PRESENT: THE RENTERS HOME ENERGY EFFICIENCY WORKBOOK!

Transcription

1 & PRESENT: THE RENTERS HOME ENERGY EFFICIENCY WORKBOOK! 1

2 Table of Contents Exterior Insulation Page 9 Bathroom Page 16 Lighting Page 4-7 Kitchen Page 14 Living Room Page 15 Heating & Cooling Page 8-11 Laundry Room Page 15 2

3 Welcome! Ann Arbor has made a commitment to reduce the city s environmental footprint and save money through energy efficiency improvements and community education through the Sustainability Framework - our plan for becoming a healthier, greener city. We hope all City of Ann Arbor residents will participate to help us reach our goals. This workbook, developed by a University of Michigan Dow Sustainability Fellows Team, will help extend that pledge to renters, by demonstrating how simple behavior changes and do-it-yourself projects can save you money and energy, while at the same time making your home (and the world!) a more comfortable place. In this workbook, you will: - learn about energy saving opportunities throughout your home - better understand how each system or appliance in your house or apartment contributes to your overall energy usage - develop a tailor-made list of action steps to reduce energy use throughout your home based on the required up front investment of time and money - learn how to negotiate for a green lease addendum, which is an agreement between tenants and rental property owners to both collectively pledge to live greener and reduce your energy footprint SAFETY FIRST! Home improvements in this workbook should be do-able by anyone, regardless of how handy you are around the house. While we fully encourage you to channel your inner Bob Villa, please know your own limitations. Take steps to protect yourself. Wear gloves, safety goggles and closed toed shoes when needed. Turn off lights when changing bulbs. Use tools carefully and as intended. Renters! Remember to discuss any improvement plans with your landlord! Earth Savings this icon shows how much positive environmental impact an action will have Cost this icon shows the relative cost of an action step Time Investment this icon shows the relative time an action will take 3

4 LIGHTING Lighting makes up 12% of a home s energy bill. By replacing just 5 high-use bulbs with Energy Star qualified lights, you can save up to $70 a year! CFLs use about 75% less energy, produce less heat, and last 6 to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs LEDs are even more cost effective over time than CFLS, using 1/2 the energy and lasting up to ten times longer than CFLs! Save money by switching out bulbs if your landlord has supplied incandescent bulbs. Your landlord may even be willing to pay for the new bulbs! Feel bad about trashing incandescents before they burn out? Check out this recycling program: Pick your bulb type: CFL, Incandescent, or LED? I m fancy like that. Have a photocell, timer, motion sensor, or dimmer switch? Ugh, I hate that! Nope! Really dislike fluorescent flickering? It s such a pain! DO YOU... Want to save energy? Never noticed it. Yeah, it s a pain not to Never want to change that light s bulb again? Nah, I ve got money to burn. No biggie! Like to throw your used or broken bulbs in the trash? Ummm...no? Like using your bulbs to heat an oven? Mmmm, EZ-Bake brownies! An incandescent? Are you sure? Congrats! You want an LED! I give them to a recycling center Hooray! You want a CFL! 4

5 Quick Tips for Using CFLs: Do not turn CFLs off if you will be back in a room in 5 minutes. Turning CFLs on and off within short periods of time will shorten the bulbs lifetime. Recycle your bulbs. Check out or for more information! Clean up your bulbs properly if they break. Check out for proper clean-up how-tos. Run the ventilation fan in the shower. Humidity can shorten a CFL s life. This can make a big difference -bathroom lights are one of the most often used lights in a home. Remove CFLs from the base to avoid breaking glass and risking mercury exposure. If you want to use a CFL for light sockets with motion sensors, dimmable features, or timers, be sure to select a compatible with CFL! Quick Tips for Using LEDs: Dispose of LEDs the same way you dispose of your old incandescent bulbs. They are mercury-free! LED light is directional (or narrowly focused) which can be very useful for some applications. New bulbs have been developed to diffuse the light to mimic that of an incandescent, so you can choose the bulb that best suits your application. While currently more expensive than CFLs, the cost of LEDs has been coming down every year. However, the quality can vary widely, so be sure to research the specific brand online before purchasing. If you plan to be in your home for a long time, LEDs will pay for their higher cost in reduced energy costs. If you move, you can always take the bulbs with you! 5

