In this activity, you will audit your lighting, doors, window, outlets, electronics, and appliances to determine where you can be more energy-efficient and save money! 

Alberta’s electricity is mostly from non-renewable sources. Switch off and swap for LED to burn fewer fossil fuels. Changing all your lighting to LED within your home to save 2020 kg CO2e/year (carbon dioxide equivalents) and $200/year. What can you do with an extra $200?

Review the various lighting sources to determine which you have in your home. Input the light sources in your home into the worksheet. 

*Note: A lumen is a measure of brightness from a light source.

• Tally up the number of outlets and various electronics in each room in your home in the worksheet. You can save electricity and greenhouse gas emissions by switching off appliances when not in use. How many outlets are being used even when the electronics are turned off? Are they consuming phantom energy? Phantom energy describes appliances that leech electricity even when they are shut off! Spooky!
  
  Next, find a recent electricity bill and ask the following questions. Be sure to input your answers in the worksheet as well.
  
  • What is the cost of electricity per kWh according to the bill?
    
    
  • Which month(s) do you use the most electricity?
    
    
  • How many kWh electricity did you use this month?
    
    
  • In Canada, the average home electricity use is 11,135kWh/year
    • How does your home compare?
    • How does the example bill to the right compare?
      Hint: multiply average cost/day by 365 days

Drafts are responsible for about 25% of residential heating and cooling energy use! Seal up doors and windows to save money on home heating!

1. Make a DIY draft detector by taping tissue paper to a pencil (it should look like a flag!)
   
   
2. Hold the draft detector in several locations around the edges of entrance doors and windows. The tissue will wave when touched by a draft.
   
   
3. Record the direction your window/door is facing and input your answers in the worksheet. Why does the direction of matter?

** Be careful not to be misled by drafts from nearby heating vents or air currents.

Tips for reducing drafts:

• SOUTH facing windows get the most sunlight, saving you in home heating in winter. NORTH facing windows get the least amount of sunlight so cover them with curtains to retain heat in winter. 
  
  

• Seal up your home using weather stripping or caulking which minimizes heat loss and the electricity or natural gas needed to keep your homes warm.

  • Weatherstripping is made of foam or vinyl and creates a seal by squishing against both the door and frame when the door is closed.

    

  • Caulking is a bendy material that goes on windows and doors as a thick liquid and sets in place to seal cracks.