Energy is a need of every household, school, and business. Due to the increase in population, the strain on natural resources for energy has increased. Because of this increase in demand for electricity, the prices have gone up.
Since electricity consumption is unavoidable, the increase in its price can make it really hard for some households and schools to make ends meet. However, consuming energy has many consequences, as it is the largest source of global warming due to the emission of greenhouse gasses.
It has caused the exhaustion of natural resources that are formed after millions of years from underneath the earth’s surface. Thus it is very important that households and schools start taking action in a way that homeowners, students, and teachers all become aware and do their part in conserving natural resources from depletion and protecting the atmosphere of the earth from dangerous gasses.
We must take necessary action to reduce electricity consumption usage to not only benefit the earth and its environment but also to benefit future generations by making sustainable choices. Therefore, let us look at some of the ways you can use to reduce energy consumption.
Lights
Lights are used in almost every classroom, hallway, bathroom, kitchen, and every part of the house. Thus most of the energy is consumed by the lights. Normal lights can be replaced by energy savers which can dramatically cut back on electricity usage in comparison to traditional light bulbs.
Build skylights in common areas this helps in brightening up the place. Moreover, turn off all the lights when the classrooms are unoccupied or when leaving your room, and make sure you close the lights.
There are occupancy sensors that you can install in schools and houses that turn the lights off automatically when there is no one in the room.
Heating and Cooling
To control indoor temperatures during summers and winters, heating and cooling appliances are used by schools and homes to make the temperature more comfortable; this can be very expensive as it requires a lot of energy consumption.
This is why schools and homes need to upgrade their heating and cooling appliances. Old worn-out appliances use up more energy and take a long time to get the job done. This is why an upgrade is important, especially since many new, energy-saving options in the market can be installed to reduce energy consumption.
Moreover, you need to take care of any leaks and make use of ceiling fans to work alongside air conditioners.
Natural Light
Schools can take advantage of natural light during the day as an alternative to a light source that constitutes most of the energy consumption. Schools and houses can be built in such a way that let natural light in so that there is no need for extra light.
During the day, natural light allows for a more relaxed environment for studying in comparison to harsh light bulbs, and according to some studies, it allows students to study better with more concentration and positively impacts their mood.
Moreover, every person in schools and homes needs to make it a habit to close lights when leaving the room and not unnecessarily waste energy. There are light sensors available that you can install in order to reduce energy consumption, as it automatically turns off the lights when there is no one in the room.
Power Management
It is the most important way to reduce energy consumption in homes and schools. Instruct students to close lights around the house or classroom when leaving.
Encouraging them to unplug appliances such as computers, mobiles, and other appliances when they are done using them can help reduce energy wastage.
At the end of a school day, the management needs to make sure that all computers and appliances are switched off. During the holidays or weekend breaks, all appliances should be switched off, like printers, computers, lights, etc.
Moreover, with increasing prices of electricity, you can also use business energy comparison to reduce out-of-contract electricity rates.
Solar Energy
Since energy comes from mostly non-renewable resources that have adverse effects on the environment, there are some renewable ways that you can use to save energy and reduce your energy bill. Many schools and houses have solar panels installed.
Solar panels make use of energy from the sun and convert it into electrical energy. Even though it requires an initial investment, it can save you electricity costs for many years.
Invest In Energy Management
Heating and cooling costs constitute most of the house’s and school’s utility bills. Thus you need to look into it so that there aren’t any wastages happening. Such as, during the summers, make sure that no cool air escapes; this can be due to cavity walls. Thus you need to have cavity walls filled with insulation.
Installing energy management systems, such as thermostats and timers, can significantly help control buildings heating and cooling outputs. Manual controls are not accurate in controlling; this leads to energy waste in rooms that are not being used. Programmed thermostats ensure that heating and cooling systems only work during school hours.
There are other energy management systems that can control not only thermostats but also all the other appliances in schools and your homes. Moreover, some other things you need to take care of our closing any doors to retain cool air inside during summer.
Maintain ducts and HVAC systems to ensure that they are working efficiently. And turning down the water heating thermostat as overheating water can waste a lot of energy.
Awareness
Lastly, to reduce electricity consumption, schools need to spread awareness. Since schools are an excellent space for learning, they can also influence students’ behaviours and practices.
Giving students assignments to close lights and conserve energy, and making class energy monitors, can give incentive to students to do more energy conservation and incorporate them into their routine at home as well.
Moreover, the students need to know exactly why they need to save electricity, so weekly group discussions and research assignments can help students feel more strongly about this issue and make it a long-lasting practice.
This way, our youth can lead a more sustainable life. We can also inform them about renewable energy sources and any other information to influence their behaviour and conserve electricity.
Thus it is very important that we reduce the use of electricity both at home and in schools and lead a more sustainable life.
