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Energy Efficient Products,
Automobile:
Your
fuel costs. Pollution. Our country's dependence on foreign oil. The
vehicle you choose to drive
and
how you drive it affect all of these issues. To minimize these
effects, please look at these ways
to
improve your vehicle's fuel efficiency.
Drive
sensibly. Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and
braking) wastes gasoline.
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Consider buying a highly
fuel-efficient vehicle. A fuel-efficient vehicle, a hybrid vehicle,
or an alternative fuel vehicle could save you a lot at the gas pump
and help the environment. See
-
the
Fuel Economy Guide
for more on buying a new fuel-efficient car or truck.
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Combine errands into one trip.
Several short trips, each one taken from a cold start, can use
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twice as much fuel as one trip
covering the same distance when the engine is warm.
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Replace clogged air filters to
improve gas mileage by as much as 10% and protect your engine.
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Get regular engine tune-ups and
car maintenance checks to avoid fuel economy problems due
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to worn spark plugs, dragging
brakes, low transmission fluid, or transmission problems.
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Keep tires properly inflated and
aligned to improve your gasoline mileage by around 3.3%.
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Use the grade of motor oil
recommended by your car's manufacturer. Using a different motor
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oil can lower your gasoline
mileage by 1%-2%.
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Check into telecommuting,
carpooling and public transit to cut mileage and car maintenance
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costs.
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Reduce drag by placing items
inside the car or trunk rather than on roof racks. A roof rack or
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carrier provides additional cargo
space and may allow you to buy a smaller car. However, a
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loaded roof rack can decrease
your fuel economy by 5%.
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Clear out your car; extra weight
decreases gas mileage.
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Use air conditioning only when
necessary.
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Using cruise control on the
highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases,
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will save gas.
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When you use overdrive gearing,
your car's engine speed goes down. This saves gas and
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reduces wear.
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Avoid high speeds. Above 60 mph,
gas mileage drops rapidly. The
http://fueleconomy.gov/
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Web site shows how driving speed
affects gas mileage.
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Aggressive driving (speeding,
rapid acceleration, and hard braking) wastes gas. It can lower
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your highway gas mileage 33% and
city mileage 5%.
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Idling gets you 0 miles per
gallon. The best way to warm up a vehicle is to drive it. No more
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than 30 seconds of idling on
winter days is needed. Anything more simply wastes fuel and
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increases emissions.
Drive Cooler
Solar Gard
window films are designed to reject up to 61% of the total
solar energy, making your car
cooler and
reducing the need for air conditioning. Plus, Solar Gard helps
cut annoying glare reducing intense bright spots on sunny days
and blinding headlights at night.
The movement or transfer of
heat from a region of higher temperature to one of cooler
temperature
is called heat transfer.
The transfer of heat always flows from hot to cold. No heat
will transfer if
there is no difference in
temperature.
There are three types of
heat transfer: Radiation, Conduction, and Convection. For
window film,
radiation is the most
important method of heat transfer because it moves infrared
waves. This is
why we refer to solar
energy as solar radiation.
Solar energy through a
window is transferred or transmitted by infrared waves.
Radiant energy is converted to heat when it strikes people or
objects. If you block the transfer of this energy you
keep it from turning into
heat because it never strikes an object. Window film
interrupts the
transfer of this energy by
reflecting the energy back.
Transmission is basically
the percentage of Solar energy (UV + Visible Light + Near
Infrared) that
can passes through a
window. Reflection is the ratio of solar energy reflected back
to the
source, expressed as a
percentage. Absorption is the percentage of solar energy
absorbed to
that of the total solar
energy.
With
solar window film installed on the inside of a window, the
proportions are changed dramatically,
with
reflected energy and absorption increasing. This corresponds
to a reduction in solar heat
transmitted inside the room or the automobile. The properties
of the window film dramatically
influence how and in what way transmission, reflection and
absorption change.
WHAT DOES GREEN MEAN?
GREEN
is a term now widely used to describe buildings designed and
constructed with minimal
negative impact to the environment and with an emphasis on
conservation of resources,
energy
efficiency, and healthful interior spaces.
Lower the Thermostat:
Each degree you
lower the thermostat on your heating system decreases your
fuel bill by 3 percent.
Going from 72
degrees down to 68 degrees doesn't matter much in terms of
comfort, but it can save
up to 12 percent
on your heating bill. (All temperatures in this article are in
degrees Fahrenheit.)
If you're using
a coil-type thermostat, you'll get more accurate readings if
you clean it. Pop off the thermostat cover and blow or gently
swipe away the dust.