6 Pricing: Bulb prices can vary lot based on shape, light output, and especially, brand. A basic 60 Wattequivalent CFL bulb costs around $3 for a 4-pack compared to about $1.50 for a 4-pack of 60 Watt incandescent bulbs. Cree just released a 60 watt equivalent LED bulb costing $10 each. Calculating Annual Cost Per Bulb: Incandescent Bulb yearly usage annnual cost 60 watt x hours per day x 365 days = /1000 x.13 /kwh = $ lifespan = 1000 hours Fluorescent Bulb (60w e CFL) yearly usage annual cost 13watt x hours per day x 365 days = _ /1000 x.13/kwh = $ lifespan = 8000 hours Light Emitting Diode Bulb (60w e LED) yearly usage annual cost 6 watt x hours per day x 365 days = _ /1000 x.13/kwh = $ lifespan = hours Bonus math! 60we LED costs $15. 60w standard bulb costs $1.25 Using lifespan hours, how much will you spend on replacement standard bulbs over the lifetime of one LED? WHAT ARE THE COLORS OF LIGHT? WARM WHITE OR SOFT WHITE ( K) Standard Bulbs (general lighting) COOL WHITE OR NEUTRAL WHITE ( K) Good for kitchens and workspaces! NATURAL BLUE WHITE OR DAYLIGHT ( K) Good for reading! Additional Resources: 1. Energy Star light bulb page: 2. More information on LED Lighting: 3. DTE LIghting Incentives: 6

7 Let There Be Light! (But Only When Necessary) Of course you can save energy by turning off lights when they re not needed, but sometimes we forget or don t notice that we ve left them on. Use lighting controls to automatically turn lights on and off or as needed or dim them when you don t need them to operate at full throttle. Occupancy Sensors: These smart little devices can help you save energy by automatically turning lights on when someone enters a room and off soon after the last occupant has left the room. Occupancy sensors must be located where they will detect occupants or occupant activity in all parts of the room. Ultrasonic sensors detect sound, while infrared sensors detect heat and motion. Dimmers: An inexpensive way to provide some energy savings and set the mood at the same time! Using lights at a reduced level increases the life of lightbulbs significantly, but effectiveness depends on the type of lightbulb. Do Dimmers Save Energy When Paired With......Incandescents? No, unfortunately. Light is reduced, but actual energy usage is not....cfls? Yep! (Check switch compatibility before installing.)...leds? You betcha! (Check switch compatibility before installing.) Pricing: Occupancy sensors start around $15 for lightswitch sensors, great for bathrooms or laundry rooms $50 for wall or ceiling mount sensors, which are required to capture all the activity in larger rooms Dimmers compatible with CFLs and LEDs cost about $20. 7

8 SMART HEATING AND COOLING Heating and cooling make up almost 50% of a home s energy usage. Being thoughtful in how you cool and heat your home can lead to significant savings. Install a programmable or smart thermostat to allow for automatic adjustments throughout the day. Programmable thermostats help make energy efficiency changes easy and easily make back their cost! Properly installing a programmable thermostat can save up to $180 per year! Smart thermostats program themselves based on the activities in your household and provide data such as energy consumption in real time, factors that influenced the amount of energy you used, and whether you are in energy saving mode. When programming, consider the schedules of all the people in your household. Adjust the temperature periods when the house is empty for four hours or more. Look for Energy Star-certified thermostats! Always recycle old thermostats - they contain mercury! Be sure to take the thermostat with you when you move to ensure a return on your investment For extra tips: Pricing: Honeywell programmable thermostats can cost as little as $24.99 but get more expensive as you add more fancy functions such as touch screen, 7-day programing, and wi-fi capabilities. Be sure to apply for a DTE rebate to subsidize the cost of your thermostat. More details here: (If you are not a DTE customer,check with your utility to see if they offer rebates as well.) 8

