Project Case Studies

Save Energy, Save Money and Save the Planet: The Power is in our Hands

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One household in Almada, Portugal were interested in participating in the Eco n’Home project in order to reduce their specific electricity demand. Not much was known about the building envelope of the apartment but information regarding the specific electricity uses in the apartment were easy to obtain; it was found that the majority of the light bulbs were incandescent, some of the electrical appliances had significant standby losses and space heating was achieved through two electric heaters. Furthermore, the refrigerator and freezer were no longer working properly and thus wasted a great amount of energy. For the four residents of the apartment, transportation was not a major concern as they only owned one car which was used for daily journeys to and from work and totalled no more than 100km a week.

Ageneal worked with the householder to produce an ‘Action Plan’. This estimated that energy use in the apartment could be reduced by 1088kWh a year, resulting in a reduction in 610kg of CO2 emissions per year. The actions listed on the plan were; replace the incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps; buy energy efficient kitchen appliances (fridge and freezer) and reduce the annual energy consumption in transportation. It also focussed on behavioural changes, which included, for example, advice on how to optimally use energy within the home and how to implement the golden rules of eco-driving.

The participants implemented the majority of these measures and made a considerable effort to change their behavioural habits. Overall the annual electricity consumption was reduced by 823 kWh, corresponding to a reduction in CO2 emissions of 500 kg. These results are significant as the savings are considerably higher than the performance indicator defined in the framework of the project (on average reduce 300kWh, per year, per household).

The participants also changed their driving habits and managed to reduce the energy consumed through transportation by 843 kWh. This equates to a 15% reduction and has reduced CO2 emissions by approximately 180 kg per year. Therefore, the performance indicator related to transportation was also achieved by the householders.

This case study illustrates the importance of behavioural changes in reducing energy consumption both within household energy use and transportation. These participants managed to successfully reduce their energy use, mainly through changing habits and better behavioural practices. A few practical measures such as replacing light bulbs and purchasing new electrical appliances also contributed to the energy reduction.

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