SAVING ENERGY Simple tips that make a big difference…

…by Ing. Stefan De Marco

stefan.de-marco@gov.mt

Saving energy is very simple – but first and foremost we all need a cultural change. We have to stop taking for
granted our mindless use of energy. We must appreciate and understand what turning on a lamp involves. Only
then can we open our minds to changing our ‘wrong’ habits in regards of energy use – and unfortunately it is a
very true fact that at most times, we are needlessly wasting a lot of energy.

The aim of this article is to help in informing and showing

how simple ideas can save energy and resources. We
will all benefit from this as the advantages are a
decrease in energy consumption, less utility tariff bills
and a cleaner environment. Who wouldn’t like to receive
cheaper utility tariffs?

There are proven ways on how to save energy by

changing wasteful habits – all we need to do is discipline
ourselves to use these energy saving ideas, and turn
them into a habit. There are many practical ways and
different applications one can use everyday to save on
energy – in fact most of the following tips are simply
corrective measures on widespread wrong use.

SWITCH OFF… !
To start off, I URGE you to SWITCH OFF NOW all appliances and any other standby equipment such as: mobile
chargers, external power supplies, modems, PCs, TVs, DVD players, satellite decoders / set-top boxes around you,
which currently aren’t being used. With the stand by ‘red indicator bulb’ on, the device is still consuming
considerable amounts of energy – reason why standby devices still heat up. Switching off such standby devices
from the main supply (and not just from the remote control) will easily save up to 5-10% on your energy bills. For
comfortably nowadays one can find user-friendly Energy Meters & also Standby Power Socket / Extension Savers
that work either automatically or at a touch of a remote button.
WATER
We all think that saving energy is all about lighting and electricity, but we keep forgetting that in Malta, water
production is by far one of the largest energy consumers – this is due to the fact that we have very limited water
resources on our island. Thus if we save on water, apart from the fact that we save money on our water bills, we
are also substantially helping in reducing the local energy demand.

In our homes, the three areas where we

use most water are:
• Flushing
• Washing
• Outdoor use

Nearly 35% of our water consumption is

taken up by flushing. Thus consider using a
half flush system rather than a full one. If
your flushing unit does not host this half
flush option, you can use the older idea of
filling up water bottles and placing them
horizontally in the flushing unit.

As for Washing / Bathing, economising on

water levels in baths is unhygienic, so there is no other way how to save water in this area other than just taking a
shower. In fact it is much more economical to have a shower as much less water is used. If needed, rather than
one bath, it is better to have two showers at different times of the day. On the other hand when having a shower,
one should not stand under the shower for long – otherwise the whole scope of saving water is lost. Using low-flow
showerheads and cut-off valves helps to further save on water bills.

We also need to try and reduce as much as possible outdoor water use, such as car washing and general outdoor
cleaning. If this is necessary we need to make this efficient by using buckets and not hose pipe washing.

It is important that we do not let water run continuously whilst shaving, washing teeth or
hair. Installing tap limiters can save 40% of the running water from taps. Also, where
applicable, consider replacing worn out tap mixers with either Sensor Activated or Button
Press ones.

Try to collect all the rain water possible and make good use of it. I know people who
manage to shut off their main water supply for 6 to 8 months in a year.

I also urge you to report water faults at once and to report illegal water extraction to the relevant authorities.

2
LIGHTING
Ask yourself the following questions:
1. Before switching on the lights, do you check if you can open a blind or curtain
to let some natural light in? (Yet make sure to keep hot temperatures out in
summer)
2. Are we aware that we always tend to use EXCESSIVE artificial lighting which
can be easily replaced by FREE natural lighting at most times of the day?
3. How many times do we leave lights on unnecessarily?
4. Before leaving a room do you switch off the lights?
Lighting contributes from between 10% to 20% of the total energy consumption in our
homes – so saving energy here further helps substantially to reduce our energy bills.
So it is important that we:
1. Always USE natural light when possible.
2. Switch on ONLY the lights needed.
3. Always SWITCH OFF lights when leaving a room.