FOR HEAT
6 a.m. to 9 a.m. = 68 degrees
9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. = 60 degrees
5:30 to 11 p.m. = 68 degrees
11 p.m. to 6 a.m. = 60 degrees
FOR AIR CONDITIONING
6 a.m. to 9 a.m. = 75 degrees
9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. = 80 degrees
5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. = 75 degrees
11 p.m. to 6 a.m. = 80 degrees
Ceiling
Fans:
Ceiling fans are everywhere in warm-weather
climates. Spinning counterclockwise, they move
air
around the room. Not all energy experts feel
it's a good idea to use them in the heating
season
(doubters says they cool the air too much),
but the fans do help bring heated air down to
earth
in rooms with cathedral or high-sloped
ceilings. However, that's only if you slide
the reversing
switch on the side of the motor housing to the
winter (clockwise) position. Then run the fan
at its
lowest speed. If you can't reverse the blade
rotation or if you think the fan is cooling
off the room
too much, leave it off.
Windows:
Heat
lost or gain through windows accounts for 10 to 25
percent of your overall heating bill.
Window films
can be retrofitted to existing windows to
reduce heat gain due to
solar radiation and provide a
low-cost cooling load reduction. Window films are thin
layers of polyester, metallic coatings, and adhesives
that save energy by limiting both the amount
of solar
radiation passing through the windows and the amount
of
internal heat escaping through windows. They can be
applied directly
to the interior surfaces of all types of
glass and generally last 7 to
12 years.
Typically, in the heating season, more heat escapes from
most windows than comes in from the sun (on a
24-hour basis); the
extent depends on the local climate
and the R-value of the window.
Window films can help reduce this costly heat loss by
reflecting
indoor radiant heat back into the room. In the
cooling season, even
when drapes and blinds are closed,
much of the sun’s heat passes
through the glass into the room. Window films address this problem
by
reducing solar heat gain at the window. In short, window films save
energy by reducing
radiation and other forms of heat transfer through
windows, by allowing better balance in heating
and cooling systems and
by providing opportunities for HVAC downsizing.
Change Your Furnace Filter
If you have a
forced-air system, changing the furnace filter can save you
some energy (up to
5 percent) and
keep dust down in the house. The system will last longer and
be less likely to
break down. The
most popular 16 X 20-inch duct filter costs around 50 cents
when bought by
the box. Change
them monthly during heating season. Measure your air filter
before shopping;
they range in
size from 12 X 12 inches to 30 X 30 inches. An alternative to
swapping out the
replacement
filter is to use washable filters (around $20 each). With
care, they can last five
years.
Cost: Under $15 per year
There are several
economic considerations in regard to window film
installations. For
old, drafty, single-pane windows, complete window
replacement is
another option. Although this option is more expensive
than window
film installation, it may be more appropriate depending on
your window
condition. It may be most cost effective to install window
films only
on the south and west sides of the building. Window films
typically
cost between $1.35 and $3 per square foot, installed.
Improperly
installed films can, however, bubble, crack, peel, or even
cause the
glass to crack, so it is worthwhile to buy films with a
material and
installation guarantee of 5 to 10 years.
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Now, in houses
with a south aspect, the sun’s rays penetrate into the porticoes in
winter, but in summer, the path of the sun is right above the roof so
that there is shade. If, then, this is the best arrangement, we should
build the south side loftier to get the winter sun, and the north side
lower to keep out the cold winds. Socrates, 360 B.C.
Solar
radiation can have an enormous influence on the heating and cooling
required in a space. The sun often makes perimeter spaces
uncomfortably hot, and it also creates glare and fades fabrics.
Reducing solar gain (heating caused by solar radiation) offers very
profitable opportunities for cooling-load reductions and energy
savings. Heat can also be radiated out of the building through the
windows in winter if outdoor temperatures are much lower than room
temperature. Yet, the amount of heat lost through radiation is far
less significant than that of other types of heat gain or loss. |
Try do-it-yourself
low-E windows.
If your windows don't have a low-E coating, consider applying
a
self-adhesive film on the glass. This treatment is a lot cheaper than
replacing the units, and
better-quality films are quite durable.
Energy Saving Resource
Information:
Black Water -
Water containing human waste from toilets and urinals. Black water
contains pathogens that must be neutralized before the water can be
safely reused. Typically black water, after neutralization, is used
for non-potable uses such as flushing or irrigation.
Energy Efficiency
-
Ratio of energy output of a conversion process or of a system to its
energy input.
Fossil
Fuels
- Fuels found in
the earths strata that are derived from the fossilized remains of
animal and plant matter over millions of years. Fossil fuels include
oil, natural gas, shale, and coal. Fossil fuels are considered to be
non-renewable since they are consumed faster than their natural
production.
Fritted Glass -
A
special type of glass that utilizes ceramic-enamel coatings in a
visible pattern (dots, lines, etc.) to control solar heat gain. The
pattern is created by opaque or transparent glass fused to the
substrate glass material under high temperatures. The substrate is
heat strengthened or tempered to prevent breakage due to thermal
stresses.
Fuel Cell -
An electrochemical device in which hydrogen is combined with oxygen to
produce electricity with heat and water vapor as by products. Natural
gas is often used as the source of hydrogen with air as the source of
oxygen. Since electricity is produced by a chemical reaction and not
by combustion, fuel cells are considered to be green power producers.
