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Africa Energy Efficiency Guide
The Africa energy Efficiency guide is your indispensable tool to saving energy in your home and reducing your cost of doing business in Uganda.
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Energy Efficiency (EE) is an inescapable part of the solution to Africa’s sustainable development; its improvements can result in cost-effective ways that can contribute to economic and social development as well as environmental sustainability. EE impacts positively on many global & local topical issues, such as: energy demand management, energy security, industrial development, local air pollution, climate change, consumer welfare, energy poverty, jobs creation, etc. Specifically, EE improvements offer multiple opportunities and benefits: reducing energy waste, reducing need for investment in new energy infrastructure and facilities and thus saving money, lowering production costs, improving clean energy access, reducing health risks, increasing competiveness, and paving the way for a most energy efficient and low carbon economy. |
Right in your own home, you have the power to save money and energy. Saving energy will reduce Africa's overall demand for resources needed to make energy, and increasing your energy efficiency is like adding another clean energy source to Africa's electric power grid.
This Africa Energy Efficiency guide shows you how easy it is to cut your energy use from your home, on the road to your Business Premices.
In this Energy Savers Guide you will find information about:
- Easy low-cost and no-cost ways to save energy in Africa today
- How your home uses energy, and how to develop a plan to save this Energy in the short and long term
- How to use efficient systems to heat and cool your home
- How to use the right water heater for your home to avoid paying too much on Electricity
- How to Choose energy-efficient Lighting to reduce your electric bill
- How to use Efficient Appliances throughout your home in Africa
- Find out how to save energy money with your Home Office and Electronics
- How to use Renewable Energy such as solar to save energy dollars
- How to choose efficient transportation options and drive more efficiently to save at the gas pump
- You also have the chance to order our energy efficient products and Seek energy advisory Services
The easy,practical solutions for saving energy include tips you can use today. They are good for your wallet and for the environment—and actions that you take help reduce Africa's needs to produce or import more energy, thereby improving our energy security.
Easy low-cost and no-cost ways to save energy in Africa:
- Install a programmable thermostat to lower utility bills and manage your heating and cooling systems efficiently.
- Air dry dishes instead of using your dishwasher’s drying cycle.
- Turn things off when you are not in the room such as lights, TVs, entertainment systems, and your computer and monitor.
- Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players, into power strips; turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use—TVs and DVDs in standby mode still use several watts of power.
- Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120°F/48.9°C.
- Take short showers instead of baths and use low-flow showerheads for additional energy savings.
- Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes in your Washing Machines.
- Air dry/ Sun dry your clothes and avoid wasting Energy/Electricity from your Washing Machine.
- Check to see that windows and doors are closed when heating or cooling your home.
- Drive sensibly; aggressive driving such as speeding, and rapid acceleration and braking, wastes fuel.
Contact us for more Energy Saving Tips and Products for your Home & Business
Find out how your African Home uses energy
A home energy assessment (sometimes referred to as an energy audit) will show what parts of your house use the most energy and suggest the best ways to cut energy costs.
You can conduct a simple home/business energy assessment by doing it yourself (DIY) or, for a more detailed assessment, contact an energy auditor.
Do it yourself (DIY) Energy Assessment Tips for Africa
- Check the insulation in your attic, exterior and basement walls, ceilings, floors, and crawl spaces.
- Check for air leaks around your walls, ceilings, windows, doors, light and plumbing fixtures, switches, and electrical outlets.
- Check for open fireplace dampers, this is more useful when you live in a Temparate Climate with very cold winters.
- Make sure your appliances and heating and cooling systems are properly maintained.
- Check your owner’s manuals for the recom-mended maintenance.
- Study your family’s lighting needs and look for ways to use controls—like sensors, dimmers, or timers— to reduce lighting use.
Make Your Whole-House Energy Plan
After you know where your African home is losing energy, make a plan by asking yourself a few questions:
- How much money do you spend on energy?
- Where are your greatest energy losses?
- How long will it take for an invest-ment in energy efficiency to pay for itself in energy cost savings?
- Do the energy-saving measures provide additional benefits that are important to you—for example, increased comfort from installing double-paned, efficient windows?
- How long do you plan to own your current home?
- Can you do the job yourself or do you need a contractor?
- What is your budget?
