Conserving energy and money for utilities.
Created Aug 30 2007 by W., M.
American residential
architecture from the first crude colonial shelters to the sleek, streamlined
"machines for living" designed by the early Modernists is a richly varied
concept embracing many factors from sleek to value, from cost to style...
It is a living science and art at the
same time, because unlike on The Old Continent - American Architectural Style is
inherently programmed for change. Whether the change is stimulated by aesthetics
or the market - it is and always is there.
The land is the treasure but houses come
down and come up again and this allows for new technologies to be employed at
the fullest potential.
By definition most of the changes in
European architectural and interior design technologies have to do with
redefining the same usually limited space and resources. Thus - ecological wind
and solar power, toilets flushed with soft rainwater as opposed to precious
drinking water and similar concepts like:
Easy to install and energy
efficient radiant floor heating.
Our mission is to see and connect the
dots on our One World map. To see the compatibilities despite differences and
let the market forces and customers decide what's best.
Our offer was hand picked among many
available in Europe where this product
originates. Numerous rewards, quality and technical certifications as well as
customer satisfaction were the main factors deciding to bring it here.
Besides planning for and installing floor
heating as a stand alone or hybrid system in conjunction with your existing HVAC
system there are number of additional steps for upgrading energy efficiency like
our:
SHORT & LONG-TERM ENERGY
SAVING CHECKLIST FOR YOUR HOME AND BUDGET.
When to do it?
Always.
Turn off
lights when not needed.
Avoid using appliances unnecessarily. Dry clothes on
a line rather than in the clothes dryer.
A note about
heating:
There are two main types of heating - radiant and
convective. Radiant heaters predominantly heat people and objects by direct
radiation of heat. Convective heaters warm and circulate the air in a room.
Other forms of heating, such as heated floors, also heat by conduction through
direct contact. Different forms of heating are best in different
circumstances.
In larger rooms with high ceilings, a combination of radiant and convective
heating is best. That's why we call our radiant floor heating 'hybrid
heating'.
When to do it? Today or
ASAP.
-
Check if your water heater has an
insulating blanket. An insulating blanket will pay for itself in one year or
less! If you have one of those silent guzzlers, a waterbed, make
your bed today. The covers will insulate it, and save up to one-third of the
energy it uses.
-
Start using energy-saving
settings on refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, and clothes
dryers.
When? This
Week.
-
Visit the hardware store. Buy a
water-heater blanket, low-flow showerheads, faucet aerators, and compact
fluorescents, as needed.
When? This
Month
-
Seal up the largest air leaks in your
house—the ones that whistle on windy days, or feel drafty. The worst culprits
are usually not windows and doors, but utility cut-through for pipes ("plumbing
penetrations"), gaps around chimneys and recessed lights in insulated ceilings,
and unfinished spaces behind cupboards and closets. Better yet, hire an energy
auditor with a blower door to point out where the worst cracks are. All the
little, invisible cracks and holes may add up to as much as an open window or
door, without you ever knowing it!
When? This year or next year
the latest.
-
Do the inventory of aging, inefficient
appliances. Plan for the eventual replacement. Even if the appliance has a few
useful years left, replacing it with a top-efficiency model is generally a good
investment - depending n your
budget.
Reducing stand-by energy
consumption
Stand-by energy is drawn when some electrical
equipment is not actually being used, such as when the TV is turned off with the
remote control rather than with the switch on the set or at the wall. It is
sometimes used to power digital displays or maintain memory settings, but often
it is just wasted energy.
Be aware of the standby energy use of
electrical equipment such as TVs, videos, clocks, computers, faxes, microwaves,
security systems, battery chargers and power packs.
Stand-by energy use can account for 10 percent or more of household
electricity use.
Some appliances, such as videos and microwaves with digital
displays, can use much more energy over a year in standby than in actual
operation.
ENERGY STAR® is an international standard for energy-efficient
electrical equipment developed by the US Environment Protection Authority.
The standard only applies to stand-by energy
use and does not cover energy used during operation, although ENERGY STAR
equipment is often more efficient in operation too. Electrical equipment that
meets the required efficiency standard is labeled with the ENERGY STAR logo.
