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How to Lower Your Energy Consumption

We have previously covered the utilities basics. Here are some extra ideas on how to make sure you keep your energy consumption low.

Cooking

  • Use a pot that matches the size of the burner.
  • Cover the pot with a lid while cooking.
  • Use a kettle to boil the water instead of a kitchen stove.
  • Use residual heat while cooking rice or pasta after switching off the cooker.
  • Clean the cooker regularly.

Dish-washing

  • Remove food waste properly before putting the dishes into the dishwasher.
  • Switch on the dishwasher only when full.
  • Use eco-friendly washing programs when possible (lower temperature & less time)
  • Run cleaning program regularly.

Fridge/freezer

  • Defrost regularly.
  • Don’t put in a hot food.

Heating

  • Upon moving into your new apartment, make sure heater regulators function properly (ask the landlord to repair or replace them if needed).
  • Having your apartment connected to the central heating, you can manage your consumption through the heater regulators only.
  • Having a heating boiler in your apartment, make sure you learn how to manage the system, how to set a temperature, how to shut down the system before summer or how to put it up before winter.  Ask your landlord who is responsible for regular yearly maintenance and make sure it is done if it is yourself who has to take care of it.
  • Avoid overheating.
  • Air the rooms in winter as fast as possible (e.g., open all windows wide at the same time for a couple of minutes).
  • During summer, air the rooms in the night and keep the windows closed during the day if possible.
  • If there is an A/C in your apartment, learn how to manage it (some of the A/C units can be used as heaters as well), and don’t keep it running 24/7.

Lighting

  • Make sure you use energy saving bulbs in the lamps.
  • Make sure you switch off the lights when you leave the room/apartment.

Remember:

  • devices in sleeping mode don’t necessarily equal to zero electricity consumption
  • additional heating devices consume enormous amount of electricity
  • small difference in your daily behavior can help to protect the environment

THANK YOU FOR HELPING TO PRESERVE THE SUSTAINABILITY