Incandescent Lamps
Stop using Incandescent filament lamps as these use up a lot of energy. Many
energy efficient replacements are available nowadays for every application –
these are listed below:

Energy Savers
Energy Saving Lamps are small fluorescent tubes coiled up in various shapes to fit / replace incandescent lamps.
This is why we refer to them as Compact Fluorescent Lamps – CFL’s. The actual facts on CFL’s are:
1. CFL’s can reduce up to 80% of your lighting
consumption.
2. CFL’s last about 8 – 10 times longer then regular
light bulbs.
3. They are available in both cool and warm white
options and they give the same light output as
common lamps.
4. They do not generate heat like common lamps.
5. Cheap ones burn out quickly – so go for reputable
brands.
6. Once switched on, it is important to utilise old CFL
models for 15 minutes minimum as continuously turning CFL’s on and off will reduce their lifetime. Modern
models have improved the switching capabilities and are thus much more reliable.
7. Certain CFL models are dimmable – although energy saving is low.
8. Do not dispose of these and similar lamps (eg: fluorescent tubes and discharge lamps) as ordinary
household waste but take them to the civic amenity sites. If these accidentally break, make sure not to
inhale the dust particles and use gloves to collect the broken glass.
CFL’s ideally should be used in most rooms and areas that are used for long hours; such as: Kitchen / Dinning
Room, Living / Sitting Rooms, Bedrooms, and as security lamps.

3
Light Emitting Diodes (LED’s)
These are the most efficient energy saving bulbs and their
technology is now advanced. Even though they might still not
reach the same light output as other lamps, it’s still very close
and they use approximately 85% less energy. A lot of new
applications are now available on the market – in fact one can
find direct replacements or most lamps and tubes, including
outdoor lighting fixtures.

Fluorescent Tubes
Fluorescent tubes are the next most efficient lighting
system. It is suggested to replace all existing fluorescent
magnetic ballasts with electronic ones as they are much
more energy efficient. It is even better practice to replace
the old fluorescent systems with T5 High Efficient Technology – One can save up to 40% by doing so.

Energy Saving Halogens and Dimming

Energy Saving Lamps might not always be a possible option for all applications, such as an expensive chandelier.
So one can use either or Infra Red Coated Halogens or Energy Saving Halogen bulbs – the latter are designed to
replace directly incandescent bulbs. These bulbs save up to 40%. If one further replaces conventional light
switches with electronic dimmers, one not only still saves more energy but also prolongs the lamps’ life time as
shown in the table below:
Energy Savings Chart for Dimming
INCANDESCENT LIGHT BULBS

Light Level Electricity Saved Lamp Life Extended

90% 10% 2 Times

75% 20% 4 Times

50% 40% 20 Times

25% 60% Greater than 20 Times

Staggered Lighting & Desk Lamps

Use staggered lighting other than a single lighting
circuit throughout. This helps to switch on only the
required lighting in an area / room / office. Desk lamps
can be used for more concentrated lighting and they
are an efficient way of reducing general lighting.

Automatic Light Switching

Also available on the market are systems that use light
sensors to automatically switch on and off the lights, thus
saving substantially on our lighting bills. You can apply these
to either single rooms or to a whole house / office block.
These systems are available both as Retro-Fit and as new
house installations. I don’t suggest using CFL’s with these
systems – Energy saving halogens are a better option.

4
WATER HEATING
It is a very common and indeed a BAD habit to leave water heaters on the
whole day – Whatever we are told about leaving them on is simply
WRONG! Water heaters are not designed to efficiently keep the water at
temperatures like 600C. Heat simply leaks out and thus the unit constantly
switches on and off throughout the day. I like using the analogy that no one
leaves a kettle on to find warm water – so similarly we need to adopt the
same principle of heating up the right amount of water we need just before
washing. Another wrong practice is mixing hot with cold water to produce
the right temperature – this simply wastes energy. The idea on how and
when to heat up water heaters is relative to size and the number of family
members. Typically 20 litres are enough for the needs of one person.
Typical cases of how to make optimum use of water heaters follow below:

Case 1: A family of two: 40L Unit. Time to heat up is approximately 45

minutes. With some temperature experimenting one can find the ideal temperature to shower directly with the hot
water supply. Depending on the particular application, the unit can be switched off before or after use.

Case 2: A family of four: 80L Unit. Time to heat up is approximately 1.5 hours. If the family members will bathe
after each other, the unit can be switched off once ready. If on the other hand the family members don’t bathe after
each other, but the time lapse between baths is a few hours, the water heater may be left on. If the time lapse is
more than six hours, then it’s better to switch the water heater off and on again 1hour before use.