9 Insulation Sealing your home can save you up to 10% of your total annual energy costs and make your home more comfortable throughout the year! Seal your home to minimize air leaks during the winter! Close storm windows tightly every fall when the times changes for daylight savings. Insulate and seal all doors and windows, switch and outlet plates on exterior walls, attic doors and fireplaces. Install a door sweep to prevent cold air from entering your home and warm air from leaving it! In houses with a garage, the door leading from the house to the garage may be a major culprit. Install window film--youtube video or To properly seal your home from cold winter drafts: 1. Locate sources of air leaks! These are commonly around doors and windows. 2. Place draft snakes/blockers by doors 3. Seal windows and AC units with plastic sheeting Cover window surfaces with sheeting Carefully and thoroughly tape all edges of plastic to completely seal sheeting to wall 4. Don t like the cloudy look of sheets over the windows? Try rubberized seal! Use to seal drafts around windows Be careful when you remove it! It may strip off some of the paint Pricing: Sealing kits of 84 x 110-inch sheets cost about $8. Draft stoppers can be found for between $3 and $8. 9

10 Make your home more comfy by considering these behaviors all year long: Keeping the windows and doors closed when furnace or AC is on helps the equipment work more effectively. Will you shut it before you run it? A smart thermostat allows you to set a schedule so that 1-2 hours before you wake/leave/return to allow the home to adjust the temperature to what is comfortable for you. Check your local energy retailer for possible rebates to offset the cost! Would you consider a smart thermostat? Turning the thermostat way up or way down will NOT make the house heat or cool faster! Would you be willing to give patience a whirl? Dress for the season if you re cold in the winter, put a sweater over your tank top or t-shirt! Prepared to gear up (or down) as the weather demands? Be cool in the summer by following these tips: 10 If you have AC try to keep your thermostat at 78 F when you are at home, and warmer when you are away from the house Shut windows and blinds during the day until the outside air cools Open windows when the outdoor temperature is more comfortable than the indoor temperature Keep south-facing windows covered during the day to reduce heat from the sun in the summer If you can, consider fans--they are a cheap alternative to air conditioning! -Turn on fans when outside air is cooler than indoor air (generally night and morning). -Create a cross breeze with a fan in the windward side by opening window across the room or house -Turn on a fan in the attic in the afternoon to help vent trapped heat Bonus tip! Use your attic fans year round when home. By reversing fan direction in winter, ceiling fams will push hot air down and help keep your room warm.

11 Keep it warm and toasty while saving money in the winter by considering these options: In the winter, you can save up to 1% for each degree lower that you set your thermostat over an 8 hour period. During the winter months the Department of Energy recommends setting your thermostat no higher than 68 F when home. Will you cut the heat to cut the energy bills in your house? Lowering your thermostat when you leave the house can substantially lower your heating bills! Would you be willing to lower the heat when no one s home? I like to come home to a sauna As long as my cat won t get too cold Furniture can block air flow and result in higher heating costs. Clearing furniture away from heating vents boosts heating efficiency. Would you consider rearranging furniture to aid the free flow of air? Anything to show off my guns of steel Nah, gotta keep my feng shui Electric space heaters are very expensive to operate and prevent the regular heating system from functioning properly. Can you forgo your space heater? Opening curtains on south-facing windows during the day allows the sun to provide natural heating. (Make sure windows are well sealed first!) Would you be willing to open your blinds? Additional Resources: 1. Tips for programming thermostat: 2. Blog post on smart vs. regular thermostats: 3. Examples of smart thermostats: 11

12 ENERGY PIGLET ENERGY USE OF TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL APPLIANCES Challenge! Guess where each of these appliances fit along the energy swine spectrum. Draw a line from the name to the place left where you believe these appliances belong. Toaster 900 Watts Dehumidifier Microwave 1000 Watts Ceiling fan (no lights) Toaster Oven 1250 Watts Hair dryer PC Laptop Refrigerator, 90 s Refrigerator, Energy Star Vacuum cleaner 22 LCD tv Portable heater Coffee maker Radio Clothes iron Electric blanket Dishwasher 2100 Watts Electric Oven 3410 Watts ENERGY HOG Clothes Washer 3410 Watts Answers: Dehumidifier 785 Watts; Ceiling fan Watts; Hair dryer Watts; PC Watts; Refrigerator, 90 s 725 Watts; Refrigerator, Energy Star 470 Watts; Vacuum cleaner Watts; 22 LCD TV 40 Watts,; Portable heater Watts; Coffee maker Watts; Radio 10 Watts; Clothes iron Watts; Electric blanket (single/double) 60/100 Watts. 12 Electric Clothes Dryer 5400 Watts

