Energy Efficiency Tips

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Calgary now averages 43 days a year with evening temps above 10°C which is one reason we’re using more energy to stay cool.

For every 10 degree drop below 0°C, the average home uses 40 per cent more natural gas and 8 per cent more electricity.

Kitchen

Kitchen tips.

Eating efficiently.
Preparing meals in an air fryer instead of the stove is a great way to save energy. Air fryers are roughly 50 per cent more energy efficient than electric ovens and 35 per cent more energy efficient than a natural gas oven.

Let your dishes air dry.
At the end of the wash cycle, open the dishwasher door and you’ll be surprised by how fast your dishes dry. Doing this can cut dishwasher energy use 15 - 50 per cent, depending on the machine.

Check your freezer settings.
Keeping your fridge as cold as possible isn’t the most efficient choice. Set your refrigerator's temperature between 1.7C and 3.3C and the freezer at -18C so it runs as efficiently as possible.

Clean around your fridge.
Whenever possible, move your fridge away from the wall and gently remove dust or other debris from the coils so air can circulate more freely. This will help your fridge work more efficiently.

Run your dishwasher when it’s full.
Whether it’s full or half full, your dishwasher uses the same amount of energy… and water. Running it only when full is a great way to save.

Use the right element.
If the pot or pan you’re using is smaller than the element heat will escape into the air instead of cooking your noodles. Or if the pan is larger than the element it will take longer to heat the surface.

Heating and Cooling

Heating and cooling tips.

Seal out cold drafts.
Over time, any home will develop gaps that let cold air in and warm air escape. Sealing up obvious areas around windows, or adding weather-stripping around exterior doors, can help save up to 30 per cent on your heating use. And adding gaskets to electrical outlets, stopping chimney drafts or sealing dryer and fan vents can help even more.

Set your thermostat.
Heating accounts for 63 per cent of home energy use – and even a difference of two degrees (from 20 to 22) can add up. On cold days it might be tempting to set your thermostat high, but your home won’t heat up quicker.

Let the sunshine in.
Calgary is the sunniest major city in Canada. Make the sun work for you in winter by opening your blinds and curtains during the day. This will allow the sun’s energy to help heat your home and take some of the load off your furnace. At night, close your blinds and curtains to help keep the heat from escaping too quickly.

Keep cool on the inside.
At one time people thought that closing every window in their home during summer would help keep things cooler. That’s mostly true, but windows that open into shady areas may be cooler and can provide a refreshing breeze.

Ensure the air can flow.
If you are using fans to keep cool, position them near a window that opens to a shady area, and use it to draw the cooler air in. You can also aim your fan at an open window and use the airflow to push warmer air out of your house.

Turning up the heat to stay cool.
During a heat wave, set your thermostat to 25C or higher. You’ll save 5 per cent on your cooling costs for every degree you increase the temperature setting when your air conditioning kicks in.

Technology

Technology tips.

How you stream can affect efficiency.
If you’re binge watching more these days, the device you use for your entertainment can make a difference. Gaming consoles use 15X more energy to stream content than a digital media player like Apple TV. Your tablet uses 4X less energy than a laptop to stream the same show.

Use dimmers.
Depending on your type of TV and settings, adjusting the display settings can reduce its power use by up to 5-20 per cent without compromising picture quality.

Another reason to love laptops.
Not only are they portable, and convenient, but laptops also spend more time in low power mode. This one feature makes them about 90 per cent more efficient than their desktop cousins.

Centralize your charging.
Not only can an unattended charger be a potential hazard, but it also wastes energy. Establish a dedicated area in your home for charging phones and devices with a timer to turn it off when not in use.

Monitor your screen saver.
Studies suggest that screen savers use more energy than allowing the monitor to dim. For better efficiency, turn the monitor off if you are away for 15 minutes or more.

Turn off printers when not in use.
Printers use a significant amount of energy. Shut them down in the evening, on weekends or for any stretch of time when they’re not being used.

Laundry

Laundry tips.

Air it out.
Hanging your laundry on a drying rack or clothesline is a great way to save electricity. Plus, there’s nothing quite like that scent of clothes dried in the fresh summer air.

Refresh or full wash?
In many cases, your clothes only need to be freshened up if they’re not heavily soiled. Using a “light wash” or shorter cycle will mean that your machine uses less energy.

Select cold for your wash.
About 90 per cent of the energy used for laundry goes to heat the water. Hot water may be needed for dirty or stained clothes – but by sorting your clothes you can easily create loads that use energy more efficiently.

Increase spin time to decrease drying time.
Running full loads with high-speed or extended spin cycles will reduce drying time and is an efficient choice.

Throw in a towel to speed up drying time.
If you need to use the dryer, tossing in a clean, dry towel can help your clothes dry faster and reduce the amount of energy needed.

Sort loads based on fabric type.
Loading a dryer with a mix of fluffy towels, t-shirts and denim can be inefficient because some items may dry at different rates. Instead sort your drying based on drying times to avoid having to run your machine longer than needed.

Lighting

Lighting tips.

Change your light bulbs.
EnergyStar^® certified LED bulbs use 90 per cent less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs. As old bulbs burn out, replace them with LEDs, which, in addition to using less power, also last 15x longer than incandescent bulbs.

Use the right light for the job.
Different lights have different purposes. Choose brighter bulbs for task lighting in areas where you read or do detailed work. Select bulbs with lower brightness for hallways or general areas, provided they don’t affect safety.

Illuminate your space not the room.
If you’re reading or working on a hobby, using a lamp to illuminate your area can be a more efficient choice than turning on multiple lights for the whole room.

Hit the off switch.
Lighting can account for up to 10 per cent of your electricity costs, and it’s easy to overlook, especially during the longer nights of winter. Taking that extra step to turn off lights when not in use can make a real difference, and if you can’t always remember to flip the switch when you leave a room, timers and sensors can make it easier to be more energy efficient.

Garage and Yard

Garage and yard tips.

It’s a movement.
Install motion sensors on lights like those on your garage so they only come on when needed rather than staying on all night.

Don’t over charge.
Similar to phones and other devices, many tools are now powered by rechargeable batteries. However, keeping chargers plugged in and batteries charging even after they’re full is unnecessary and can add to your consumption total.

Use your block heater wisely.
In general, block heaters aren’t required until the mercury drops below -15C. Use a timer to turn on the block heater two to four hours before the vehicle will be used so you don’t use energy unnecessarily.

Take advantage of shade.
When planting trees, consider placing them near windows on the sunniest side of the house. This natural shade will help keep your home cooler and means you could rely on fans and air conditioning less and could reduce your cooling needs by 30 per cent.

Extend sunshine into the night.
Solar powered garden, pathway and entry lights are a great alternative to using electricity.

Grill and chill.
Grilling outdoors can help avoid heating up your house and making your AC or fans work harder during summer.

Customers are free to purchase natural gas services or electricity services from a retailer of their choice. For a list of retailers, visit ucahelps.alberta.ca or call 310-4822 (toll free in Alberta).

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