Fuel cell technology is quite old, dating back to the early days of
the space program. Commercial use of fuel cells has been sporadic,
however, the use of fuel cells in automobiles and buildings is
expected to increase in the next decade.
Global Warming -
An increase in the global mean temperature of the Earth that is (or is
thought to be) a result of increased emissions of greenhouse gases
that are trapped within the earth’s atmosphere. Global warming is
believed to have adverse consequences such as climate change and a
rise in sea levels. The scientific community is in general agreement
that the Earth’s surface has warmed by about 1°F in the past 140
years.
Green -
A term that is widely used to describe a building and site that is
designed in an environmentally sensitive manner, i.e. with minimal
impact to the environment.
Green Building -
A building that minimizes impact on the environment through resource
(energy, water, etc.) conservation and contributes to the health of
its occupants. Comfortable, aesthetically pleasing and healthful
environments characterize green buildings.
Greenhouse Effect -
Greenhouse gases in the earth’s atmosphere permit solar radiation to
pass through but prevent most of the reflected infrared radiation from
the earth’s surface and lower atmosphere from escaping into outer
space. This process occurs naturally and has kept the earth’s average
surface temperature at approximately 60°F. Life on earth would not be
possible without the natural greenhouse effect, but environmental
scientists are concerned about the increased emissions of greenhouse
gases from human activities, leading to climate change and its
consequential adverse effects.
Greenhouse Gases -
Any gas that absorbs infrared radiation in the earth’s atmosphere.
Common greenhouse gases include water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2),
methane (CH4), nitrogen oxides (NOx), ozone
(O3), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), halogenated fluorocarbons (HCFCs),
perfluorinated carbons (PFCs), hydrofluoro-carbons (HFCs) and Sulfur
Hexafluoride (SF6). Carbon dioxide, methane and nitrogen oxides are of
particular concern due to their long residence time in the atmosphere.
Green Power -
Electricity generated from renewable energy sources (solar, wind,
biomass, geothermal, and hydroelectric).
LEED
-
An acronym for Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design. LEED is a pointbased rating system developed by
the US Green Building Council that evaluates the environmental
performance from a “whole building” perspective over its life cycle,
providing a definitive standard for what
constitutes a green building according to six categories:
-
Sustainable
sites
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Water efficiency
- Energy and
atmosphere
- Materials
and resources
- Indoor
environmental quality
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Innovation and design process
Buildings evaluated by LEED are rated as certified, silver,
gold, or platinum. There are a total of 69 LEED credits
available in the six categories: 26 credits are required to
attain the most basic level of LEED certification; 33 to 38
credits are needed for Silver; 39 to 51 credits for Gold; 52
to 69 credits for the Platinum rating.
Low-e Glass
- Low-e (Low emissivity) glass has an invisible thin-film
metallic or oxide coating which allows the passage of
short-wave solar energy into a building but prevents long-wave
energy produced by heating systems and lighting from escaping
outside.
Non-renewable
Energy Resources -
Energy resources that cannot be restored or replenished by
natural processes and therefore are depleted through use.
Commonly used non-renewable energy resources include coal,
oil, natural gas, and uranium.
Ozone (O3) -
Ozone is a greenhouse gas present in the stratosphere and the
troposphere. In the stratosphere, ozone provides a protective
layer shielding the earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation.
In the lower atmosphere ozone is a pollutant that causes
respiratory problems and is an ingredient of smog.
R-Value -
A unit of thermal resistance. A material’s R-value is a
measure of the effectiveness of the material in stopping the
flow of heat through it. The higher a material’s R-value, the
greater its insulating properties and the slower the heat flow
through it.
Renewable
Energy Sources -
Energy sources that replenish themselves naturally within a
short period of time. Sources of renewable energy include
solar energy, hydroelectric power, geothermal energy, wind
power, ocean thermal energy, wave power, wind power and fuel
wood.
Solar Collector
- A device
used to absorb heat from the sun. In the context of buildings,
the absorbed energy
typically heats water, which is then used for space heating
and/or domestic hot water.
Spectrally
Selective Glazing –
Glazing that has a high transmittance of visible light but low
transmittance of solar heat gain.
Volatile
Organic Compounds (VOC) -
Organic compounds that evaporate at room temperatures and are
often hazardous to human health, causing poor indoor air
quality. Sources of VOC’s include solvents and paints. Many
materials commonly used in building construction such as
carpets, furniture and paints emit VOC’s
Wind Turbine -
A device that converts the kinetic energy of the wind into
mechanical energy that can be used to drive equipment such as
pumps. The addition of a generator allows the wind’s kinetic
energy to be converted into electricity. There are two types
of wind turbines, namely: horizontal axis turbines - blades
rotate about a horizontal axis; and vertical axis turbines -
blades rotate about a vertical axis.
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