So it is very important to switch on and off the water heater accordingly

if we want to save on our energy bills. In most cases, if one finds the
suitable times of operation of these units, one can simply install an
appropriate load-rated timer to avoid manual switching. This simple
setup can save more than 20% of the water heating bills. Set your
water heater to a comfortable temperature; 600C is enough.
Reducing the temperature by 50C reduces the consumption by 10%.
Also keep in mind to switch off all water heaters when away from
home for long period of time like holidays.
Another option is to insulate your water heater with appropriate water
heater jackets to reduce heat losses and also prolong the time for
the water to reach again room temperature. If the hot water plumbing is exposed, insulate with lagging material.

Gas Water Heaters, even though more costly, are safe if well maintained and they are presently much more
economical then electric ones. Instant Water Heaters (both electric and gas fired) are furthermore much more
economical than the storage type.

5
SPACE HEATING AND COOLING
Other common wasteful habits come into play when we heat or cool a room / area. People have the tendency to
first fit in necessary furniture and other appliances in a room / area. It is only then that we start wondering on how to
heat or cool the place. This is very bad planning; as Heating and Cooling should be integrated when planning out a
room. Unfortunately this leads to a lot of energy consumption in the long run – especially since our homes and
places of work are not insulated. My aim here is to guide you to make good use of such existing heating and
cooling appliances.

We usually tend to just heat up or cool down our homes / offices by using the closest heating /
cooling appliance and using its highest settings. Since we are a small Mediterranean Island, we
have considerably high humidity levels and we keep forgetting that humidity is an important
factor to control before heating or cooling. In fact if humidity levels are well controlled, it will be
much more cost-effective to heat / cool afterwards and on most days we might not need to heat
or cool at all. We thus need to change our mentality and adapt to our environment.

Also, before switching on Heaters and AC’s one has to try and
make oneself comfortable by wearing adequate/suitable clothing related to the actual
temperature. Only after that, one has to consider efficient heating / cooling – possibly
using energy efficient appliances. It is important to note that the average comfortable
temperatures with adequate clothing are 200C – 23.50C for winter and 230C - 260C for
summer. 40% - 60% humidity all year round is considered ideal for Malta.

Heating: Heat rises by natural convection so the lower the heat source, the better. In fact the ideal form of heating
is under-floor heating. The next are stand alone heaters. The most economic heaters are gas heaters – these are
very safe if well maintained and used in adequately ventilated areas.

If €10 of gas is consumed, €9.50 will be converted in heat. On the other hand if €10 of Fossil Fuel is consumed,
only around €2.70 is converted as heat in resistance heaters as a lot of energy is lost in the generation,
transmission and heater losses. On the other hand, if an AC is used to heat, it works out to be more efficient then
resistive heaters as AC’s extract heat from the outside surroundings and utilise it; yet the same generation and
transmission losses apply. Thus this makes gas-heating by far the most cost effective heating system.

6
The following points are to be kept in mind for heating up efficiently a room / area:

1. Allow the winter sun in to naturally heat the rooms.

2. Before heating an area, close the door/s and window/s, draw the

curtains to try and keep the cool temperatures out. Also check that
there are no draughts, otherwise the heat will easily get lost.
3. First dehumidify and then heat up ONLY the room /area you are in.
4. Pre-heating non-insulated rooms / areas for more than 30 minutes is
useless.
5. Switch an electric blanket ONLY half an hour before you go to bed and
ALWAYS switch it off before you get in bed.
6. Do not put heaters under windows.

7. Don’t leave heaters on high settings when you sleep – use minimum
settings and use quilts.
8. Using Centralised Heating Systems in large or combined buildings saves
a lot of energy.

Cooling: As regards cooling, most of us think that AC’s or fans are the best resource. Did we ever wonder asking
how our ancestors used to manage to face the same hot summers without today’s technology? The answer is very
simple – they used Natural Ventilation
Techniques. This is obtained by creating a
draught inside the living environment. It can
be simply created by having two openings in
the same room / building. The further away
from each other, both horizontally and
vertically, the more efficient the effect is.
Windows should be opened to favour the
wind direction as shown. Natural Ventilation
helps to cool down, remove excess moisture
and keep a breeze in the building.

If one considers using fans, ceiling ones are more efficient than standing models. Consider also putting a fan close
to a window in a summer evening to cool down a room. This is so since in the evening, the outside temperature is
cooler than the inside one, thus the fan will force a cool breeze inside the room, thus cooling down the room’s
temperature which is much more effective than the same fan circulating the same hot air in that room. The forced
breeze is also much more comfortable than the AC cool blowing air.

