LISaves ...tips on saving energy, money, and the environment
Energy-Saving Tips for Homes, Businesses, and Government Offices:
Whether you own a home or rent, whether you work for a private business or in a government office, you can do your part to save energy on Long Island.
If we all do our share to save energy, we can help prevent rolling blackouts, reduce the need for more polluting power generation, cut down on harmful air emissions, and save money.
Here are some energy efficiency tips for homes and workplaces:
At Home:
When replacing appliances or televisions, shop for ENERGY STARﾮ labels
Give your fridge a check-up: defrost, check seals, clean coils
Set A/C temperature to 78ﾺ F in the summer and keep it at 68ﾺ F in the winter. Install programmable thermostats to avoid leaving the A/C or heat on all the time.
At night, use air conditioners in bedrooms only (or use fans)
Close window shades on hot and sunny days
Improve airflow by making sure that heating return vents are clear of furniture and rugs
Replace your screens with storm windows in the fall to provide an extra barrier to the cold air.
Caulk and weather strip around windows and doors to prevent uncontrolled air leakage
Seal and insulate your heating ducts to improve the efficiency of your heating system by up to 20 percent
Replace conventional bulbs with ENERGY STARﾮ qualified CFLs or LEDs.
Use task lights, dim room lights, turn outdoor lights off when not needed
Do laundry and dishes at night or in the morning, skip the dryer cycle. Hang your clothes outside when it's warm and experience that fresh-air scent!
Set pool pump to run during off peak periods (after 8 PM). If you need to replace your pump, look for dual or variable-speed pumps.
Turn off or unplug appliances when not in use and/or use advanced power strips that allow you to completely turn off multiple appliances at the same time
Use power-saving features on your computer or laptop and avoid using a screen saver.
Lower the brightness on your television and computer.
Install low-flow showerheads, wrap water heater and
adjust to 120ﾺ F or 140ﾺ F if you use a dishwasher
Have a Comprehensive Home Assessment done to your house to measure overall energy performance through NYSERDA's residential programs: Here.
A four kilowatt photovoltaic (PV) system will provide a
At Work:
Set A/C temperature to 78ﾺ F, install programmable thermostat
With A/C on, keep windows and doors closed, use shades where possible
Use fans to improve air circulation
Use task lights instead of room lights, turn off lights at night, in outdoors
Minimize use of incandescent or halogen lighting, use fluorescent instead
Use display lighting sparingly, install timers to turn off late at night
Enable power management on personal computers and copiers
Turn off or unplug all infrequently used equipment
Turn computers and copiers off at closing time
Unplug transformers plugged into outlets when not in use
Purchase only ENERGY STARﾮ labeled office equipment
When ordering equipment, be sure to specify high energy efficiency rating
