&nb sp;  Our modern world runs on heat, while this idea may seem odd at first let me explain.  Automobiles operate with heat, the expansion of burning fuel in the cylinders acts to create both mechanical motion and heat as a waste product.  When the car is stopped the action of the brakes converts the motion to heat.  Electricity run through an incandescent light bulb creates light from heat as well as heat.  When the light is absorbed by the objects it falls on this also creates heat.  Stand under a stage light for a minute or two and you will get an idea of how much heat a light can generate.  An electric motor uses electricity to rotate a driveshaft resulting in heat and motion, the motion will also be resolved as heat in the end.

            &nb sp;  In our homes and businesses we consume a large amount of energy moving heat around.  The refrigerator or freezer uses its system to move heat from inside the box to the outside, in the process dumping heat into the surrounding space.  Lights, stoves, televisions, chargers, computers, everything that runs on electricity, add to the heat inside the space when that electrical energy is converted to work.  We then operate air conditioning equipment to move that heat again so that it is outside of the space. 

            &nb sp;  Transformers also generate a large amount of heat.  The process of reducing current from the transmitted voltages for transmission systems to what is used in your home incurs losses in the form of heat.  Many commercial buildings have power that comes in at 480 volts which is then stepped down to 240/120 3 phase power.  You can always find these units as they are humming away and somewhere between warm and hot to the touch.  Most of these units are inside the building, belching out heat that then takes more electricity to move back out of the building.  Large transformers aren’t the only culprit.  Computers, phone chargers, power supplies, and the like all use transformers to shift the power to what that equipment uses.  While these don’t churn out the same BTU of heat that a large transformer does, their cumulative affect can really add up.  Most people don’t think about the idea that all these chargers are still using power even if the device is not attached.

            &nb sp;  This could be thought of as unwanted heat, a byproduct of the use of electricity, not the same thing as heat that we generate to keep warm on cold Winter nights.  As air conditioning of space is one of the largest consumers of electricity, as shown in Summer brownouts and spiking electricity consumption on hot Summer days, it makes sense to focus attention on how to reduce heat gain in conditioned spaces.

            &nb sp;  There are a surprising large number of ways to do this which vary from free, maybe involving a little effort, to exotic solutions. 

1.      Turn off appliances and electrical items that are not in use.  Computer equipment such as printers are often left on, idle, generating heat.  Set your computer to go to sleep after a short period.  Put chargers on a power strip so they can all be shut off together.  If you are like me it may take two strips.

2.      Have your windows tinted.  Most windows are not energy efficient.  Unfortunately replacement of windows is hard to justify for energy savings alone.  If you consider this be sure to work the math out until you are sure it is worthwhile.  Tinting the windows will reflect back much of the sunshine that becomes heat once it enters the conditioned space, when reflected it has no effect inside.

3.      Change your lighting.  Light bulbs all have a wattage marked on them, this represents the power used and the heat generated.  Fluorescent, compact fluorescent, metal halide, LED, and other lighting alternatives to incandescent lamps not only use less electricity, they generate less heat and last far longer.

4.      Shade your cooling system.  If your home is like mine it was situated on the lot for street facing not energy efficiency and the cooling system was placed for convenience.  Mine gets blasted with full sun all day, every day.  I spent an afternoon and built a shade trellis for it.  With proper spacing this will shade the unit making it more efficient yet still accessible for maintenance.  Plant a deciduous vine on it and enjoy it during the Summer.  In heating months the leaves fall off and the vine is trimmed back allowing the sunshine to reach the system again.

5.      Fill your refrigerator and freezer fully.  Air is hard to cool and keep cool, plus it falls out of the fridge when you open the door.  Cold air sinks, warm air rushes in to take its place.  By keeping your icebox full the mass of the items inside stay cold when you open the door resulting in more efficient operation.  It is also useful to let items to be refrigerated cool to room temperature before putting them in the refrigerator.  This lowers the work done by the cooling system and minimizes the addition of humidity as well.

            &nb sp;  These are some simple ideas which cost very little.  Tint and lighting can be DIY projects as can a shade if you are handy.  These are the first steps on the road to being green.  None of them require much effort or a change of lifestyle but they will affect your utility bill without costing an arm and a leg. 

            &nb sp;  Please feel free to share your comments and experiences so that others may benefit from them.

            &nb sp;  Paul

Tags: Solar-energy Solar-efficiency Solar- HVAC Solar-cooling

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