donemyhouse 0 Report post Posted May 2, 2011 Water and energy savingLike to share with you guys on this topic, no matter where you are living, HDB, Condo, Landed, we are all paying the same utility and electricity bills. The important thing is if you use less, not only you are saving your own money but also saving our earth.Let start with Water Saving TipsQ1. What is the WELS?Launched on 31 Oct 2006 as part of the 10-Litre Challenge, the Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (WELS) is a voluntary scheme for water-efficient fittings and appliances. WELS enables consumers to make informed choices on the water efficiency of a product when making purchases. It also helps to raise public awareness on water conservation and encourages more water efficient products on the market.The Mandatory Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (MWELS) was put in place on 1 July 2009. The Mandatory WELS has a grading system of 0/1/2/3 ticks to reflect the water efficiency of the product. Q2. What products does the Mandatory WELS & Voluntary WELS apply to?The water fittings/appliances covered by the WELS currently include: Mandatory WELS• Shower Taps and Mixers• Basin Taps and Mixers• Sink/Bib Taps and Mixers• Dual-Flush Low Capacity Flushing Cisterns• Urinals and Urinal Flush ValvesVoluntary WELS• Clothes Washing Machines• ShowerheadsSingapore PUB rating for water efficiency devicehttp://www.pub.gov.sg/wels/rating/Pages/default.aspxRating device guide( from every device in your household,Taps, W.C, washing machine, understanding of each rating will help you to better decide before you buy.http://www.pub.gov.sg/wels/about/Pages/WaterSavings.aspxMost of us are aware that water is a precious resource in Singapore and we all want to do our part in saving water. At times, however, we run out of ideas. One of the best ways to begin saving water is to notice how much water we are using and then look for ways to use less whenever we can. Here are a few innovative ways we can save water in our everyday life.1. Using a tumbler of water for rinsing your mouth, instead of leaving the tap running while you brush your teeth, can save up to 44.5 litres each time.2. Don't leave the tape running while you shave. Turn it on only when you need to rinse your razor. This saves up to 44.5 litres of water each time. 3. When using a washing machine, launder only when you have a full load.4. When washing clothes by hand, reuse the rinse water to mop the floor.5. Take short showers and turn off the shower while soaping, You can save up to 60 litres of water each time!6. Use a pail of water to wash your car or floors rather than a running hose.7. Outdoor potted plants need to be watered only once or twice a week. Indoor potted plants need to be watered every three to four days to be sure, test the soil by feeling it at about a centimetre from the surface and water only when it feels dry.8. Rinse vegetables and fruit in a bowl or a sink of water instead of under a running tap. You save up to 48 litres of water each time this way!9. When washing dishes by hand, rinse them out in a sink of water rather than a running tap. This saves up to 48 litres of water each time.10. Only use an automatic dishwater when there is a full load. Otherwise, it is much faster and cheaper to wash by hand.Apart from the tips and ideas, here are some water saving devices you can use to help you use less water. W.C- LOW CAPACITY FLUSHING CISTERNS use between 3.5 and 4.5 litres of water per flush compared to the Dual Flush Cisterns which use between 4.5 and 9 litres of water per flush. Taps-THIMBLES concentrate water flow to give a stronger stream from your taps without your having to turn the tap on wider. CONSTANT FLOW REGULATORS keeps the water flow at a constant rate of 8 to 12 litres per minute. PRING-LOADED NOZZLES for hoses cut off water flow whenever the hose is not in use.ALERT! CHECK FOR WATER LEAKAGE FROM PIPES Make sure all water outlets (taps and faucets) are turned off inside the house from the door up to the water meter. After 15 minutes, observe your water meter - if the reading dials show movement, you may have a leak that needs repairing. Engage a licensed plumber to rectify the fault immediately. Energy Saving TipsSaving energy is always a good habit: not only do you save money, but you also save the environment by causing less fuel to be burnt. So plan wisely how you spend energy as you do your money.Refer to this link to gauge your usage of each devicehttp://services.spservices.sg/cs_EEC_frameset.asp?ID=&OriginalUrl=cs_EEC_frameset.aspRefer here for the tick as layout by NEAhttp://app.nea.gov.sg/cms/htdocs/article.asp?pid=2844Five Simple Steps to Save 10% of Your Home Electricity Use• The air-conditioner uses the bulk of the electricity in a home. A fan uses less than 1/10th the electricity used by an air-conditioner! Use a fan instead of an air-conditioner to keep cool. Save about $55 a month or about $665 a year*. Did You Know? The electricity used by an air-conditioner is equivalent to the energy used by about 32 fans! • The lower the temperature setting, the more energy used by your air-conditioner. If you use an air-conditioner, set the temperature at about 25oC. For every degree raised, save about $20 a year*. • Switch off home appliances at the power socket. Standby power can account for up to 10% of your home electricity use. Do not leave them on standby. Save about $55 a year*. Did You Know? After switching off your appliances (e.g. televisions, computers, printers, VCD, DVD and CD players) with the remote control, many of them continue to draw power. • Choose energy efficient light bulbs (e.g. compact fluorescent lamps). Using a compact fluorescent lamp (9W) instead of an incandescent bulb (40W) can save about $15 per bulb per year*. Did You Know? Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) use up to 80% less electricity than incandescent light bulbs to produce the same amount of light, and they can last up to 10 times longer! Learn more about fluorescent lamps and CFLs.