Using Equipment Wisely (Energy Saving Tips)

In the Kitchen

Refrigerator

The refrigerator is used throughout the year and is considered as the most expensive item to run in the kitchen. Therefore, the energy saving potential is high for these appliances. The lower energy costs of the more efficient, newer refrigerators can often justify replacement even if existing ones are still in good service.

Purchasing guide

• Choose the right capacity of the refrigerator to suit the family needs.

• Remember to check for Energy Rating of the refrigerator. The nameplate data will give the wattage of the equipment.

• Look for Energy Labelling for the refrigerator. In Malaysia, there are energy labels in the form of inverted tree. Soon, energy labels will be formally introduced to the market and will assist in the purchase decision.

• A 550 W refrigerator would cost about RM 22.50 per month to run, therefore avoid buying oversized appliances.

Freezer

An upright freezer uses more energy compared to a chest freezer. On average, a chest freezer will cost about RM 10.00 per month to run compared to an upright freezer, which costs RM 14 per month.

Installation guide
Refrigerators/freezers give off heat when they operate to cool their contents. This heat must be removed, otherwise the refrigerator/freezer compressor may have to work longer, or become overheated, and shorten its life. It will thereby consume more electricity and wear out quicker. Therefore:

• The refrigerator should not be placed in a very warm place e.g. area exposed to direct sunlight, or near a cooker.
• There should be adequate space above, behind, and if possible, the sides of the refrigerator for free air circulation.

Operating/maintenance guide

REFRIGERATOR

• When going away for an extended holiday, empty and clean the refrigerator, switch it off, and leave its door open.
• Keep the condenser coils at the rear of the refrigerator clean. Dust and dirt on the condenser coils will reduce the working efficiency of the refrigerator.
• The compartments should be kept full to avoid unnecessary cold air loss on door opening.
• Arrange foods in the refrigerator slightly apart to allow free air circulation. Always cool hot food before storing it in the refrigerator.
• Defrost frozen foodstuffs in the refrigerator.
• Avoid frequent opening of the refrigerator, or leaving the door open unnecessarily.

FREEZER Freezer should be kept as full as possible to prevent icing. Use vapour proof air tight wraps and containers when packaging the food for freezing to ensure that food is not dehydrated. Decide on what you need before opening the door. Repeated opening of the door wastes energy. Defrost the freezer when there is a 6 mm (1/4 inch) frost build up.

Kettle

Electric kettle is a real piece of cost-saving equipment. It uses less electricity compared with boiling water in a traditional kettle on an electric hotplate. In the electrical kettle the heating element is placed directly in the water, which is to be boiled. Heat loss is thereby avoided.

Purchasing guide
Choose the correct size of electric kettle that is required. For a typical electric kettle of 2400 W, it will cost about 2 sen of electricity to boil a litre of water.

Alternatively, use a gas stove to boil water
Boil water using gas stoves. This is much cheaper and more efficient. Heat source from the gas stove is directly used to boil water instead of the double stage of using gas to generate electricity and then using electricity to boil water. You will definitely save money since gas is much cheaper than electricity.

Oven and Microwave Oven

The traditional oven is a heavy energy consumer, so it has to be utilized in the best possible way. Alternatively, you should consider a microwave oven instead if it can cover your cooking requirements. It is safe, efficient, simple to operate and an energy saver.

Purchasing guide

• Choose microwave ovens rather than conventional types as they use less energy and cook faster. They are also useful for quickly heating (or re-heating) food as Asian meals often call for hot meals.

• A microwave oven saves up to 75% of energy for cooking compared to conventional electric oven because of its lower power demand and quicker cooking time.

OVEN

Operating/maintenance guide Preheating of oven is normally not necessary and the oven can be switched off 5 to 10 minutes before the normal cooking time limit to use the retained heat of the oven. This can save 10-25% electricity required for the cooking. The oven door should be kept closed. If inspection is required, peek through the oven window. Thaw frozen food before cooking. This will save energy which otherwise would be needed to thaw food in the oven (and may not cook evenly). Plan oven meals and cook several dishes at one time, then approximately 60% electricity can be saved. (However do not position the pans and containers to touch each other or the sides of the oven.)

MICROWAVE OVENS

Operating / maintenance guide

• Avoid operating the oven when empty. This can damage the magnetron.

• Avoid using metallic containers in the microwave oven.

• Food in a microwave oven continues to cook, or heat up, even after the oven is switched off.

COOKER HOODS

Purchasing guide

• Cooker hoods don’t cost much to run, but they will pull heated or cooled air out of your house quickly. Turn them off as soon as the job is done

In the laundry and bathroom

Electrical appliances in the laundry and bathroom will cost up to RM 400 per year. You can save money by using them according to the recommended operation and maintenance guide – RM 37 per year on your washing for example.

Washing Machine

It is a waste of electricity and water to use the washing machine to do the part loads of, say, a pair of trousers or few shirts. Gather the laundry, so that the machine can be filled up. The electricity consumption is almost the same.

