How to Save Energy in a Household

Did you know white-painted metal roofing has the highest solar reflectance value of any roofing product available and can save you up to 40% of your annual energy bills? More and more, homeowners are seeking out energy-saving building materials for their renovations and new homes, products that not only secure and improve structures but also provide long-term cost-cutting on energy bills while promoting environmental and economic sustainability in the greater community. Among the array of possible upgrades, “cool metal roofing” easily answers this consumer demand offering a solid, attractive roofing solution available in multiple colors, textures, and profiles, for steep-slope and low-slope applications, that can save your household up to 40% of its annual energy costs, depending on your geographical region. The Benefits of Energy Efficient Metal Roofing As reported by the Cool Metal Roofing Coalition and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, installation of reflective metal roofing can save your home up to 40% in summer cooling energy costs while highly emissive metal roofs can reduce urban air temperatures by as much as 12 ° F.

Combined, these benefits mean less money out of your wallet, less dependence on energy resources and less general air pollution in your neighborhood and across the nation. While asphalt traps heat… Metal Roofs reflect solar energy… And pigments re-emit heat. The secret to metal roofing’s energy savings is in its variety of finishes. As shown above, the basic, unpainted metal roof will reflect much of the solar radiation usually absorbed in your attic and home by an asphalt roof. But, for homes in warmer climates, pre-painted or granular coated metal roofing systems not only reflect solar energy but also cool your home by re-emitting most of what solar radiation is absorbed.Where annual cooling loads dominate, a highly reflective and highly emissive painted or granular-coated metal roof is optimal for reducing energy consumption and can actually re-emit up to 90% of absorbed solar radiation. Additionally, most metal roofing, including standing seam, is composed of recycled material and can be installed directly onto an existing asphalt roof, reducing landfill waste and promoting quick installation as well as decades of environmentally-sound, maintenance-free strength and beauty.

Curious about the best energy-saving metal roofing for your area? Use our online Metal Roofing Manufacturer Guide to compare available finishes or even find a Metal Roofing Contractor in your area! Halogyn bulbs 1. Overview Energy saving lightbulbs have always been a bright idea – for your pocket and the environment. They use up to 80 per cent less electricity than a standard bulb, but produce the same amount of light. In other words, they can help you to save money and energy, all in one wise purchase. And by saving energy, you’ll be helping to fight climate change too. That’s the good news. Now, here’s some more. Technology’s moved on a lot since energy saving lightbulbs were first invented, and so has the way they look. In fact, whatever types of bulbs you use to light your home, there are sure to be stylish energy saving equivalents. So, why not switch to energy saving lightbulbs today? As you’ll see, even the best excuses no longer apply? Depending on how long your lights are in use every day, just one energy saving lightbulb could save you up to £7 and 26 kilograms of CO2 a year. And because it will last up to 10 times longer than a standard bulb, it could save you around £60 before it needs replacing. Fit all the lights in your house with energy saving bulbs and you could save around £600 over the lifetime of the bulbs. And before you ask, these savings take into account the higher cost of energy saving lightbulbs.

These days, the average price is only £3 a bulb, so you’ll usually recoup the extra outlay within a year Energy saving light bulbs use a fifth to a quarter of the electricity of ordinary bulbs to generate the same amount of light. So where you’d normally use a 60W bulb, you’ll only need a 13-18W energy saving recommended equivalent. Energy saving light bulbs use a fifth to a quarter of the electricity of ordinary bulbs to generate the same amount of light. So where you’d normally use a 60W bulb, you’ll only need a 13-18W energy saving recommended equivalent. Ordinary bulbs Energy saving equivalent 25W 6W 40W 8-11W 60W 13-18W 100W 20-25W 3. Suitability – are they suitable for my home? Don’t stay in the dark You’re bound to still have some questions about energy saving lightbulbs. We’ve answered some of the most common queries – and shattered several popular myths along the way. TROMBE WALL Good for heating rooms. This is a Trombe wall. A typical Trombe wall consists of an 8- to 16-inch thick masonry wall faced with a single or double layer of glass. The glass is placed from about 3/4″ to 6″ away from the masonry wall to create a small airspace. Heat from sunlight passing through the glass is absorbed by the dark surface, stored in the wall, and conducted slowly inward through the masonry. In winter, the sun starts heating the wall at about 11am. After about 9 hours, the heat will have traveled through the wall and will start releasing the warmth into the room at 8pm. The room receives slow, even heating for many hours after the sun sets, greatly reducing the need for conventional heating.

Rooms heated by a Trombe wall often feel more comfortable than those heated by forced-air furnaces because of the radiantly warm surface of the wall, even at lower air temperatures. A Trombe wall is a south-facing masonry wall covered with glass spaced a few inches away. Sunlight passes through the glass and is absorbed and stored by the wall. The glass and airspace keep the heat from radiating back to the outside. Heat is transferred by conduction as the masonry surface warms up, and is slowly delivered to the building some hours later. Trombe walls can provide carefully controlled solar heat to a space without the use of windows and direct sunlight, thus avoiding potential problems from glare and overheating, if thermal storage is inadequate. The masonry wall is part of the building’s structural system, effectively lowering costs. The inside, or discharge, surface of the Trombe wall can be painted white to enhance lighting efficiency within the space. However, the outside large dark walls sheathed in glass must be carefully designed for both proper performance and aesthetics.