Well we could throw away our cars and buses and cycle everywhere, certainly the best option for the planet and maybe our wallets, (what is the carbon footprint for making bicycles?) but flagging down a black cab in ‘real street’ tells us that is just not going to happen. Most people’s life quality and other demands wont allow it. What are our other options? There are the political ones, thankfully I leave that to the political blogs, but there are other real alternatives to making energy saving.

While we may not be able to save as much as we would like with our vehicles, we also invest huge amounts of cash in our personal and business utility bills, if we can make real savings here it will at least offset our expenses in other areas like fueling our gas guzzzling vehicles. While perhaps not world changing it will help us save energy and costs. How then is this possible?

Firstly being aware of what you using. Its much easier to be efficient when you can measure the amounts of energy your using, thats what Enigin PLC’s Eniscope is designed to do. It is the flagship energy saving product, energy awareness = savings! It makes energy saving a measurable and quantifiable amount, so when energy saving products are deployed you can see if they are working and then install them in a larger scale. We are are well aware of the miles per gallon consumption of our vehicles, but what about the kWh of our appliances, how much electricity our appliances are using per hour. This is genuinely measurable and reducible with inexpensive load-side products, that typically pay for themselves within two years.

Talk to Enigin for details.

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What makes this possible is Enigin PLC’s quality load-side energy saving products, they in effect make your appliances ’smarter’ so that they only use as much energy as they need when they need it. This can be applied to Air Conditioning systems, Refrigeration, Motors and Lighting to name just a few. But what makes this unique is Eniscope. Eniscope is your 24/7 energy manager, ensuring that you are doing all that is possible to save energy. It is also your personal guarantee that these products you have fitted are actually working as they should and saving you energy and money. To this end Eniscope can display your current usage and saving in kWh or in dollars or the currency of your choice. Thus its designed to be clearly understood and easy to operate. It gives comparative data so the longer you use Eniscope the more it can tell you about trends in your energy consumption and pin point exactly where you have energy leaks, that can be swiftly plugged and stem the needless loss of energy.

The cheapest Kilowatt then is the one never used and this ethic can help you to increase your business profitability, and grow a ethical business, that is profit with real integrity.

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Here at Enigin that is what we are all about. Helping you to save energy. It is something which is becoming a fast growing business around the World. From Europe to the Middle East through Asia to Australia and around to the North and South America, people are getting involved in Energy Saving and Enigin Plc are helping them to that.

Many businesses are taking on Energy Saving ideas as a foremost way for saving themselves money. Energy Saving can work anywhere, whether in an office building, shop or industry.

So start saving your energy today, take a look at our energy saving ideas, including real-time energy monitoring and management and get your business into the race of energy efficiency.

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At Enigin we advise businesses, which we do indirectly through our global network of Enigin Distributors, so we would like to share these tips as offered by the UK’s Energy Saving Trust.

Simply try out some of the following ideas - from hot water bottles to huddling together - and start to embrace the cold weather with a satisfied smile on your face.

Here are the last five of ten:

6. Hot water bottles
A hot water bottle is comforting in so many ways. You can carry one around with you, heat your bed up with it, or even warm your clothes up before you slip into them on a cold morning. Just remember to only boil the amount of water you need and buy an  Energy Saving Trust Recommended kettle.

There are some great hot water bottle warmers around too.

7. Double up your duvet
It takes will power to turn your heating down a couple of hours before you go to bed. If a hot water bottle isn’t enough, why not invest in an extra duvet that you can use in the winter and store away in the summer.

You can find the best duvet to keep you warm by  comparing tog ratings  of duvets. For summer you are looking for a tog rating of around 4.5 tog. And for winter look for around 13.5 tog.

By doing this, you can turn down the heating in your room and still stay warm.

8. Brace the outside
Bracing the outside takes some preparation. Wrap yourself, your friends and your family up and brave that weather! Layer up with clothing, get yourself some good quality thermals, and go out and have fun. If it’s snowing you can build a snowman or go sledging. If it’s raining you can don those wellies and go splashing about. If it’s crisp and cold you could have a winter kick around in the garden. You could even grow your own winter vegetables – all that digging will keep you warm.

Whatever you do, it’s about turning that heating system down, or off, in your home and reaping the benefits.

