Residential

Building and renovating

• Choose a block that has clear access to the low-angled winter sun.
• Plan the rooms in your home to take full advantage of elements such as natural lighting.
• The size and position of windows should be carefully planned according to the direction they face.
• Window protection such as shutters, eaves and drapes can help keep your house cooler in summer and prevent heat loss in the winter.
• Prevent draughts in areas such as construction joints between walls, gaps between and around windows, air vents etc.
• Insulate your home. Insulation is the single most effective item you can add to your home to improve its energy efficiency.
• Set your heating system up so that you have the flexibility to heat individual zones of the home with energy efficient heaters.
• In the initial planning of the house, group together rooms that use hot water, to ensure more efficient use of your hot water system.
• For a more detailed guide to making your home energy efficient you can visit the GreenPower website.

Hot water

• The energy used to heat water accounts for more than a third of NSW households' electricity bills. Imagine the difference we could make if we could reduce this figure by even a small amount.
• Use less hot water from your taps.
• Shorten the length of your shower.
• Install an energy efficient shower head.
• Install a more energy efficient solar heater, heat pump or gas hot water. The NSW Hot Water System Rebate provides a rebate of $300 for a new gas, solar or heat pump hot water system which replaces an existing electric hot water system.
• Set the thermostat on your water heater to deliver the lowest acceptable temperature.
• Insulate exposed hot water pipes, especially the first two metres leading from the hot water system to reduce heat loss in pipes.
• The future phase out of electric hot water systems is currently under Government review. Should the decision be made to implement a phase out scheme Country Energy will continue to offer controlled load tariffs to those with existing electric hot water systems. Go to www.environment.gov.au for latest information.
  

Laundry

• Using an energy efficient washing machine and selecting the cold wash option will save a lot of power in the laundry your bills will be significantly lower and you'll produce less carbon pollution.
• Wash your clothes in cold water.
• Hanging clothes out on the line instead of using the dryer should always be the first option after all, its free!
• If you have to use your clothes dryer, don’t overload it as your clothes will take longer to dry, using more electricity.

Heating and cooling

• Install ceiling insulation in your home.
• Seal draughts and gaps around external doors and windows.
• Close off areas that don't need to be heated / cooled.
• Fit thick and close fitting curtains to your windows.
• Have your heater set to a few degrees cooler when in use.
• Use a fan instead of an air conditioner.
• Don’t turn the air conditioner so low when you use it keeping the setting even a couple of degrees warmer will make a difference to your power bills.

Lighting

• Careful selection of lamps and fittings can cut your energy costs for lighting by more than half. The higher the wattage of a lamp, the higher the running cost.
• Energy efficient light bulbs produce just as much light as old-style incandescent lamps. They are designed to fit into standard light sockets (bayonet and screw fittings), and they will save you money.
• Switch off lights that are not in use.

Appliances

• Did you know that many appliances, including TVs, stereos and mobile phone chargers continue to use energy if you leave them plugged in and switched on at the wall, even when you’re not using them?
• Switch off appliances and electrical equipment at the wall.
• Don’t leave entertainment equipment such as stereos, TVs and DVDs in standby mode when you are not using them.
• Look for energy efficient appliances when shopping.

Refrigeration

• Fridges use a lot of power but we can make them more efficient. Many people also have a second fridge that is hardly ever used, yet it stays plugged in and wasting power.
• Get rid of your spare of extra fridge if you live in Sydney or Wollongong, you're eligible for the NSW government's $35 fridge buyback scheme.
• Switch off the second fridge when not in use for long periods.
• Adjust fridge temperature to suit load.
• Make sure the seals on your fridge are clean and that the door closes properly.
• When you need to replace your fridge, shop for energy efficient models.

For more information