Hey Danvers! Today, we’re talking about home electrification and energy efficiency. Energy efficiency is the process of reducing the amount of energy required to provide products and services, i.e. using less energy to perform the same task or produce the same result, like heating or cooling a home to the same comfortable temperature.
In cold weather, energy efficiency becomes particularly relevant as individuals and businesses seek to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures without unnecessarily increasing energy consumption. Heating systems, for instance, see increased usage in colder weather and improving their efficiency can lead to significant energy savings. Proper insulation, smart thermostats, and energy-efficient heating appliances like heat pumps are examples of solutions that boost energy efficiency in cold climates.
How does energy efficiency relate to climate change? It’s simple! The connection between energy efficiency in cold weather and climate change lies in the broader context of overall energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Traditional heating methods, often reliant on fossil fuels like methane gas and oil, release large amounts of planet-warming greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere. For example, energy use in buildings accounts for nearly half of Danvers’s municipal GHG emissions. By adopting energy-efficient technologies and practices, individuals and businesses can use less energy overall, reducing the amount of GHGs they emit.
3 Ways to Electrify Your Home and Boost Energy Efficiency
Upgrade to a heat pump system
- A heat pump is a highly efficient heating and cooling system that keeps your home at a comfortable temperature all year round. A single air source heat pump can replace your air conditioner and heating system. Plus, heat pumps are electric; no need for fossil fuels like oil or natural gas.
- Check out our Resilient Danvers heat pump fact sheet to learn more!
Electrify your home cooking system
- Induction and conventional electric stoves are the best way to cook. They don’t burn fossil fuels or release toxic pollutants into your home and the environment.
- Learn more from Rewiring America!
Switch from a gas water heater to electric
- Heat pump hot water heaters (HPWHs) — also referred to as hybrid hot water heaters or electric heat pump water heaters — are the most energy-efficient water heaters on the market. Like heat pumps, HPWHs efficiently transfer heat instead of creating it, which leads to hundreds of dollars per year in savings for the average household.
- Learn more from Rewiring America!