- How much time do you have for maintenance and repairs?
Planning smart purchases and home improvements will maximize your energy efficiency and save you the most money.
Feel Free to contact us and request an independent Energy Audit for your African Business or Home.
How to save Energy when Heating and Cooling your African Home
Heating and cooling your home uses more energy and costs more money than any other system in your home—typically making up about 54% of your utility bill.
No matter what kind of heating and cooling system you have in your house, you can save money and increase your comfort by properly maintaining and upgrading your equipment.
By combining proper equipment maintenance and upgrades with recommended insulation, air sealing, and thermostat settings, you can cut your energy use for heating and cooling—and reduce environmental emissions—from 20%-50%.
Heating and Cooling Tips for Africa
- Set your programmable thermostat as low as is comfortable in the winter and as high as is comfortable in the summer, as well as when you’re sleeping or away from home.
- Clean or replace filters on furnaces and air condi-tioners once a month or as recommended.
- Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators as needed; make sure they’re not blocked by furniture, carpeting,or drapes.
- Eliminate trapped air from hot-water radiators once or twice a season; if unsure about how to perform this task, contact a professional.
- Place heat-resistant radiator reflectors between exterior walls and the radiators.
- Turn off kitchen, bath, and other exhaust fans within 20 minutes after you are done cooking or bathing; when replacing exhaust fans, consider installing high-efficiency, low-noise models.
- During winter, keep the draperies and shades on your south-facing windows open during the day to allow the sunlight to enter your home and closed at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.
- During summer, keep the window coverings closed during the day to block the sun’s heat.
Select energy-efficient products when you buy new heating and cooling equipment. Your contractor should be able to give you energy fact sheets for different types, models, and designs to help you compare energy usage.
How to save Energy from Water Heating in Africa
Water heating is the second largest energy expense in your home.
It typically accounts for about 18% of your utility bill. There are four ways to cut your water heating bills: use less hot water, turn down the thermostat on your water heater, insulate your water heater, or buy a new, more efficient model.
Africa Water Heating Tips
- Install aerating, low-flow faucets and showerheads.
- Repair leaky faucets promptly; a leaky faucet wastes gallons of water in a short period of time.
- Set the thermostat on your water heater to 120°F/48.9°C to get comfortable hot water for most uses.
- Insulate your electric hot-water storage tank but be careful not to cover the thermostat. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.
- Insulate your natural gas or oil hot-water storage tank but be careful not to cover the water heater’s top, bottom, thermostat, or burner compartment. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations; when in doubt, get professional help.
- Insulate the first 6 feet of the hot and cold water pipes connected to the water heater.
- If you are in the market for a new dishwasher or clothes washer, consider buying an efficient, water-saving ENERGY STAR® model to reduce hot water use. See the Appliances section for more information.
- Install heat traps on the hot and cold pipes at the water heater to prevent heat loss. Most new water heaters have built-in heat traps.
- Drain a quart of water from your water tank every 3 months to remove sediment that impedes heat transfer and lowers the efficiency of your heater. Follow the manufacturer’s directions.
Although most water heaters last 10-15 years, it’s best to start shopping now for a new one if yours is more than 7 years old. Doing some research before your heater fails will enable you to select one that most appropriately meets your needs.
Buy a new energy-efficient water heater. While it may cost more initially than a standard water heater, the energy savings will continue during the lifetime of the appliance.
How to save Energy from Lighting in Africa
An average household dedicates about 6% of its energy budget to lighting.
Switching to energy-efficient lighting is one of the fastest ways to cut your energy bills.
Timers and motion sensors save you even more money by reducing the amount of time lights are on but not being used.
To save money and energy with lighting, we recommend replacing all your lights at home and at your business premices with the more energy-efficient light-emitting diodes (LEDs) products.
LED bulbs are rapidly expanding in household use. ENERGY STAR-qualified LEDs use only about 20%-25% of the energy and last up to 25 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs.
They come in a variety of colors, and some are dimmable or offer convenient features such as daylight and motion sensors.
In addition to standard screw-in bulbs, you’ll find LEDs in desk lamps, kitchen under-cabinet lighting, and even holiday light strings.