• Choose an energy-efficient appliance (e.g. air-conditioner. refrigerator) by checking the energy labels. A 4-tick air-conditioner saves you about $355 in electricity bills a year compared to a 1-tick model, and a 4-tick refrigerator saves you about $100 a year over a 1-tick model*. To find energy labeled appliances, check out the database of registered goods. Did You Know? The energy label found in all refrigerators and air-conditioners at the point of sale helps you identify and select an energy efficient model that suits your needs. The more ticks, the more energy efficient the model is. More Energy Saving TipsAir-conditionerClose curtains or blinds over windows during the hottest part of the day, or use solar window film, especially for west-facing windows, to keep the house cool. Consider putting dividers or partitions so that you cool a smaller, more targeted space. The larger the space to be air-conditioned, the more energy needed to cool it. Run the air-conditioner about an hour before bed and switch to a fan after that. Save about $555 a year**. Turn off the air-conditioner half an hour earlier using a timer. Save about $45 a year**. Check the air-conditioner air filter once a month and clean or replace it as necessary so that it runs efficiently. Dirty air filters impede airflow. Service your air-conditioning units regularly. Besides the air filters, the condition of other components of an air-conditioning unit (such as the refrigerant, pipes and motors) also affects its efficiency. Avoid using appliances that expel heat (e.g. bar fridge) in an air-conditioned room.Make a Smart PurchaseChoose the correct size for your air-conditioning unit. Oversized or undersized air-conditioning units can operate inefficiently. To find out the correct size for your air-conditioning unit, check with your air-conditioner retailer. RefrigeratorAdjust the thermostat in the refrigerator to the recommended setting. Overcooling your refrigerator wastes electricity. Allow hot food to cool before putting it in the fridge. Cover liquids and wrap foods stored in the refrigerator. Uncovered foods release moisture and make the compressor work harder. Do not overload the refrigerator to ensure the cold air can circulate freely. Too many items block air circulation and reduce cooling capabilities. Do not leave refrigerator door open longer than necessary. Decide what you want before opening the refrigerator door. Make sure the door shuts tightly. Test by closing the door over a piece of paper so it is half in and half out of the refrigerator. If you can pull the paper out easily, the hinge may need adjustment or the seal may need replacing. Place the refrigerator away from heat sources such as direct sunlight, cookers and the oven. Allow some space around the fridge (e.g. 5 centimetres or as recommended by the manufacturer) to allow heat to escape from the compressor and condensing coil. Switch off the refrigerator when cleaning it to save electricity.Make a Smart PurchaseBuy the smallest model refrigerator that meets your needs as generally, larger models use more energy to operate. Consider the need for additional features such as automatic icemakers and through-the-door dispensers, as they increase energy use. LightingMake the most of the natural light available. Use light-colored, loose-weave curtains on your windows to allow daylight to penetrate the room while preserving privacy. Use lighter colours in areas where you want to be bright, as lighter colours reflect light. Use light dimmers whenever possible. Switch the lights off when you leave the room.Keep the room's light low when watching television. This saves electricity and also cuts annoying glare from your TV screen. Dust or clean lamps and fixtures regularly. Dust on lamps and reflectors mean less light and less energy efficiency. Computer/Home ElectronicsSwitch off the computer completely when not in use for long periods (e.g. more than 30 minutes). Leaving a desktop (300W) on every day for 8 hours (e.g. overnight) will cost about $15 a month**. Enable your computer's energy-saving features, such as switching to hibernation mode after a certain amount of time. Here is a guide to enabling the energy-saving features on your computer. Switch off the TV set when no one is watching.Make a Smart PurchaseConsider buying a laptop for your next computer upgrade for general home computing as they use less than half the energy used by desktop computers. Water HeaterIf you have an instantaneous water heater, switch it on before you shower and turn it off after use.. If you have a storage water heater, switch it on about 20 minutes before taking a bath, and switch it off after use. Leaving it on for too much time wastes energy.Make a Smart PurchaseChoose an instantaneous water heater instead of a storage water heater as it is more energy saving. Consider installing a solar water heater if you have access to rooftops.If you are buying a storage water heater, a capacity of 23-27 litres is suitable for a family of 4-6 persons, consider a heat pump water heater which absorbs heat from the room air, thus cooling your home as it heats the water. Washing Machine• Wash with a full load.• Wash clothes in cold water. It is not really necessary to use the water heater function in our washing machines as our water is warm enough for the wash to be effective.• Fabric conditioner reduces creases which means less ironing time.• Air-dry your clothes rather than use a clothes dryer.Ironing• Start with items which need lower temperatures and avoid heating and re-heating the iron.• Turn off iron and use residual heat for delicate items.Cooking• Boil water only when needed or consider using a thermo-flask to keep hot water. Electric air-pots which keep water hot constantly can cost you about $20 a month** in electricity• Do not boil more water than you need.• Cover your pots while cooking. Covered food cooks faster.• Match the size of the pot with the size of the burner as the energy is lost when the heating element is larger than the pot you are using.• Turn electric hotplates off before the food is fully cooked, as the remaining heat can complete the cooking.• Avoid opening the oven door while cooking.• Thermal cooking pots significantly cut down energy used for cooking. The ingredients need only be brought to a boil (up to ten minutes) before being placed in the insulated thermal pot. The retained heat will cook the food without additional heat input from the stove. A meal normally requiring an hour’s worth of cooking can use 80% less energy.• Pressure cookers consume less energy and cook much faster. By cooking food at a higher temperature and pressure, a pressure cooker can save up to two-thirds in cooking time and energy use can be cut by 50-75% compared to conventional methods. **Based on average 2010 electricity tariff of $0.2348 per kWh.SAVE your money to save the earth Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
donemyhouse 0 Report post Posted May 2, 2011 Did I tell you the latest electricity Tariff? No, here is the latest one.For households, the electricity tariff will increase by 6.1% or 1.48 cents (S$0.0148) per kWh to 25.58 cents (S$0.2558) per kWh from 1st april 2011Courtesy of SPservices Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