9. House work
Before you stop reading, wait, housework can help keep your energy bills down!

Whilst dusting those high hard to reach places, why not check your bulbs are all  energy saving light bulbs .
When cleaning your windows, check to see if you could  plug some gaps around your window frames  with draught-proofing strips. There are 2 main types:

Self-adhesive foam strips, which are the cheapest option, and easy to install. However they may not last as long as other methods.

Metal or plastic strips with brushes or wipers attached. These are long-lasting, but cost a little more.
When wiping around your skirting board,  check for any draughty gaps,  but also check plug sockets to see if you can turn off any electricals on standby. It’ll save you hassle and money in the long run.

10. Hot pots
Eat healthy hot dinners such as stews laden with vegetables. As well as keeping you toasty, the nutrients will keep you healthy when the weather is trying to weaken your immune system. Stews also cook on a low heat which will stop your oven using too much energy.

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At Enigin we advise businesses, which we do indirectly through our global network of Enigin Distributors, so we would like to share these tips as offered by the UK’s Energy Saving Trust.

Simply try out some of the following ideas - from hot water bottles to huddling together - and start to embrace the cold weather with a satisfied smile on your face.

Here are the first five of ten:

1. Cosy up

If you haven’t already, reach for your favourite cosy blanket. With the extra layer you can then turn down your  programmable room thermostat. Turning the temperature down just 1ºC can save up to 10% on your heating bills over the whole year, so imagine if you turned it down even more!

Once you’re all wrapped up, make yourself a fair trade warm drink to finish off the experience of curling up on the sofa. You’ll really appreciate the savings in heating your home and feel smug about cutting carbon dioxide too.

Check these websites to help get you started:

Make your own blanket

See this ethical patchwork quilt for inspiration

2. Get Together

Turning your  home thermostats down in all rooms apart from one is a great excuse to stop others in the family skulking off to play video games, or watching different TVs around the house. You can keep one living area toasty (between 18-21ºC) and use it as an excuse to all get together and play games. Why not try charades to keep you moving, or have a good old fashioned chat (and we don’t mean online!).

Here are some game ideas for a great night in.

3. Exercise

Exercise can be a scary word. But getting moving doesn’t have to be taxing and you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to realise it’ll keep you warm. Get out the house, turn your heating controls right down and re-discover your neighbourhood by going for a brisk walk. When you return you’ll be glad the house is not boiling hot.

You could also keep warm by exercising inside too.

4. Mind the Gaps

If your home just doesn’t ever seem to warm up, it’s worth checking around your windows and the doors to see if there are any draughts. Some quick tip solutions can be found on our  draught-proofing section of the website

Installing draught proofing can save you money and costs very little, so it’s worth taking immediate action. There are some great temporary solutions to keeping the draughts away, and if you’ve got some time you could always come up with your own.

Check out this step by step guide to draught proofing your door

Here are a couple of door draught proof stops to give you a head start

5. Get your slippers on

It’s not easy switching your home heating systems down when bare floors get so cold! We lose most of our body heat through our head, fingers and toes, so make sure these are covered up first.

Christmas is over so there’s no doubt some of you will have found yourselves with slippers in your stockings! It’s not that sexy walking around the house with gloves on. But slippers on the other hand are all the rage these days. Ok, so we made that up, but they are a great way to keep your feet warm and you’ll tick another box by not throwing them out as unwanted Christmas presents too.

If you’re feeling left out because you didn’t get any slippers. Here’s some alternatives:

• Wear two pairs of socks
• Try slipper socks - socks with grips
• Ugg boots . Although these are mainly worn outside, they were originally meant for indoors.

Look out for the next posting and the next five tips.

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7 deadly sins were established long ago. I think that everyone can safely claim that they have done at least one thing that’s got to do with at least one of those sins at least once in their life, right?…

Yet it’s those very sins, against which much disdain has been unleashed, that could end up being our allies in our energy saving quest!

Here’s how….

Sloth

Being lazy is the ultimate secret weapon for combating climate change!

Considering that everything we do requires energy consumption - working, traveling, playing, socialising, even merely breathing!

So, logically, the less we do, the less energy we use, thereby reducing our personal carbon footprints.
Energy efficiency can be increased by indulging in your own laziness - for example, no need to speed to get to work, it will save fuel and reduce carbon emissions!

