It’s really easy to fall asleep with your TV on or to end up using the oven multiple times a day, especially when living with flatmates. But all of this energy usage adds up.
Here we’ve outlined why it’s important to bring our energy usage down, and we’ve given some handy tips on ways to do so.
Why is it important to reduce energy usage?
The simple answer to this is that the less we use, the less we need to generate. The result of this means we’re having less of an impact on the planet as we’re reducing our carbon impact. It’s important to remember that we all influence this, however big or small.
Energy prices have also skyrocketed over recent months, so you could be saving yourself a bit of money by cutting down on energy use.
Although bills are included in your rent here at Acis Students, each student is given an amount per week for average energy usage. There could be an extra charge should the bill drastically increase above this amount.
This is explained in the contract, but if you have any questions then you can contact the site teams directly, who will be able to explain this in more detail.
Handy tips to bring energy usage down:
General tips:
- Do not bring or use small heating appliances within the accommodation. Not only do they cost a lot to use, but they are also not allowed within the accommodation. See our blog on what you can and can’t bring with you to our accommodation for more information on this.
- Make sure to turn the lights off when you’re not using them, especially when you’re not in the room.
- Make sure to turn appliances off standby, such as a TV, laptop or desktop computer.
- Only charge items as and when needed and not overnight, such as phones, tablets or toothbrushes.
- Make sure to open blinds/curtains to let natural light in and help heat a room.
- Keep the doors between rooms closed, to help keep the heat in.
- Wear extra or warmer clothing, you probably won’t need the heating on during warmer days through the winter.
Kitchen tips:
- Only boil the amount of water in a kettle that you know you need.
- When using the hob, make sure to boil the water in a kettle first, as this will speed up the cooking process and you won’t be using the hob for as long.
- Use a lid when cooking in a pan as this will heat the food quicker. It will also help to reduce condensation.
- Consider cooking food in bulk with other flatmates. You’ll save money on food as well as using the oven less often between you.
- Using the Microwave is actually cheaper to run than ovens, since they cook the food in a fraction of the time.
- Make sure your food is fully defrosted before cooking, where possible. This can help to drastically reduce cooking time.
- The smaller your food is cut up, the faster it will cook. If you’re cooking chicken, why not dice it?
- Make sure to be quick when getting food out of the freezer. When you open the door, all the cold air comes rushing out. This means that when you close it, it'll use more energy to maintain frostiness.
Bathroom tips:
- Take shorter showers, a hot shower can be tempting, especially during the winter, but showers can be a lot more expensive than you think.
- Make sure to turn your shower off as soon as you’ve finished.
- Fill the sink with hot water instead of letting the water keep running. Water heaters use a large amount of energy too.
Help to remind your housemates:
If you notice that your flatmates are leaving lights on or are constantly using the oven, let them know about this blog!
After a few reminders, they’re likely to reduce their energy use too. And we’re sure they’d appreciate the advice on saving money for the whole flat.
If you have any questions about your energy use, then please contact site teams who will be able to help.