13 ALL AROUND THE HOUSE! Reducing your energy bill can be as quick and easy as replacing products with a more energy efficient model. Reducingyourenergybillcanbeasquickandeasyasreplacing Making simple changes everyday behaviors around productswithamoreenergyefficientmodel.makingsimple the house can save big on energy costs. Appliances can changesinyoureverydaybehaviorsaroundthehousecan contribute up to 14% of energy bill, particularly if savebigonenergycosts.appliancescancontributeupto14% have a dishwasher and in-unit washer and dryer. Making ofyourenergybill,particularlyifyouhaveadishwasherand smart choices about which appliances to use and using in-unitwasheranddryer.makingsmartchoicesaboutwhich them efficiently will help cut your energy spending. appliancestouseandusingthemefficientlywillhelpcut yourenergyspending.another14%ofahome senergygoes of a home s goes to heating water. As toheatingwater.asarenter,youcanreducetheamountof a renter, reduce the amount of energy that goes energythatgoestoheatingwater. heating It is likely your utility Itislikelythatyourutility bill includes water billincludeswaterheatingcosts.ifnot,thentalktoyouryour costs. landlordabouthechangesyou vemade.that sagreatway tobegintheconversationaboutbiggerimprovementsto If not, then talk your your landlord about the changes householdmechanicalsthatcouldsavethemevenmoremoney. you ve made. This is a great way to begin the conversation Waterheatersandhomefurnaceshavebecomevastlymore about investments in household mechanical improvements efficientinrecentyearsandlessexpensive!atheendofthis that could save them even more money. Water heaters workbook,wehaveasectiononnegotiatingwithyourlandlord and home furnaces become vastly more efficient and forimprovementsthatfallwithintheirresponsibility. reliable in recent years and less expensive. Many landlords are unaware of this. But you know! At the end of this workbook, we have a section on negotiating with your landlord for improvements that fall within their responsibility. When you demonstrate your commitment to improving environmental impact, and the savings to be had, others will follow your lead! Energy star appliances provide savings over the lifespan of the equipment. If you plan to take your appliances with you move, it makes sense to invest in EnergyStar. Unplugging appliances after use reduces waste power. You can use a power strip for easy-on easy-off to save time! 13

14 In the Kitchen Using cooking appliances thoughtfully Microwaves use about half of the energy of conventional ovens. The money you save reheating leftovers in a microwave instead of an oven will equal or exceed cost of a microwave. Energy Star rated microwaves should be available soon! Do you use you overuse your oven? You can save half of the energy of a conventional oven by using a toaster oven for small items! If you are using a toaster oven just to toast bread, then a conventional toaster will save money both upfront and in energy savings. Have you thought about which appliance is best for you? Use the right size pot on stove burners. You can save about $36 annually for an electric range or $18 for gas. Do you match your pot size to the burner? Cooking outdoors in the summer helps keep down the temperature and humidity. Would you cook outside more frequently? Love me some BBQ!! Too many mosquitoes! Running your dishwasher with a full load and the air-dry option makes more efficient use of energy and water. Are you more of a full dishwasher or half-empty kind of person? Full! My dishwasher is like a pessimist s glass Don t have one Empty fridges and freezers short-cycle --wasting energy and wearing out sooner. Are your fridge and freezer full to maximize their cooling power? Full! The cupboards are totally bare Don t have one Letting the faucet run continuously while handwashing dishes can lead to more than 17 gallons of water being used every 8 minutes (nearly triple the amount used by a modern automatic dishwasher). Will you turn off water while soaping dishes and use a rinse basin to help soak dirty dishes? If you have an automatic dishwasher you can save water by just scraping dishes and NOT rinsing them before loading. Can you change your wash-and-load habit? 14

