What eco-actions will help me use less energy?

In the face of the energy crisis, the government has decided to make efforts to protect households against rising gas and electricity prices, by capping energy prices for instance. But to avoid power cuts this winter, it’s also running an energy-saving campaign to encourage people to get into environmentally friendly habits. So, what action can you can take to lessen your environmental impact, fight climate change, avoid a power cut and keep your bills from skyrocketing this winter? Read on to learn about the small changes that can really make a big difference!

What are eco-actions?

 The term “eco-action” refers to an action taken by an individual to help the environment. More specifically, it’s a small daily step that’s easy to take, at home, at school or in the office, like turning off the light when you leave a room.

 What changes can I make to save energy at home?

 Every step that helps you use less power or use it more efficiently is considered an eco-action. This means there are many different things you can do to change your lifestyle in a way that helps the environment. Of course, you can tailor each eco-action according to factors like the surface area of your property, whether you have a garden or the number of people in your household...

  What steps can I take to save energy (gas, electricity, etc.)?

       Turn your heating down, even by just one degree, to avoid overheating your house and save money on your bills. The recommended maximum temperature is 19 degrees.
       Don’t waste heat: keep as much of it inside as you can by closing your doors and shutters or drawing the curtains whenever possible.
       Turn off the lights when you leave a room or if the room doesn’t need to be lit so brightly.
       Switch off electrical appliances and equipment that’s on standby or not in use (computers, games consoles, televisions, etc.), especially when you’re going to be away.
       Think about drying your clothes naturally rather than using a tumble dryer, which uses electricity.
       Make sure your hot water tank only comes on during off-peak hours, and set it to between 55 and 60 degrees Celsius.
       Use the eco mode on your washing machine where possible.

By following a precise heating schedule based on your lifestyle, the Netatmo Smart Thermostat only heats your house when you need it, to avoid unnecessary energy consumption without sacrificing your comfort. You only need to have the heating on when you’re in!

 Green habits in the kitchen

       Use a lid on pots and pans when cooking
       Turn electric hobs down or even off when the food has nearly finished cooking
       Don't leave your fridge open for a long time, remember to defrost it regularly and don’t put it too close to a heat source
      It's a great idea to compost food waste rather than putting it in the general waste bin
When you're food shopping, choose products sold in environmentally friendly packaging, using less plastic

What things can I do to avoid wasting water?

       Take fewer baths and have showers instead
       Add an aerator to taps to help regulate their flow
      Take the time to fix any leaks
       If you have a garden, think about installing an automatic drip irrigation system

Why is it important to take eco-actions at home?

  As simple as these steps may seem, making this kind of change on a daily basis can have a really big impact not only on your household budget, but also on your carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions.

 Save on your energy bills

Did you know that turning down the heating by just one degree can save you quite a lot of money? In fact, according to ADEME (the French Environment and Energy Management Agency), reducing the temperature in your home by one degree can save you 7% on your utility bills**. In fact, the recommended temperature is no more than 19 degrees during the day and 16-17 degrees at night. And that’s not all...

ADEME also recommends using a programmable thermostat to lower your heating costs. In fact, it’s an investment that could have a big environmental and financial impact, reducing the amount of power used for heating by 15%**.

But what does saving 15% on heating really mean?

This would mean annual savings of up to £180 for gas (on a bill of £1,200) and up to £230 for electricity (on a bill of £1,550)**.

The Netatmo Smart Thermostat for optimum heating performance

 The Netatmo Smart Thermostat lets you control your heating remotely, whether you’re in the office or away on holiday. The Netatmo Smart Thermostat is compatible with Alexa, Google Home and Apple HomeKit for easy voice control of your heating. In a few words, turn on, adjust or turn down the temperature for optimum comfort and lower bills.

 Are you still worried that your bill is too high? Keep track of all your energy consumption directly in your Home + Control app! This will help you monitor and manage your heating, to save money and reduce your emissions.

The right temperature in every room

 To optimise the temperature room by room, you can add thermostatic valves to your radiators. This change can save you between 5% and 10% in energy costs**.

Netatmo Smart Thermostatic Heads automatically regulate the environment of the room, in particular by detecting open windows, to adjust the temperature and avoid heat loss.

Take action for sustainable development by using less power

Incorporating green habits into your routine not only helps you spend less on gas and electricity, but will also help the environment a lot by reducing your carbon footprint. The more heat you use, the more CO2 you emit. Turning down the heating by one degree will help reduce your GHG emissions and therefore combat climate change.

Maintain your electrical equipment and heating system to optimise energy use  

New appliances are generally more environmentally friendly than older ones but you don’t need to replace all your equipment right away. Maintaining your appliances is also one of the best ways to cut costs. Outdated appliances use more power and can weigh heavily on your bills. So what should you do to keep your appliance in good working order? 

Bleeding your radiator

Maintaining your radiator by bleeding it will prevent air bubbles from accumulating and pressure building up in the pipes. Those issues can cause your heating system to perform less well.

Annual boiler servicing

To help fight climate change, it’s a good idea for homeowners to have their boiler checked every year by a professional, and for landlords it’s a legal requirement for health and safety reasons. As well as helping to protect nature by reducing emissions, servicing improves boiler efficiency and will help prevent domestic accidents like carbon monoxide leaks.

Defrosting the refrigerator

By defrosting your refrigerator every three months or so, you can limit its electricity consumption. ADEME* also recommends cleaning the grilles at the back of your appliance to help it work more effectively.

What are the best eco-actions to take in the office?

  You can do your bit to protect nature wherever you go... Small changes in offices and schools can make a really big impact! By getting into green habits at work or at school, you can encourage those around you to do the same. So how can you limit your company’s energy consumption?

Like in your home, lowering the temperature by just one degree in your office can make all the difference:

       Turn off the lights at night and at weekends if no one is in the office.
       Turn off equipment rather than leaving it on standby when you go
       Don’t turn on the air conditioning unless it’s very hot

  At the end of the day, eco-actions concern us all. Whether we’re at home, at work or on holiday, we need to think about our impact on the planet and get into green habits. This will help us to reduce the energy costs associated with our lifestyles and cut our bills at the end of the month.

 Sources:

*ADEME, Eau et énergie : comment réduire la facture ? (Water and energy: how to reduce your bill?) 50 trucs et astuces (50 tips and tricks), Available at: https://librairie.ademe.fr/cadic/6804/guide-50-trucs-astuces-economies.pdf

**ADEME, Un hiver tout confort (Winter in comfort), Available at: https://librairie.ademe.fr/cadic/6568/guide-hiver-tout-confort.pdf