Saving on Home Energy Use Activity

Internet exercise

1.List the common ways  people use energy in their homes.
Beside each one write the percentage of the total utility use in a typical home. You can use this source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_in_the_United_States#Consumption_by_sector

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

What do you think Which use consumes the most money in a family's budget?

2. Your family decides to reduce the use of energy in your home. For each use you listed above, describe one action that can be taken to reduce energy use. Start with the highest energy use and work to the least use.

a. Use -

Action -

b. Use -

Action -

c. Use -

Action -

d. Use -

Action -

e. Use -

Action -

3. Determine how much attic insulation a home needs that is built in the state of Washington.
Use the Map and the Chart.

Hypothesis - How much insulation do you predict is needed for a home in Alabama?

Get the facts using the map and chart. Was your hypothesis correct?

What do you predict is the amount of insulation recommended for your community?

4. The government has passed a law that gives a tax credit to people who switch to solar heating for hot water.
Your family makes the switch. Your family's average energy costs are $250 per month.
How much money you do anticipate your family will be saving in a year?

Write one other way  to save money on hot water costs.

5. Write two negatives and one positive about windows and home energy use.

6. For Mother's Day and Father's Day you decide to get your parents each a tree.
You decide to select trees and place them to help save energy in your home.

How can a tree(s) help save energy in a building?

Based on this information, on which side of your school would you advise planting
evergreen trees to help the school save energy.

Your classroom gets uncomfortably warm in the afternoons. Principal Green says
they cannot afford to add air conditioning to the building.

What low energy use alternatives do you suggest?

7. Daylighting will reduce your electricity use.

What is daylighting?

Assess - Can it be done in your room at home?

Estimate - What percentage of the time could your math class use daylighting?

In which of your classes could you use daylighting?

8. My kitchen faces north. It has one small window over the sink. It is almost always dark in the kitchen.
This means turning on a light most of the time. I have decided to install a tubular skylight.

What are the advantages of a tubular skylight?

9. When purchasing appliances, what costs should a consumer take into consideration?

10. How can The Power of the Sun decrease our use of coal or oil generated electricity?