An interesting study was conducted by Aristotle University, which lists certain devices and habits that result in a home's electricity bill ... dangerously inflating
The research was conducted for the European research project entitled: "Countdown to Low Carbon Homes", implemented within the framework of the EU's "Eracobuild" actions, recording good practices for a successful energy upgrade.
"Reduction in heating costs up to 65%"
To conduct the research in Greece, 20 residences in Thessaloniki were selected that have already undergone some energy upgrade recently, and the experience of their residents and the impact on their living conditions were recorded. At the same time, another 20 residences in Thessaloniki were selected that wish to undergo an energy upgrade in the near future.
In all 40 selected residences (of various typologies, ages and in areas with different climatic characteristics), a smart, user-friendly system for monitoring electrical energy consumption was installed, which recorded their energy behavior on a 24-hour basis.
All homes that were energy-upgraded had a significant difference in their heating costs, which were reduced by up to 65%. Particularly significant were the changes in the quality of internal conditions, either due to sound insulation in the case of changing frames, or due to thermal insulation with substantial thermal protection and increased comfort of the space in the summer months.
Accordingly, in the case of the 20 residences that are planned to be energy-efficiently upgraded, it was found that there are significant energy savings opportunities, which in each case are greater than 15% and reach up to 75%.
"Incorrect interventions due to ignorance"
"We identified the good practices that a homeowner can implement for a successful energy upgrade, but we also drew conclusions that we did not expect to the extent that we observed them," says Grigoris Papagiannis, the scientific manager of the project, associate professor of the Electrical Energy Systems Laboratory of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, to APE-MPE.
As he explains, failures are often observed in terms of the desired result of the energy upgrade of a home, and this is due in part to an incorrect assessment of the interventions that need to be made, and on the other hand to the underestimation of a series of factors that contribute to increased energy consumption.
"External thermal insulation of a home is the intervention that can lead to the greatest savings, and yet owners generally choose to change window frames as a priority, probably because this change is more visible to the eye," the professor cites as a typical example, urging those planning to upgrade the energy efficiency of their home to consult a specialist engineer to guide them.
"Change the refrigerator before the windows"
One of the most interesting elements that emerged from the processing of the measurements in the 40 homes is the avoidance of electrical energy waste that can be achieved by replacing old electrical appliances. “Maybe someone doesn’t realize it, but old refrigerators may not break down easily, but they operate 24 hours a day and are extremely energy-intensive,” notes Mr. Papagiannis, adding that it was measured that replacing a refrigerator can be amortized in just two years.
More generally, as the professor explains, choosing electrical appliances with a higher energy class significantly reduces electricity consumption. In fact, as he adds, even electrical appliance manufacturers themselves tend to limit the power of newer models, especially vacuum cleaners, as in recent years models with thousands of watts have been released.
"Don't underestimate the hairdryer or the tablet"
The hair dryer is one of the most energy-intensive electrical appliances, more energy-intensive even than the iron, measurements in 40 homes revealed.
"It was one of the measurements that surprised the owners," according to Mr. Papagiannis. Also, the waste of electricity caused by devices that are in standby mode, such as televisions and computers, or are left for hours in charging mode (tablets, mobile phones, etc.) was confirmed.
Source: iefimerida.gr
