How much energy do you really use?
Posted on | February 25, 2009 | 3 Comments
Have you ever wondered how much energy you are really using?
Sure, you can check your electrical bill every month. I always intend to keep track but then I pay the bill and throw it out with the rest of the junk mail.
Besides, what I really want to know is: When was most of that energy used? During the week? At night while we were asleep? Which appliances are costing us the most? And if we decide to convert to solar energy, how much of our consumption would be covered by the panels that we could feasibly install.
Now there are several tools that will help us figure this out.
Power Cost Monitor by Optimum Energy Products is a wireless device that connects to your electric meter and tells you what your actual consumption is at any moment. It responds every time you turn on or off an appliance and give you the readout in dollars as well as kilowatts. We like it because it is a good looking unit that displays the time as well as the outside temperature. This unit can be installed by the homeowner without an electrician but has some limitations. We heard about these about a year ago in a story on NPR about how the Boston Electrical Utility ran a pilot program discounting these to their customers for about $30/each and found dramatic results from the users (approx. 15% drop in consumption).
Another option is The Energy Detective which does all the things listed above and also can connect to a computer so you can download all the information into Foot Prints software. Please note that the company recommends that an electrician install this device.
The discounted costs for these monitors for readers of the Toeprint Project are:
$99 for the Power Cost Monitor (discounted from $109)
$129 for The Energy Detective without Foot Prints software (discounted from $149)
and $179 for The Energy Detective with Foot Prints software (discounted from $189)
We have no relationship with this company other than that we think their products are great and we asked them nicely for a discount for our readers. To order, call their toll free number 1-877-766-5412 and tell them the discount code “ehapc”.
We also encourage any Co-Ops or Condominiums to call us if you are interested in piloting a project to install these for all your tenants. Optimum Energy Products, the manufacturer of these devices is interested in working with a bigger building to test the limitations of the units.
Here is a link to a compatibility chart for both energy meters and this link contains installation videos for the Power Cost Monitor which may be useful for folks curious about ease of installation.
About a year ago, I downloaded our home electrical usage and found that we saved over $600 mostly from switching from incandescent to compact fluorescent light bulbs. I’m going to get one of these devices and see how much more we can save.
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About
Established in 1999, Ellen Honigstock Architect PC is a full-service architecture and energy auditing firm based in DUMBO, Brooklyn.
Our solutions are environmentally conscious and the criteria we use are based on national standards developed to bring long-term saving, efficiency and well-being to our clients. Over 35 years combined experience building in New York City gives us an edge in meeting tough schedules and navigating the city's complicated requirements.
About Ellen:
As the Residential Green Building Advocate for the Urban Green Council since 2007, Ellen has been promoting sustainability in the residential marketplace in NYC.
In the position of Chair of the Homes Subcommittee the NYC Greening the Codes Task Force, Ellen has been heavily involved in recommending new green policy in NYC as related to updating building codes, rules and regulations.
Ellen teaches Building Science, Building Envelope, Water Conservation, Indoor Air Quality, Quantifying Energy and Green Building Plans at the 1,000 Green Supers program for The SEIU Local 32 BJ Thomas Shortman Training Fund.
Certifications:
Registered Architect, NY, NJ, CT
LEED Accredited Professional
BPI Certifications:
Building Analyst
Envelope
Energy Efficient Building Operator
Multi-Family Building Analyst
Ellen Honigstock, LEED AP
Ellen Honigstock Architect PC
45 Main Street #806
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(212) 228-1585
ellen@toeprintproject.com
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February 24th, 2009 @ 6:12 am
Thank you!
April 26th, 2009 @ 8:22 am
Hello webmaster, I found your blog via Google while searching for how can we stop air pollution and your post regarding egy #2: How much energy do you really use? : toeprintproject looks very interesting for me
May 11th, 2010 @ 10:33 pm
Incandescent light bulbs will soon be phased out because they waste a lot of energy.”;”