Electrical upgrades you can implement at home for a sustainable 2020

Sustainability has become a hot topic and (to some extent) a new way of life around the world. With 2020 kicking in, there is no better time to include sustainability as one of your new year resolutions and start adapting, first and foremost, from your very own home.

The rising awareness for sustainability in Australia

More people than ever understand the importance of climate change, its detrimental effect and the need to “live green”. Besides common practices like using less plastic, choosing local products and recycling, Australian people also prioritise sustainability in constructing or renovating their houses. The rising popularity of NABERS and Green Star Rating System in residential and commercial buildings is the proof for this new mindset.

Sustainable housing is all about making efficient use of resources and energy with minimal life-cycle impact on the environment. Technological advances now allow excellence in building materials, wastage management, controlled water usage and the list goes on. While solutions like installing solar panels or swapping to mini wind turbines sound big in scale, homeowners can actually implement small changes to reach the resolution, for example by upgrading electrical systems to be more sustainable.

Sustainable electrical upgrades to adapt in 2020

Some quick, easy-to-adapt electrical upgrades you can carry out to achieve the resolution of sustainability in 2020 are:

1. Choose appliances with high energy-efficiency ratings

Nowadays, electrical appliances often come with clear energy labels which include a star rating and an estimate of how much electricity it uses each year. It is essential that you check such labels before buying and swap old appliances with modern, highly rated ones. It is calculated that the ½-star device uses more than five times as much electricity as the 6-star device.

LED and light bulbs are other quick upgrades you can easily apply. Simply by changing into LED, you have already reduced electricity consumption for lighting by up to 80% – a huge saving for your monthly bill and even a bigger leap for living sustainably.

2. Modify electrical system for passive design

Simply speaking, passive design allows your house to cool and heat naturally without using recirculated air. Passive houses use 70-95% less energy than a standard home. The best time to adopt passive design is right from the start of a new build, yet you can still renovate your current house to be smarter, sustainable and more efficient.

Popular changes include having crossflow ventilation, installing skylight in the room and of course, redesigning electrical system around the house. It is recommended, however, that you contact a trained, experienced electrician rather than doing all the modifications yourself. They have knowledge and tools to ensure the newly wired electrical systems are safe, efficient and sustainable in the long run.

3. Monitor sensing lights and reduce standby mode

Forgetting to turn off lights before going out or leaving unused devices on standby mode are quite common in any Australian household. With the sustainable resolution in place, it is time you stop this wastage. Sensing lights are programmed to switch on whenever there are people in the vicinity and automatically switch off when the room is vacant.

Extension block (also called power strip, multi-socket, socket board etc.) is an ideal solution to tackle appliances on standby mode. Using a sensor circuit, power strips can detect the level of standby power and automatically turn off the corresponding sockets. Convenience is also highlighted as you can turn off multiple devices at once by pressing the master switch. Again, check the product information carefully or consult a qualified electrician if you are not sure which is the best power strip to choose.

At Brady Electrical Contracting, we always support sustainability in buildings and more energy efficiency for a better future. Should having a sustainable house is your resolution for the year to come, feel free to contact our qualified electricians for on-site consultations.