Energy Saving Tips

Use a fan instead of an air-conditioner to keep cool. Save about $441 a year*.

Did You Know?About 98% of households practise this tip!

Consider running the air-conditioner for a short while (1 hour) and switching to a fan after that to cool a room. Save about $386 a year*.

Set the timer of air-conditioner to turn off half an hour earlier than usual.The room will continue to remain cool for a period of time after it is being turned off. Save about $30 a year*.

Set the temperature at 25^oC.For every degree raised, you can save about $13 a year*.

Did You Know?The lower the temperature setting, the more energy used by your air-conditioner.

Check the air-conditioner air filter once a month and clean or replace it when necessaryso that it will run efficiently. Dirty air filters impede airflow and cause energy wastage.

Service your air-conditioning units regularly and get it inspected annually. Besides the air filters, the condition of other components of an air-conditioning unit (e.g. refrigerant, pipes and motors) also affects its efficiency.

Close curtains or blinds over windows during the hottest part of the day, or use solar window film,especially for west-facing windows,to keep the house cool.

Switch off home appliances, especially connected or “Internet of Things” (IoT) devices, at the power socket when they are not in use.

Switch off Local Access Network (LAN) devices such as modems and routers at the power sockets when you are sleeping or on vacation.

Many households today have connected devices. These include:

• LAN devices such as modems and routers
• Information and Communication Technology (ICT) devices such as smart phones, tablets, laptops
• Home entertainment devices such as smart TVs, set-top boxes, game consoles, and connected home speakers)

Most of these devices are always connected and use electricity if they are left switched on. The number of such connected devices is expected to grow in the coming years.

Did You Know?After switching off your household appliances (e.g., Set-top boxes, TVs, computers) using the remote control, many of themcontinue to draw power!

1.Switch off the computer completelywhen not in use for long periods (e.g. more than 30 minutes). Leaving a desktop (200W) switched on for 8 hours (e.g. overnight) daily will cost about $175 a year*.

2.Enable the power management featuresin your computer, such as switching to lower power ‘’sleep mode’’ or hibernation mode after idling for a certain amount of time (e.g. more than 5 minutes).

1. Cut down on long showers.Shorter showerssaves both energy and water.

2.Turning off the tap when soaping and shampooingsaves both energy and water.

3.Switch off the water heater when hot water is not needed.Consider installing a timer for a storage water heater which automatically turns off the power after a preset time.

Did You Know?
- Unlike instantaneous water heaters, storage water heaters continue to use energy to heat water when they are left switched on.

- For a storage water heater, it is sufficient to switch it on for 10-30 minutes before showering.

- Leaving a storage water heater switched on for the entire day may cost you an additional $124 a year*.

1.Adjust the thermostat in the refrigerator to the recommended setting. Overcooling your refrigerator wastes electricity.

2.Allow hot food to coolbefore storing it in the refrigerator.

3.Do not overload therefrigeratorto ensure that cold air can circulate freely. Too many food items may block air circulation and reduce cooling capabilities. Consider using food storage containers to minimise clutter.

4.Cover liquids and wrap food stored in the refrigerator. Uncovered liquids and food release moisture and make the compressor work harder.

5.Do not leave the refrigerator door openlonger than necessary. Decide what you want before opening the refrigerator door.

6.Make sure that the refrigerator door shuts tightly. Test by closing the door over a piece of paper so it is half in and half out of the refrigerator. If you can pull the paper out easily, the hinge may need adjustment or the seal may need replacing.

7.Switch off the refrigerator when it is being cleaned to save electricity.

1.Air-dry your clothes, instead of using a clothes dryer, on a clothesline or drying rack. Use the clothes dryer only as a last resort.

2.Dry full loadswhenever possible. Save even more energy by air-drying the lightweight items and using the clothes dryer for heavier items.

3.Enable the spin function in washing machinesto reduce the amount of moisture in the load before it is dried in your clothes dryer. Spinning uses less energy than using heat to dry clothes.

4.Clean the lint filterin the clothes dryer after every load to improve air circulation.

5.If your dryer has an auto-dry function, where it automatically stops the drying process once it senses the clothes are sufficiently dry, use this function instead of the timer, to avoid wasting energy and over-drying, which can cause shrinkage and shorten the lifespan of your clothes.

1.Make the most of the natural light available.

2.Switch the lights off whenever you leave the room.

3.Use light dimmers whenever possible.

4.Dust or clean lamps and fixtures regularly. Dust on lamps and reflectors reduce light transmission, making them less energy efficient.

1.Wash with a full load.Consolidate your laundry and wash them on full load to maximise energy usage.

2.Wash clothes in water at room temperature.It is not really necessary to use the water heater function in our washing machines as our water is warm enough for the wash to be effective.

3.Fabric conditioner reduces creases which means less ironing time.

1.Start with items which need lower temperaturesand avoid heating and re-heating the iron.

2. Turn off iron anduse residual heat for delicate items.

1.Boil water only when needed.If hot water is needed throughout the day,consider using a thermo-flask to keep hot water.An electric air-pot uses energy continuously and can cost you about $30 a month* in electricity.

2.Do not boil more water than you need.

3.Thaw frozen food before cooking.This can reduce the cooking time.

4.Use small applianceswherever possible for cooking or heating smaller amounts of food as these are more efficient.

• use a bread toaster rather than a conventional oven to make toast
• heat food in a microwave oven rather than a conventional oven

5.Cover your pots while cooking.Food cooks faster in covered pots.

6.Match the size of the pot with the size of the burneras the energy is lost when the heating element is larger than the pot you are using.

7.Turn down the heatonce cooking temperature or state is reached; simmer food rather than boiling it.

8.Turn electric hotplates off before the food is fully cooked, as the remaining heat can complete the cooking.

9.Avoid opening the oven door while the oven is in use.