15 The Dirt on Laundry Cleaning it up in the laundry room Hot water heating accounts for 85-90% of the energy used by your washing machine. Washing full loads of clothing and using cold water (which has been proven to clean just as well as hot) can keep you from heating extra water. Can you switch to the cold cycle? A clogged lint trap can decrease dryer efficiency by 75% and drastically reduces the risk of fire. Can you clean the lint trap before each and every load? Drying loads of the same fabric helps ensure drying consistency. Can you sort your laundry by type? Line-drying extends the life of your clothing while reducing energy use. Line-drying indoors can also help provide humidity in the winter so you don t need a humidifier. Households who abandon their clothes dryer can save $85 per year! Would you line dry your clothes? Living Room Protect yourself from vampire power! Most households can save $100 per year by unplugging electronics when not in use. The biggest phantom power offenders include TVs, DVD players, cell phone chargers, printers, and microwaves. Unplug these electronics when not using them. Turn off electronics rather than let them idle (e.g. video game consoles, computers, TV) and plug them into power strips to switch multiple devices off rather than unplugging. Use power management features to lower the energy use if the device is not completely powered off. Change your computer settings to standby/sleep mode. In standby mode, your computer uses 95% less energy than when idle! Get rid of your cable subscription (cable boxes can use 400 Watts when on) to save $100 per month and have more time for friends! 15

16 Cleaning up in the Bath The down-low on getting rid of dirt Showers account for about a third of a household s hot water usage. For every two minutes you shorten your daily shower, you save, on average, 120 gallons of water per month. Would you be willing to shorten your shower? A low-flow showerhead uses five fewer gallons of water than a full bath in a shower of 10 minutes. Are you willing to part with bathtime? How long is your shower? How often do you shower per week? minutes times Calculate your usage: minutes x times per week = minutes/week standard shower head: minutes per week x 7 gals = gal weekly low-flow shower head: minutes per week x 2.5 gals = gal weekly Pricing: Prices for low-flow showerheads range depending on the model. You can find some as cheap as $6-25. Savings: How much water can you save by switching to low-flow and cutting shower time? cut shower time by minutes x times per week x 4.5 gals = gal/week x 52 weeks = gal yearly! 16

17 EMPOWERED RENTERS Before signing a lease, negotiate for greener features. Greater efficiency features add to the apartment s appeal and both improve the value of the property, as well as attract responsible tenants like you! Too many tenants sign leases without an accurate understanding of the utility costs for which they will be responsible. You may not be able to negotiate a lower rent, but you CAN reduce your utility costs AND reduce your environmental footprint to boot! Before you rent: Before signing a lease, make sure you are aware of the energy usage of your potential home. The US EPA has a great renter s checklist to help guide you. Ask for former tenant utility bills--this is your right as an Ann Arbor resident! Insulation and weatherization--request landlord to address any drafts, holes, or gaps in doors and windows before signing your lease. This is especially important in older homes. Check for leaky pipes and water fixtures -- turn faucets and showers on yourself or talk directly with the current tenant. If there are issues, request landlord to address these before signing your lease. Age and efficiency of appliances--ask landlord details about the fridge, dishwasher, washer/ dryer, stove, hot water heater, and air-conditioners. Older models use more energy--always ask for ENERGY STAR rated models. See full Renter s Checklist here: Already signed a lease? No sweat! You still have a lot of bargaining power as a current tenant. Especially if you have rented for several years and are known as being a responsible tenant, your landlord wants to keep you. When signing your lease renewal, ask your landlord to consider adding energy efficiency improvements. It s never too late! See the US EPA resources here to get some ideas: Fight for Your Right to Party! There are many resources for renters in the Ann Arbor area -- know your rights! The City of Ann Arbor Housing Code states that: Landlords must provide at least a minimum level of weatherization to their properties New tenants should have access to utility charge information regarding a property For more on the Housing Code, visit and click on resources in Know before you rent. 17

18 Ask the Experts for Help! Sign up for a FREE Home Energy Consultation Not sure what improvements you can make in your current home or apartment? Sign up for a utility provided HEC where an expert will take a walk through your hope and discuss energysaving recommendations and ways that you can lower your energy costs even more! DTE Not customers sure what improvements you can make in your current home or apartment? Sign up for reshec.html DTE customers Consumers Energy customers 18