Installing Enigin PLC’s energy efficient lighting system (LESS) will mean you won’t need to change the bulbs as often because they last a lot longer, which is good as far as laziness is concerned. It will also mean you don’t have to physically get up and dim the lights when needed, because the system will do it for you!

Greed

If, like most of us, you are equally concerned about your wallet as you are about energy efficiency and the conservation of the planet, then greed is your sin of predicament!
By turning to Enigin PLC’s energy efficient solutions, you reduce your energy bills, for which your finances will praise you.
Driving fast is not an intelligent move for the greedy person either - it’s literally equivalent to burning bank notes directly through your exhaust pipe.
Switching to energy efficient lighting (Enigin PLC’s LESS), and to more efficient appliances generally, will contribute to saving money.
So, feel free to embrace your inner Scrooge and know that it’s actually doing the planet a favour!

Wrath

If you find screen-dimming computers hypocritical because they claim to save energy that way (instead of switching the machine off when you’re not using it!), or if celebrities annoy you when they claim to be green while standing on a bright stage, flooded by enough lights to be seen from outer space, then you are most probably angry! And rightly so!
Those people and organisations are perpetuating a phenomenon called ‘Greenwashing’, which consists in portraying a green image, for reputation, but not actually being any better than people who don’t make any efforts to preserve the environment in that they make moderate efforts in some respects and pollute a lot in others. So it’s hypocritical.

This makes people angry generally. And you can act upon that by boycotting certain products emanating from companies who fit that category. Or by expressing your anger to your boss, telling him to install more efficient lighting, save energy on more efficient computers, or improve the heating and chilling systems in the offices (Enigin have a great system for this called Air Condition Energy Sensor )! Have your say, don’t let people dictate your life, and if something annoys you, then say it!

Envy

Envious at the sight your neighbour’s shiny new roof?
He has just installed new solar panels and is saving a lot of money as a result, through reduced energy bills, which has allowed him to buy… a brand new Tesla to show off in!
If you are envious than consider this: those of us who are actively fighting climate change are generally richer, smarter, and happier people!
By letting your envy guide your actions, you are on your way to joining the elite!

Pride

Ok, well done! You’ve installed the new energy efficent lighting and have a sexy electric car, now what? Well, clearly, boast about it!!!! Tell everyone around you about how smart your move was, how beneficial it is to you, how amazing your new energy saving wide screen tv is, and what an incredibly luminous idea it was to go for the Enigin energy efficient lighting system!
You might find people dislike you for being proud, but you will have achieved something: they will be envious of you! In fact, they’ll even be Green with envy when they see how proud you are of being Green…!

Gluttony

Gluttony is the third sinful climate-change-fighting musketeer, along with Pride and Envy.
It’s a paradox however, because gluttony is what got us here in the first place, by pushing us to consume more and more, disregarding the world’s natural resources.
It has lead to the western world’s excess consumerism that we all know, to the detriment of the developing country populations.
But if you want to indulge in gluttony and still fight global warming, here’s how: install energy saving lights, decorate your garden with a new wind turbine and include a biomass burner in your basement. You’ll be able to buy the biggest energy efficient flat screen tv you can find and leave it on all day long, or seek refuge from sumer’s heat waves in your comfortably air conditioned house, not forgetting to turn on ALL your exterior Christmas lights to make sure to blind any passing extraterrestrials! And still save money compared to doing all this using conventional appliances and equipment!
Gluttony can finally be guilt-free! And even if it doesn’t resolve the climate change dilemma, it will at least make others envious and therefore boost the green attitude!

Lust

While body heat is probably the best kind of heat you can get, promiscuity can lead to broken families which have been proven to be less energy efficient than single homes. However, lust can also play its part in saving energy! If you are inclined to indulging in bodily pleasures, above all the other sins, then it might please you to know that the more time you spend in the bedroom the less you will be using products that require energy to function! Lights are generally turned off (candles are the sensual preference!), and there is no need for the heater to be on! In case of extreme heat, you can always use your Enigin Air Condition Energy Sensor system to cool down!
Also, make sure to choose eco-friendly condoms and lubricants!
So that’s how Enigin products and our little flaws can save energy and the planet at the same time!

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That is why so many Enigin Distributors are discovering increasing business and interest in their Enigin products and solutions, such as Energy Maps.

Individually we can be a powerful engine for change, by making ourselves healthier, more aware and save ourselves money. How? Follow these 10 simple steps that make that big difference.

