Turning the thermostat to a lower but still comfortable temperature. Heating a room to 19°C instead of 20°C, for example, reduces energy consumption by 7%.
Closing the shutters and turning down the heating at night and when you go out.
To reduce the need for air-conditioning, keep the shutters closed on very hot days and air your home after dark.
It is also a good idea to limit your hot water system to 60°C and to take showers rather than baths.
You can also reduce energy consumption by:
Using compact fluorescent lamps, which consume four to five times less energy than standard light bulbs.
Turning off televisions, computers and other electronic devices rather than leaving them in standby mode, which uses up to 10% more electricity than necessary.
Covering the pan with a lid when boiling water, which reduces the energy required by 75%. Installing your freezer in an unheated room and waiting until food has cooled down before putting it in the refrigerator ensures that these appliances don’t use unnecessary energy to keep your food at the right temperature.
Using your household appliances on low power settings. Washing the laundry at 40°C requires 25% less electricity than washing at 60°C. If you choose the economy setting on your dishwasher, you use 45% less electricity per cycle. Not using your clothes dryer can reduce your annual electricity consumption by 15%.