Energy
Designing homes to conserve energy and use it efficiently, from sources that cause least environmental harm.
Appliances
Energy and water use can be reduced significantly, without any reduction in building occupants’ quality of life, by specifying efficient appliances.
Appliances such as whiteware, heated towel rails, televisions and DVDs in an average New Zealand house can account for 29% of energy use. Therefore, any reduction in energy use associated with appliances can have a significant impact in terms of both national sustainability and cost to the householder.
Energy can be saved by:
- selecting energy-efficient appliances
- sizing appliances for the household’s needs
- locating appliances to minimise energy use (e.g. keeping refrigerators out of direct sunlight)
- operating appliances efficiently, e.g. turning them off rather than running in standby mode.