1. Use less paper. Instead use re-usable cloths for paper towels and napkins.

2.  Buy shade-grown, fair trade coffee and chocolate. Look for products certified by the Rainforest Alliance or labelled “Bird Friendly”.

3. Lower your household thermostat below 70 degrees in winter, and raise it above 72 in summer. For more information see the American Council for Energy Efficient Economy. (aceee.org)

4. Replace light bulbs and appliances with Energy Star approved models.

5. Plug electronics into power strips and switch them off when not in use!

6. Eat more fresh fruit and vegetables and less meat! Livestock production is responsible for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions.

7. Rid your home and garden of synthetic pesticides.

8. Install Water efficient fixtures such as faucet aerators, shower heads and low flow toilets.

9. Cut back on plastics.

10. Drive less, drive sensibly. Follow the speed limit and keep your engine tuned and tires properly inflated, can help save on fuel and greenhouse gas emissions.

So maybe we could all have a go at following these simple daily steps and have our part in saving the earth today.

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Here are some suggestions from the U.S. EPA:

The average family spends $2,200 a year on energy bills, nearly half of which goes to heating and cooling.

With winter approaching and Americans heading indoors, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Energy Star program is offering easy energy saving tips that increase household efficiency while helping Americans save money and stay warm.

EPA recommends taking the following steps this winter:

• Maintain your heating equipment. Dirt and neglect are the top causes of heating system failure. If your heating equipment is more than 10 years old, now is a good time to schedule a pre-season checkup with a licensed contractor to make sure your system is operating at peak performance. Check your system’s air filter every month and when it is dirty, change it. At a minimum, change it every three months.
• Use a programmable thermostat. Control your home’s temperature while you’re away or asleep by using one of the pre-programmed settings. When used properly, programmable thermostats can save up to $180 every year in energy costs.
• Seal air leaks in your home. If rooms are too hot/cold or you have noticed humidity or excessive dust problems you should consider taking action to seal air leaks. Sealing air leaks with caulk, spray foam, or weather stripping will have a significant impact on improving your comfort and reducing energy bills. If you are adding insulation to your home, be sure to seal air leaks first, to ensure you get the best performance from your insulation.
• Utilize the Energy Star website. Use Energy Star’s Home Energy Yardstick to compare your home’s energy use to similar homes across the country and see how your home measures up. Energy Star’s Home Energy Advisor can give recommendations for energy-saving home improvements for typical homes in your area.
• Look for Energy Star qualified products. Whether you are replacing light bulbs or appliances in your home, Energy Star qualified products can help you save energy and reduce energy bills. The label can be found on more than 60 types of products ranging from heating and cooling equipment to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs).

Energy Star was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy-efficiency. Energy Star offers businesses and consumers energy-efficient solutions to decrease energy consumption, save money, and help protect the environment. More than 20,000 organizations are Energy Star partners, committed to improving energy-efficiency in homes, products, and businesses.

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You can improve your business’ bottom line by taking the following steps to make your office more energy-efficient. To help you get started in saving energy here are some tips:

Lighting

• Turn off lights when not needed. For example, turning off fluorescent lights saves energy, extends overall lamp life and reduces replacement costs. Myth: Turning lights on and off uses more electricity than leaving the lights on.
• Reduce or replace inefficient, outdated or excessive lighting within your building.
• When replacing old lighting equipment, evaluate new technologies that may need fewer fixtures and/or fewer lamps within existing fixtures.
• Ensure that light levels will remain at adequate levels before changing out technologies and/or reducing number of lamps.
• Where practical, replace incandescent lamps with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). Ensure you install compatible dimming technology if CFLs are used along with a dimming system.
• When fluorescent T-12 lamps burn out, consider retrofitting fixtures with T-8 lamps and changing from magnetic ballast to electronic.
• Replace incandescent “EXIT” signs with LED signs. LEDs use about one-tenth the wattage and last 50 times longer than incandescent-lamp signs.
• Install lighting occupancy sensors that automatically turn lights on or off, depending on occupancy. These sensors work well in areas such as conference rooms, break rooms or individual offices that are not occupied continuously.
• Take advantage of natural daylight: turn off or dim electric lighting when adequate sunlight is available to illuminate interior space.
• Ensure outdoor lighting is off during daytime.