If using AC’s, temperature settings should be set only a few degrees below the outside hot ambience. It is not
necessary to freeze a room. A few extra degrees of cooling will result in a substantial increase in electricity bill. It is
best to use combined ceiling fans with AC’s as this makes AC cooling more economical – in fact fans reduce the
temperature by 30C on our bodies – this is know as evaporative cooling.
7
The following points are to be followed for cooling up efficiently a room / area:
1. Keep the sun and hot temperatures out by using a lot of shading on
windows and doors – external shading is by far more effective than internal
blinds.
2. Use Roof Shades to keep off the heat and apply insulating white paint on
the roofs; this drops the inside temperature by 5-60C; keep the roofs clean
to reflect off the sun rays.
3. Draw blinds and curtains in summer to reflect the sunlight. Opaque and
light colours are the most effective to keep out the sunlight.
4. Were possible use Ceiling Fans instead of AC’s.
5. If using AC’s, ventilate the rooms before switching them on. Use Timers –
don’t leave them constantly on. If refrigerant pressure is not correct, an AC
unit can consume 50% more energy than rated consumption.
6. If possible cool down a room at night, then switch off the AC and use fans
for the rest of the night – try to get into the habit of sleeping uncovered.
7. Turning down the AC temperature a few degrees saves drastically on
energy bills.
8. Use ceiling fans in combination with AC’s to obtain an extra 30C
temperature drop.
9. Shade the AC Outdoor Unit and keep both AC Units (indoor & outdoor)
clean – also clean the filters regularly.
10. Try not to cook hot foods in summer.
11. Try not to use artificial lighting to reduce heat and use the extended
summer light.
12. Also check that there are no draughts, otherwise heat can easily enter the
room / area.
Keep in mind that if good insulation is used, one can save up to 60% on both the heating and cooling bills.

HOME APPLIANCES
Home appliances account for a significant percentage of our household energy bills, so it is
important to obtain energy efficient appliances. Such products will cost less to run and thus
help lower CO 2 emissions.

Nowadays energy labels are provided with most appliances. These energy labels provide
customers with relevant energy efficient information. The energy efficiency of the appliance is
rated in terms of a set of energy efficiency classes from A to G as on the label, A being the
most energy efficient, G the least efficient. The energy labels also give other useful information
to customers as they choose between various models.

It stands to reason that it is best to go for A rated appliances. In an attempt to keep up with
advances in energy efficiency, A+ and A++ grades were introduced for refrigeration products.

8
Computers: Nowadays we use computers for practically all sort of work. This means that a 350-500W Power
supply is constantly on for 8 – 9 hours minimum. When you add these up together with PC’s for home use, this
makes them practically the most energy consuming appliance around.
• Before purchasing PC’s, always go for Energy Star products.
• Setting your computer to auto-sleep is the best and easiest way to save on
computer energy use.
• Screen Savers don’t save energy.
• LCD / TFT screens use less energy then monitors.
• Lap Tops consume much less energy then normal PC’s Towers.
• Always turn off your PC’s when session is over or when you are leaving for a
break.
• Use double-sided printing and set draft settings for default printing.

Fridges & Freezers: Fridges and freezers are round the clock working appliances in the kitchen - they are on for
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so if your fridge or freezer isn't energy efficient it's costing more to run. In fact
energy efficient fridges and fridge freezers save up to 60% less energy than an older one. Most people have the
bad habit of placing the Fridge/Freezer near the Oven; this is wrong as these appliances should be as far as
possible from each other. Fridge/Freezers should also be put away from direct sunlight and ideally should be two
separate units and the best freezers are the chest type.
• Use the Maximum Temp possible but keep them free of ice. Fridges should be set to
50C minimum cooling temperature; whilst Freezers to –150C; as long as food is not
stored longer than 3 months.
• Check temperatures often and that the on / off cycles are working well.
• Check their seals and keep the rear coils clean.
• Defrost / thaw foods overnight in the fridge.
• Don’t put hot foods directly inside; let foods cool down first and keep food in closed
containers.
• Organise food storage (transparent and labelled drawers) to avoid long re-opening
times.
• Don’t use anti defrost systems – Use manual defrosting.

