Betting on sustainability and energy saving at home is the order of the day. More and more owners are deciding to make their home a more efficient home.
And it is that energy efficiency in the home is not only synonymous with considerable energy savings, but also with living more comfortably and protecting the environment.
the wholesale market forecasts record highs in electricity prices. Values that, as anticipated, may exceed 300 euros/MWh in the coming months. A situation that has accelerated the will of Spanish families to make their homes more sustainable places .
Did you know that enabling the home so that it has greater energy efficiency allows you to save up to 40% on utility bills and can increase the value of the property by up to 20%? The benefit is double. On the one hand, household bills decrease and, on the other hand, the value of the home increases.
With small changes you can get a much more efficient home. Reduce consumption, bet on renewable energy, improve insulation… these small actions will make your home much more sustainable. We review it below.
How to have a more sustainable and efficient home?
There are certain practices that will help you make your home much more eco-friendly. Some of them must be carried out in a period of reforms or rehabilitation, but there are also others that you can do at any time and in a very simple way.
1. Thermal insulation
Correct thermal insulation in walls, ceilings and floors can have a direct impact on energy reduction. With this, for example, you can considerably reduce heating losses in winter and air conditioning losses in summer.
2. Windows with double glazing
Did you know that windows are one of the most vulnerable elements of a property? In fact, they are often translated as a significant thermal leakage point.
Having double-glazed windows will help you isolate the house from both cold and heat . And, in addition, it will contribute to improving energy performance, achieving reductions of up to 45%.
3. Energy-saving light bulbs
With the information that we are going to give you next, you will not hesitate for a moment! Changing traditional light bulbs for LED bulbs has a saving impact of up to 80% .
It is a simple gesture with which you can save on the electricity bill and, at the same time, achieve a more efficient home.
4. Efficient appliances
Appliances are a continuous energy consumption, especially in the case of refrigerators and freezers.
These can account for half of the home’s consumption at the end of the month , so if you plan to renew them soon, we strongly recommend you opt for appliances with an A+++ label .
Dark green in color, this badge represents consumption of less than 25%.
5. Awareness with water
Another way to achieve a more efficient home and take care of the environment is by becoming aware of the use made of water.
Reducing your consumption is easier than you can imagine. Try turning off the tap when brushing your teeth, replacing baths with quick showers, or waiting until the washing machine and dishwasher are full before starting them up.
6. Efficient air conditioning
Turning on the heating in winter and the air conditioning in summer is unavoidable. But doing it while saving energy is possible.
- Bet on biomass or geothermal boilers. With them, energy savings can reach between 50 and 80%.
- Use efficient air conditioners and make sure you always keep your filters clean.
7. Suitable temperature
Related to the previous point, it is essential to set a suitable home temperature.
In summer, the optimum refrigeration temperature is around 23ºC – 24ºC. In winter , around 21ºC during the day and 18ºC at night.
Now, it is important that you keep in mind that setting the temperature higher or lower with the aim of heating or cooling the rooms faster is counterproductive. This practice would cause spending to skyrocket without speeding up the heating or cooling of the room.
8. Home automation
Home automation is a world still somewhat unknown to many people, but every day it is gaining more strength in our society. Especially in the home of those owners who intend to invest to get a more efficient home .
And it is that betting on home automation also contributes to energy savings. And it is that the fact of controlling lighting and air conditioning considerably benefits the saving of supplies.
9. Improvement of day-to-day habits
Daily habits are, to a large extent, the main responsible for the energy expenditure of the home. Reducing them largely depends on correcting small habits, routines and practices . Some of them are:
- Put the dishwasher or the washing machine with cold water program.
- Turn off the tap while you shave, soap up or brush your teeth.
- Replace bathtubs with showers (water consumption goes from more than 100 liters to just over 30).
- Not leaving the lights on in a room, even if you have to come back in a while.
- Use power strips with switches to avoid consumption on standby . Did you know that this can account for up to 7% of total electricity ?
These are small recommendations that will not require any effort and that you will undoubtedly see reflected in the bill at the end of the month.
10. Renewable energies
The increase in electricity prices that our country is suffering globally is giving a lot of prominence to renewable energies.
The installation of photovoltaic panels is increasingly in demand in Spanish homes. A source of own energy that can supply a very important part of the electrical consumption.
Everything indicates that the self-generation of electrical energy will go from being “a trend” to “an essential” in the nearest future