Heating and cooling

• Establish a preventative maintenance program for your heating, venting and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment and systems. Ensure that you regularly:
  • Change or clean all air filters, preferably every month.
  • Clean all heat exchanger surfaces, water and refrigerant coils, condensers and evaporators.
  • Repair leaks in piping, air ducts, coils, fittings and at the unit(s).
  • Replace defective equipment insulation, ducting and piping.
• When replacing air conditioning units of five tons or greater, purchase units with a high energy efficiency ratio (EER) of 10.5 or more to reduce operating costs for the life of the unit. Ensure that your contractor performs a “Manual N” calculation to select a properly sized system based on your building load characteristics and specific occupancy needs.
• When old motors fail, replace them with premium efficiency motors that operate at a lower annual cost. Ensure you specify the proper sized motor for the application.
• Install variable speed drives (VSDs) on large motor loads, where appropriate, to further reduce energy usage.
• Use outside air and water side-economizers for “free cooling” when outside air temperatures and conditions permit - during the spring and fall.
• In facilities with older chillers, consider replacing them with new, energy-efficient units that operate at or below .60 kilowatts per ton.

Temperature control

• In winter, set office thermostat offices between 65 and 68 during the day/business hours, and 60 to 65 degrees during unoccupied times.
• In summer, set thermostats between 78 and 80 degrees during the day/business hours, and above 80 degrees during unoccupied hours.
• Adjust thermostats higher when cooling and lower when heating an occupied building or unoccupied areas within a building, e.g., during weekends and non-working hours.
• During summer months, adjusting your thermostat setting up one degree typically can save 2-3% on cooling costs.
• Consider installing locking devices on thermostats to maintain desired temperature settings.
• Install programmable thermostats that automatically adjust temperature settings based on the time of day and day of the week. If you have multiple HVAC units, set thremostats to return to the occupied temperature a half an hour apart.
• In larger facilities with energy management systems (EMS), verify that temperature set points and operating schedules are correct for the controlled equipment. For EMS systems that no longer operate as initially designed, consider a retrocommissioning project to restore the system’s functionality.

Office equipment

• To conserve energy and reduce internal heat gain, turn off computers, monitors, printers and copiers during non-business hours.
• To save energy during periods of inactivity, ensure that the built-in power management system for your office equipment is active.
• Ensure your screen saver is compatible with the computer’s power management features, and that the setup allows the system to go into power saver mode.
• According to E-Source, using a laptop computer instead of a desk-top system can save 80-90% in electrical cost.
• When purchasing new office equipment, look for ENERGY STAR. The ENERGY STAR office equipment program promotes energy-efficient computers, monitors, printers, fax machines, scanners, copiers and multi-function devices that automatically power down during extended inactivity. Energy saving of 50% or more is possible.
• Install plug load controllers in cubicles to control multiple loads like monitors, task lights and fans. These devises use a motion sensor that is incorporated with a plug load surge suppressor. Inactive equipment can be shut down when the cubicle is unoccupied.
• Specify ENERGY STAR equipment when purchasing or negotiating a contract for new vending machines. The ENERGY STAR machines incorporate energy efficient compressors with refrigeration and lighting controls. Efficient vending equipment can save 30-50% over older equipment.

Employee involvement

• Educate and encourage employees to be energy-conscious and to offer ideas about how energy can be saved. Employee buy-in and involvement can make or break your company’s efforts to conserve energy.
• Designate a “responsible party” to be responsible for and to promote good energy practices for the organization and/or facility. This individual should work with management to facilitate energy savings ideas and strategies - optimizing energy use and costs minimizes overhead and operation costs.

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Using less energy helps you to reduce the CO₂ emissions created in its production, and cut down on energy bills too.

Here are some tips:

• Wait for a full load in dishwashers and washing machines, to cut down on ‘wasted’ electricity. If you do run a half load, use the ‘half load’ setting if your machine has it.
• For a nice cold drink in the summer, keep a jug of tap water in the fridge. That way, you won’t have to run the tap for a long time just to get a cold drink.
• Leave the car at home and get on your bike or go for a walk, especially for shorter journeys – improving your fitness, saving money and reducing CO₂ all at the same time.
• Invite your neighbours round to watch the big sports fixtures on your TV for a more sociable and energy-efficient event.

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