LED can be used in Illumination, Indoor and Outdoor signs , Signals, Display Automotive, Aircraft, etc…
Because of longer operating life, installation of LED in Commercial, Industrial, and Outdoor sectors can save more in replacement cost.
LED has many advantages over conventional lights, except for cost and very high powered light, including:
- Longer lifetime
- Reduced maintenance costs
- Energy efficiency
- Design flexibility
- Simple electrical connection or integration
- Small Form Factor
- Saturated Color
- Directional light
- Robustness
- Good electrical packaging
- Semiconductor I.C.
- Dynamic color control
- Consistent dimming ability without color shift
- No strike time – immediate ignition
- Cold start capability
- No heat in light beam
- Low voltage DC operation
- No sudden failure
- Gradual loss of luminous efficiency
- No hazardous environmental disposal
How to save Energy with your Appliances in Africa
Appliances account for about 13% of your household’s energy costs, with refrigeration, cooking, and laundry at the top of the list.
When you’re shopping for appliances, think of two price tags.
The first one covers the purchase price—think of it as a down payment. The second price tag is the cost of operating the appliance during its lifetime.
You’ll be paying on that second price tag every month with your utility bill for the next 10 to 20 years, depending on the appliance. Refrigerators last an average of 12 years; clothes washers about 11 years; dishwashers about 10 years; and room air conditioners last about 9 years.
The ENERGY STAR® Logo
The ENERGY STAR logo is on all qualified products that meet specific standards for energy efficiency. ENERGY STAR-qualified products exceed the federal minimum standards for efficiency and quality—sometimes signifi-cantly. Look for the label on appliances, electronics, water heaters, windows, and other products that consume energy in your home.
Contact us for further assistance with choosing the right Energy Efficient Appliances for your Home and Business.How to save Energy Money with your Home Office and Electronics in Africa
Many people work from home at least one day per week. Working from home saves energy and time by cutting out the commute, but it may increase your home energy bills unless you use energy-saving office equipment.
ENERGY STAR-labeled office equipment is widely available. It can provide dramatic energy savings—as much as 90% savings for some products. Overall, ENERGY STAR-labeled office products use about half the electricity of standard equipment.
Be sure to shop for ENERGY STAR® Office Products from Computers, Copiers, Fax machines, Monitors, Multifunction devices (fax, scanner, and copier), Printers and Scanners.
Home Office Energy Tips for Africa
- Selecting energy-efficient office equipment and turning off machines when they are not in use can result in significant energy savings.
- Using an ENERGY STAR-labeled computer can save 30%-65% energy than computers without this designation, depending on usage.
- Spending a large portion of time in low-power mode not only saves energy but helps equipment run cooler and last longer.
- Putting your laptop AC adapter on a power strip that can be turned off (or will turn off automatically) can maximize savings; the transformer in the AC adapter draws power continuously, even when the laptop is not plugged into the adapter.
- Using the power management settings on computers and monitors can cause significant savings.
- It is a common misperception that screen savers reduce a monitor’s energy use. Use automatic switching to sleep mode or simply turn it off.
- Another misperception, carried over from the days of older mainframe computers, is that equipment lasts longer if it is never turned off.
- Consider buying a laptop for your next computer upgrade; laptops use much less energy than desktop computers.
How Renewable Energy can reduce your Electric Bill in Africa
You have many options for using renewable energy at home including solar panels and small wind turbines.
Solar panels are the most popular form of renewable energy today. You can use them to generate heat, electricity, and indoor and outdoor light.
Renewable Energy Tips for your Home and Business in Africa
- Installing solar-powered outdoor pathway lights is one of the easiest ways to use solar energy at home.
- Heating water is a great use of solar power (see the Water Heating section). If you have a swimming pool or hot tub, you can use solar power to cut pool heating costs. Most solar pool heating systems are cost competitive with conventional systems and have very low operating costs. It’s actually the most cost-effective use of solar energy.
- If you’ve already made your home as energy efficient as possible, and you still have high electricity bills and have access to a good solar resource, you might want to consider generating your own electricity with a solar power system. Solar panels can be easily installed onto ground- or roof-mounted racks, and new products are available that integrate solar cells with the roof, making them much less visible than older systems.
Today’s solar power is highly efficient. You can buy from us systems to heat your water, provide electricity, and even offload your home heating system.
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