as these will be the most efficient, keeping costs down. While these options are typically more expensive than those with lower energy ratings, they’ll be easier on your wallet in the long run.

Get started on your journey to a healthier home

What you need to know

Landlords

While energy efficiency isn't legislative, it's a great way to attract tenants.

Homeowners

There are so many quick and easy things you can do to make your home more energy efficient, saving you money, improving the resale value of your home, reducing the environmental impact and making your home more comfortable. EECA has a number of great resources. Clothes dryers can be very expensive to run so try not to use them unless you really have to. Heated towel rails are also expensive and cost around $120 a year to run.

Renters

Like a home owner, there are many things you can do to maintain a healthy home. EECA has a number of great resources through Genless, check out their website for more information. Appliances that have a standby function (such as TVs, stereos, mobile chargers, computers and microwaves) should be turned off at the wall. This can save you up to $75 a year.

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