Purchasing guide

• Select a washing machine with capacity to suit the family needs.
• Top loading automatic washing machine consumes less energy than the front loading automatic machine.

Operational / maintenance guide

• Wash only with full loads. The washing machine uses the same amount of energy for full load as for a part load.
• Do not overload the washing machine.
• Choose the correct wash cycle.
• Forget about the pre-wash programme.
• Use optimum temperature setting of necessary; avoid hot washing cycle, if possible.

Iron

An electric iron can be an “energy guzzler”, if it is not used optimally as it usually has a demand load of 1000 watts.

Purchasing guide

• Steam iron consumes more energy than dry iron.
• A lighter iron will heat up quicker, and not hold too much heat after being switched off.

Operational / maintenance guide

• Iron low temperature fabrics first to reduce the warm-up time and switch the iron off before finishing the last garment.
• Iron large batches of clothing at the same time to avoid wasting energy in reheating. Remember, an iron takes energy to heat up, and this energy is wasted if the iron is used for frequent ironing of a few items at a time.
• Turn the iron off if interrupted.
• Forget about the pre-wash programme.
• Fold washed items carefully to avoid the need for ironing, where possible.

Water Heaters

Electric water heaters are of two types, “instant water heaters” (very common now) which heat the water as it is used, and “storage water heaters” (less common), which
store heated water for later use. The storage type of heaters tend to waste energy as they attempt to keep the stored water hot all the time, even when the water is not in used.

Purchasing guide

• Choose an instantaneous type of water heater; it consumes less energy than storage type water heater.
• Should a storage hot water system be needed, select the correct size. A water heater with a storage capacity of 23-27 litres is sufficient for a family of 4-5 members. Also switch off the heater after use (but use its stored water capacity), to save on its energy consumption.
• Solar storage water heaters do not consume electrical energy, however they are still relatively expensive.

Installation Guide

• Always install hot water system according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• For maximum efficiency, the hot water system should be installed as close as possible to the point of most frequent use (especially for the storage type).
• Fit a “low flow fittings” that can reduce water consumption by up to 70%.

Operating/maintenance guide

• Encourage quick showers instead of baths; for less hot water is used in taking a shower.

In the living room

Many families spend RM 500 per year on electricity in the living area. A 10% savings would mean RM 50 in your pocket per year.

Air Conditioners

Home air conditioning, which was once a luxury, is now becoming a necessity, or an affordable convenience to the middle income population, as air conditioners become cheaper and more energy efficient. The cheaper, window type air conditioners are now losing out to the “split” type, which have the advantage of separating the compressor from the cooling unit, thus reducing the noise level in the cooled room. The lower energy costs of the more efficient, newer air conditioners can often justify replacement even if existing ones are still in good service.

Purchasing guide

• Choose the correct size air conditioning unit that you require. As a guide, the following room size and corresponding air conditioning unit size may be helpful.
• Look for the Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) of the air conditioner. EER for 1 hp units range from 8 to 10. The higher the EER the more efficient is the unit. The air conditioner output is usually stated in BTU/hour (1 hp is about 9200 BTU/hr).
• Check the energy star rating of the unit. The more the stars, the more efficient is the air conditioner (up to a maximum of 6).
• Check the airflow rate, (normally in cubic feet per minute, or cfm); the higher the rate (between 200-300 cfm for a 1 hp unit) the faster the cooling and the better the air circulation.

Installation Guide

• For split units, the compressor should be placed in shade to avoid the heating effect of the direct sunlight on the unit, but should have adequate air circulation around it.

Operating/maintenance guide

• Do not block air conditioner vents with drapes or furniture.
• Keep windows and outside doors closed to keep the cool air inside.
• Roof, or ceiling insulation, and minimisation of air leaks from under doors and through windows can help to reduce the cooling energy consumption.
• Stopping air leakages will help keep out the hot humid air, or reduce outflow of cool air, and thus reduce air conditioning load.
• Glaze your window with heat reflective glass – some glazing has selective reflective coatings where heat is reflected but light is allowed in.
• Insulating and glazing can reduce your cooling bill by up to about 40%.
• Regular maintenance will prolong the life of the equipment and help save energy.
• When you expect a hot day, turn on the air conditioner early rather than wait until your home becomes too hot.
• On a hot day, close your curtains and blinds. This helps to keep sunshine heat away.
• Regular maintenance of the air conditioner, including cleaning of the filters and heat exchanger coils, is necessary to get the best out of the air conditioners.
• Landscaping – trees and shrubs next to the house help in reducing the cooling load.
• Shadescreens,glass tints,and window/wall awnings are another way of cutting down on heat gain.

Fans

Fans are cheap but reliable, and are thus not replaced frequently. However, technological developments make the newer fans more energy efficient than older ones. The lower energy costs of the more efficient fans can often justify replacement even if existing ones are still in good service.

