While you may often hear energy conservation vs. energy efficiency discussed as if the terms are interchangeable, there are some notable differences. As a homeowner, you can benefit from practicing both.
Energy Conservation vs. Energy Efficiency
Energy conservation means, quite simply, reducing use of resources. One example is turning down the thermostat in winter to conserve gas or electricity. You may choose to do this, but it can also mean you’re possibly uncomfortable.
By practicing energy efficiency, you cut down on energy use while maintaining the same level of comfort. In this example, a means for cutting down energy use but maintaining comfort would be to install a newer, more efficient heating system. You might also add insulation to your home, further reducing energy use and maintaining a comfortable temperature in your home.
Which Is the Better Practice?
So should you practice energy efficiency or conservation? The fact is, the two go together, and a homeowner will achieve the best results by practicing both.
We’re all familiar with ways to conserve energy: carpool or cut down on the number of trips we make in our cars; turn the thermostat up a few degrees in summer and down a few degrees in winter to conserve fuel for cooling or heating; and turn out the lights when we leave the room.
You can augment these conservation tactics with the following energy-efficient practices:
- Drive a more efficient car.
- Add a programmable thermostat to your home and program it to turn the HVAC system up a few degrees in summer and down in the winter at night and when the home’s occupants are away.
- Add insulation to the home and install more efficient HVAC systems. (For help with this, look for the Energy Star label.)
- Add dimmer switches and use more efficient light bulbs. For instance, switch incandescent bulbs for compact fluorescent lamps (CFLS) or light-emitting diodes (LEDs).
For more information on understanding energy conservation vs. energy efficiency, give us a call at Bryan’s United Air Conditioning. We’ve been providing outstanding service to metro New Orleans since 1982.
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