Course: REEC 120 Sustainability and Renewable Energy

Unit 7 Overview

page 2

When thinking about heating a home think of this:

POWER used =

{ (Temperature Difference outside and inside)* Leakiness of House }/ efficiency of the heating system

Therefore:
- The bigger the temperature difference, the bigger the energy needed.
- Bigger holes in the walls need more energy.
- A less efficient furnace requires more energy.
- The cheapest fix is to close holes.
 | From an electrical point of view, light loads in buildings are the most used. I thought that it would have been motors, but light loads actually use more. Economically it is in your best interest to get rid of all incandescent bulbs for more efficient ones. LED technology is now is getting to be well worth the investment.