Cooking: The ideal cooking appliances are Gas Hobs and Electric Cookers. A lot of other energy saving cooking
devices are under used: like slow casseroles, Microwave Ovens, Insulated deep fat fryers and pressure cookers.
They can save both energy and time - with better results! Microwave Ovens are even more efficient – the same
(serving) plates should be used when using Microwave ovens.
• Use small ovens and pans - use lids especially for longer cooking times.
• Thaw frozen food before cooking.
• Pans should have flat bases.
• Avoid frequent opening of oven doors and overcooking.
• Turn off electric burners beforehand and use minimum pre-heat times.
• Don't put aluminium foil on the bottom of a gas oven to catch drippings
• For toasting bread use small toasters, not grills.
• Use electric kettles for small amounts of water and fill up the kettle with the required amount only.

9
Dish Washer: Did you now that automatic dishwashing can be more economical than manual dishwashing! An
energy saving dishwasher uses 40% less energy and uses less water.
• Load the dishwasher to full capacity before running.
• Do not use heat air dry options – simply open the door and let the items
dry out.
• Do not pre-rinse, but if necessary use cold rinses.
• Use ECO Detergents.

Washing Machine: Switching to an Energy Saving washing machine could cut your energy consumption by up to a
third compared to an old washing machine. Horizontal axis ones are ideal as they consume less water. ‘A’ rated
units use jets and consume less water.
• Do not use too many detergents. Modern washing powders and ECO
detergents work just as effectively at lower temperatures, unless you
have very dirty washing.
• A full load is more energy efficient than two half loads - In fact a half load
setting uses more than half the energy of a full load setting.
• Low temperatures should be used: washing clothes at 300C instead of a
higher temperature can use around 40% less electricity. High
temperatures are only necessary to sterilize, or for heavily soiled clothes.
• Use ECO settings as much as possible.
• Apply detergents directly on soiled spots.
• Use cold water unless you have a solar water heater.

Tumble Dryer: First & foremost, we should always try and hang clothes to dry in favourable weather. Only when
this is not possible, the use of energy efficient tumble dryers becomes
feasible.
• Use full loads.
• Use maximum speeds available / practical.
• Use auto drying and do not over dry.
• Separate the clothes and don’t add wet clothes to a partial load.
• Clean the dryer filters and exhaust.
• Use the lowest possible temperatures.
• Dry various loads in a row to optimise residual heat.

10
Driving: Before driving, ask yourself if you can use alternative means of transport. Try and use public transport for
work and weekly errands, to walk short distances, and learn how to cycle and thus use bicycles more often –
walking and cycling are healthy forms of exercise. On the
other hand, yes – driving can be economical too:
• Be early, plan the shortest route and take it easy on
the road.
• Plan descents and ascents in advance.
• Avoid over / under revving 2000rpm and sudden
accelerations / braking; plan your stopping.
• Check tyre pressure and avoid unnecessary loads.
• Keep to the original manufacturers settings.
• Avoid traffic and take long paths – much more economical.
• For short drives, if there is a choice, use a vehicle with a warm engine.
• If possible try and keep windows closed and keep cars garaged.
• Open the windows and cool the car before switching on AC. In traffic open the windows and switch the AC
off.

INTERESTING FACTS
1. Standby energy consumption can be more than 80% of the energy consumption of an electric water
heater
2. Desktop computers can consume more average daily energy over a whole year than an electric
water heater with timer control.
3. Appropriate energy saving settings of a desktop computer can result in energy saving equal to that
provided by a solar water heater – and this can be achieved at no expense!

CONCLUSION
This clearly shows that correct use of all the above tips and suggestions will result in significant savings which will
not only be reflected in deductions in electricity bills, but will also have the very positive effect of having a significant
impact on our green house gas emissions.

REFERENCES
1. European Commission Website: http://ec.europa.eu/climateaction/index_en.htm
2. Energy Saving Trust Website: http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/
3. Michael Bluejay’s Website: http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/
4. Enemalta Website: http://www.enemalta.com.mt/page.asp?p=961&l=1
5. Prof. Joseph Micallef: Department of Micro and Nanoelectronics, University of Malta: Electrical Energy Characteristics
of Household Appliances Paper

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
1. Ing Godfrey Muscat – Freelance Consultant
2. Ing. David Scicluna Gusti – Elektra Ltd.
3. Mr. Anthony Magro – Electrical Engineer: E. Callejja & Sons
4. Ing. George Cassar – Malta Resources Authority
5. Ing. Charles Grixti, Mr. Pippo Pandolfino Mr. Stephen Caruana – Enemalta
6. Mr. Henry De Marco – Proof Reading
https://opm.gov.mt/switch
11