Purchasing guide

Check the Coefficient of Performance (COP) described in m3/min/W for the fans. The COP range is as follows:

An 80 W fan, running for about 12 hours a day, would cost about RM 7 per month to operate. It is important to select energy efficient fans to reduce operating costs as they normally operate for long hours everyday.

Operating/maintenance guide

• Ensure that the fan is not blocked from behind, as the resistance to the air flow will either reduce its performance, or make it operate in an “overload”condition.
• Switch off fans if not needed. Automatic switches such as occupancy sensor switches may be helpful, as they will avoid energy waste when the convenience is not needed.
• Fans only circulate the air, and should be operated with possibility for external air exchange, to use the cooler outside air when possible.

Home Entertainment

Red and green bulbs or blinking figurers on a display tell tales about electricity waste. You see them on televisions, video players, stereo sets, computers, microwave ovens, etc. It is expensive to have all these electrical appliances switched on in stand-by mode. The electricity consumption for standby can easily run up to 100 kWh per year equivalent to RM 22. The most simple and straight forward saving advice therefore is: “Switch off the appliances when you don’t use them – preferably at the plug”.

Purchasing guide

Home entertainment equipment is quite energy efficient, but different manufacturers may still have different power requirements for similar appliances. Equipment graded under “Energy Star”, or similar standards is efficient, and should be selected where available.

Operating/maintenance guide

TELEVISION, VIDEO PLAYER, RADIO AND STEREO

• Keep the lights low when watching television or video.
• Switch off the television, radio, etc when no one is watching or listening.
• Avoid leaving the equipment on standby or left connected to the electricity supply, e.g., on standby mode.

Computers

Purchasing guide

• Purchase a computer that has an energy star label. The more the number of stars, the more efficient is the computer with regard to energy consumption.
• Check that the computer has a sleep mode.
• Flat screen monitors are far more efficient than conventional types (using cathode ray tubes).
• Lap-top, or note-book computers, consume much less energy (less than 30%) of desk top PCs.

Operating/maintenance guide

• Avoid leaving the computer on standby mode. The following table shows the energy usage of the computer on standby mode.

Off: The Computer is switched off at the contact breaker on the computer, but not at the plug.
Sleep mode: The computer is almost switched off – both the processor and and the monitor can have a load of 1-30 W.
Screen-saver: Is used to protect the monitor. It is a waiting position with a picture and it does not save much electricity.

COMPUTER LOADS UNDER THE VARIOUS CONDITIONS

Lighting

Lighting accounts for only around 10% or less of your electricity bill. However, you can do several things to reduce this cost by choosing the energy saving bulbs and act energy-minded.

Purchasing guide

• Shop for energy saving bulbs and lamps which save up to 80% in lighting energy costs.
• In all cases attempt to use energy saving lamps such as “compact fluorescent lamps” (CFLs). Even though they are more expensive to purchase, they save considerably more due their lower energy costs, as shown in the table below.
• Use the right amount of light for the need at the right place, e.g., brighter for reading, dimmer for watching television or video, etc.
• Ordinary fluorescent lamps give about two times the light of an incandescent bulb.

Where possible, use photo-electric switches, timers and dimmer controls to save energy further.

Operating/maintenance guide

BEDROOM

• Use a ceiling mounted diffuse light with a dimmer for general lighting.
• Use bedside table lamp for reading.
• Make use of natural light. Rearrange your work tables, if any, near windows.

LIVING ROOM

• Use dimmer switches to turn the lights down low.
• Make sure there is no light reflection on the TV screen to ensure comfort.
• Where light is not needed for 15 minutes, switch it off.

KITCHEN

• Make sure all the specific work area are suitably lit.
• Install lighting directly above work area.
• Install only a doorway switched light for pantry.

BATHROOM AND STOREROOM

• Place a light above the mirror.
• Install a ceiling light for a larger bathroom.
• Install low wattage lamp for passage ways and storerooms.

Operating/maintenance guide

• Dust your light bulbs and lamp shades once every 1 or 2 months. Keeping them clean increases the amount of light emitted.

LAMP TYPES

1. Incandescent lamps
   Generate a high amount of heat and are typically used with a rating of 60 W. They are inefficient artificial light source and their light intensity efficiency is about 18 lumens / watt.
2. Fluorescent lamps
   Generate bright light and are most often used with a rating of 32 W/36 W. These lamps come together with ballasts, normally rated at 8 W loss, although low loss ballasts (up to 6 W) or high frequency electronic ballasts (nominally less than 2 W) are also available.
3. Compact fluorescent lamps
   Compact fluorescent lamps with power consumption of 9 W have equivalent bright light compared to incandescent lamps with power consumption of 60 W. Light intensity efficiency of compact fluorescent lamps is about 60 lumens/ watt. These lamps are fairly expensive, but they last up to 8 times the typical incandescent lamp and use only about 20% of the energy to emit the same amount of light.

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