When it comes to saving energy, people
mostly talk about solar gadgets. Solar heaters, lamps and cookers are popular
and increasingly better designed, but they have to be installed and operated judiciously if we are to benefit from them, and they certainly aren’t the whole
story.Apart from a few rural homes off the grid,
almost all of us use conventional energy sources — electricity and gas. We can
all take immediate steps to reduce our consumption. Turning off lights and fans
when we leave the room is a simple habit most of us have lost. We often forget
that when we need more light or air, we can take our work to the window or sit
where the breeze is instead of turning on more lights and fans.Fortunately, we no longer hear the silly
idea that keeping appliances and computers on standby day and night “makes more
sense” than turning them off when they’re not needed. If a gadget on standby is
warm to the touch, it is clearly drawing power.
More from Nature
Air conditioners draw monstrous amounts of
power. Many modern houses have left out cooling structural features such as a
courtyard or a verandah or deep sunshades. To get the most out of our power, it
is important to know where heat and light get into the house and how to control
them.
In designing a new house or renovating an
old one, we puzzle over tiles, curtains, wall paint and vaastu. But it is far
more important while designing and planning to orient ourselves to sources of
light and heat. Windows, chattais, drapes and blinds cannot be considered just
elements of decor. Altering the position of windows or enclosing verandahs will
affect the temperature inside a house. Verandahs and balconies insulate our
rooms from the elements. Windows let in necessary light and air. We discover
where the heat comes from only after we’ve lived in a house for a while. Then
we’ll know which is the hot balcony, perfect for drying clothes and spices, and
which is the cool balcony, comfortable for sitting and reading the paper.
A kitchen is also an important place to
control heat and energy use. Families may soon get just six subsidised
cylinders a year for cooking, and we’ll all have to burn gas more
intelligently. By being aware of how we consume power, we can do our bit when
the power is on and stay comfortable when the power is out.
Courtesy: The Hindu
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