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November 6, 2008
After saving 15%, how will I save another 10?
Posted by Rob Klovance
I’m back for my second year of saving with Team Power Smart, but I’m facing a rather significant hurdle. And I don’t think I’m alone.
Over the past year, I’ve managed to cut my Vancouver townhouse electricity costs by 15%, mainly by:
- Living in a cooler but still comfortable home, shutting the heat off overnight except when outside temperatures get below 8°C or so;
- Going the entire summer without using a fan, thanks to successful experiments in air flow through opened doors and windows;
- Replacing 8 incandescent bulbs with CFLs;
- Using cold water for most of my family of three’s laundry loads;
- Unplugging mobile phone and battery chargers when not in use.
Now comes the hard part. How do I meet this year’s Team Power Smart goal of saving another 10%?
Short of spending winter nights in a snowsuit or trading a Mexico vacation for upgraded windows and doors, it’s not going to be easy. So the first place I’ll look for advice is bchydro.com’s recently updated no-cost, low-cost tool.
This popular tool allows BC Hydro customers to select one of three dwelling types – house, townhouse or apartment – along with a heating type – gas or electric. In my case, I live in a 1,300-square foot electric baseboard-heated townhouse.
As expected, I’ve already acted on most of the tips offered, which when added up forecast a potential total annual savings of $235/year. But there are a few tips that may help me reach that 10%.
If I switch out three more incandescents for CFLs, something I may be able to do in the kitchen, living room and office, I could save up to $12 a year. Toss in some shorter showers (and perhaps a little less water in my son’s tub), plus unpluggling my entertainment centre power bar when not in use, and I can save some more.
But it won’t get me to 10%. For help with that, I’ll dive into our Green Guides & Tips. It’s there that I find tips such as Draft Proof Your Home, which could cut down my home’s heat loss by up to 10%. And I know, for certain, that my main entry door is not properly sealed, so it’s now on my list.
Over the course of the year, you can follow my progress toward what I feel is a pretty tough 10% goal. Better yet, join Team Power Smart – if you haven’t already – and track your own progress.
Not only will you feel good about helping B.C. towards electricity self-sufficiency by 2016, you’ll also save money. I know I have. By reducing my electricity use 15% last year, I figure I saved close to $100.
Rob Klovance is managing editor of bchydro.com.
Source: BC Hydro
