How to reduce energy consumption at home

As soon as the dark and cold seasons arrive, we start making our homes homier. Compared to the southern countries, the cold seasons in the northern hemisphere feel much longer, as we have more precipitation and cloud cover.

But what does that have to do with our climate change? According to the German Federal Environment Agency, about 22% of individual CO₂ emissions are due to energy consumption in our households. Heating and hot water consumption in particular account for around 15% of this number. If we also consider that around 75% of the heat sources in German homes are still fossil fuels (50% natural gas alone), this is where the energy-saving potential is not only the biggest, but also most important because fossil fuels (such as crude oil, natural gas, and coal) are not only finite but also generate a lot of CO₂, which causes our earth to warm up more and more, bit by bit.

Our individual electricity consumption is also a decisive factor in how quickly our climate warms up because it accounts for the remaining 7% of individual energy consumption in our households.

Climate-friendly heat generation:

There is a lot of potential for savings, especially when it comes to heating. The simplest solution is to insulate the four walls in such a way that the heat we generate inside does not escape so easily to the outside. The type of heat generation towards a climate-friendly solution can also make a big difference. There are, for example, heat pumps, fuel cells, pellet heating (fuel from renewable resources) and district heating. These solutions can save up to 80% of CO₂ emissions. However, when it comes to hot water consumption and heating behaviour, you can quickly create a positive impact on yourself and save money in the face of rising energy costs.

Heat properly:

With 1°C less in the house, you can save up to 6% heating energy. Ask yourself if it always has to be 22-25°C warm. If not, set the heating thermostat to level 3 at most. Would you have known that level 4 heats your apartment to a full 25°C and level 5 to a tropical 28°C?

Ventilate and keep warm while doing so:

It's even better if you don't constantly open your windows for fresh air, but keep the heat in the rooms. Because with tilt ventilation, your heat will disappear out of the window. It's different with shock ventilation. Here you close all thermostats and open the windows completely for 5-10 minutes. In this way, you guarantee a complete exchange of air and the radiators then only have to compensate for the temperature difference by heating. It's best to turn off the thermostats already a few minutes before you shock ventilate.

Save CO₂ with green energy:

You can also save a lot of CO₂ and money on electricity. The important thing is what kind of electricity you use. Electricity from renewable sources is significantly lower in CO₂ than electricity from fossil fuels. In Germany, there is currently still an electricity mix in which over 50% is generated from nuclear and fossil energies. Although nuclear power is recognized as a CO₂-poorer form of energy generation, the dismantling of nuclear fuel elements is anything but sustainable - but is often not taken into account in the calculations.

Renewable energies account for only 45.5% (DESTATIS). Germany, therefore, occupies the lower midfield in renewable energy production. The good news: more and more households are switching to green electricity. Currently, 22% of all households purchase green electricity. The trend is rising, as the price differences are no longer as high compared to electricity from fossil fuels. This is great, because the more households use electricity from renewable sources, the faster the switch to renewable energy happens.

How to reduce your electricity consumption

There are many ways to reduce your electricity consumption. Disconnect your unused electrical appliances and turn them off completely. Check the energy class of your electrical appliances. Turn off the lights when you leave a room and gradually replace your incandescent and halogen lights with LED bulbs. If you take these tips to heart, you can save up to €100 a year on electricity.

The energy transition is uncomplicated with a smart home:

At first glance, these tips may seem like a lot to take in, and not all of them can be implemented right away. After all, it takes a lot of willpower and habit creeps in with each of us. Smart Home can be a great supportive help. Because the main advantage of a smart home is that you can simply reduce your energy consumption without having to restrict your usual comfort. The fact that various processes are automated in a smart home actually makes your everyday life more pleasant. You can automatically disconnect your devices from the power supply, turn off lamps and regulate the room temperature.

All in all, it is not that difficult to reduce your energy consumption in the home and keep your CO₂ footprint small. If you're interested in learning more about energy consumption, you'll find lots of helpful tips worth knowing in our PLAN3T app. If you want to know how much CO₂ you can save by making one or two changes in your everyday life, start a challenge in the PLAN3T app today. Reduce as much CO₂ as possible and track your successes every Sunday. For every challenge you complete, we'll reward you with PLAN3T coins that you can redeem with our sustainable partners.