Gecko Towers
Today we have the next in a series of articles from a guest contributor, John Pearce, an advisor on energy management.
Assorted Savings
Some of the ways that energy can be saved are obvious once they have been mentioned. Some of those below are minor, however, when taken together they can make an appreciable difference to the annual cost of energy.
The Kettle
Only fill the kettle sufficiently for the immediate need, the difference of enough for a cup of tea and a full kettle can be as much as 5 cents every time. Four times a day means an extra 70€ a year.
Storage water temperature
The usual “Termo” is an insulated cylinder of 100 to 200 litres capacity and heated by an immersion heater with the water temperature typically at 60ºC.
The recommended temperature for a shower is 40ºC and a bath 45ºC. A higher temperature than this may be beneficial in the kitchen for washing greasy utensils, but this then comes at an energy cost.
Losses in distribution
Although pipes carrying water are insulated they lose heat whenever they carry hot water. A simple test is to run the hot water tap in the bathroom furthest from the water heater until it is running hot, turn the tap off and wait 15 minutes and feel the temperature when you open the tap again.
With a stored water at 60ºC and a typical distance, this can cost 14 cents every time the tap is opened. It is not unreasonable to assess that this happens 3 times a day, giving an annual cost 180€. Reducing the temperature of stored water by 10ºC would reduce this cost by 30%.
The simplest ways to control this cost are: Reduce the storage temperature and whenever possible use the tap closest to the water storage
The humble 60watt light bulb
The lighting to many homes is by fittings recessed into the ceiling. It may be that this is driven by the sales market which sees having lighting complete enhances the attractiveness of the property. There are many properties with up to 20 ceiling lights which in many cases are fitted with 40watt bulbs, giving a total connected load of nearly 800watts. If these are changed for low energy bulbs this drops to 160watts, giving a potential saving of 10 cents per bulb per day when lit for eight hours
Should you be interested in discussing the legal process involved in buying a property in the Marbella region, we would be delighted to assist you. Our team of bi-lingual, highly experienced and wholly independent Abogados are ready to help you.
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Please note that our posts are for general interest. There is no substitute for proper legal advice tailored to your specific circumstances as provided by a qualified Abogado who is experienced in the application of the Spanish Law.
Nothing contained in this article should be seen or taken as the writer or the publisher providing legal or financial advice.
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