Grand Designs Host Reveals How to Cut Your Home's Running Costs
Architect and Grand Designs Australia host Peter Maddison shares his tips for making your home run more efficiently
If the thought of opening your next power bill is enough to make you shudder, fret not. We’ve asked Peter Maddison, host of Grand Designs Australia on ABC and founding director of Maddison Architects, to reveal the steps you can take to run your home more affordably, whether you’re building or renovating, or simply want to switch to some more energy-efficient habits.
An inefficient home is very costly to run – particularly when you factor in how expensive energy is today. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to make your home run more affordably. Over the medium- to long-term, these tips will help you save you a huge amount of money on energy costs and create a home that’s comfortable to live in.
Choose the right the windows
The most effective way to boost the energy efficiency of your home is to choose the right glazing.
A Designer’s Sustainable Home for the Future
The most effective way to boost the energy efficiency of your home is to choose the right glazing.
- Choose glazing to suit your home’s orientation and conditions. For example, if you live in a cooler part of the country, you might consider double- or triple-glazed windows or thermal window frames.
- Protect windows from the western sun – this can vastly reduce your energy costs.
- Seal gaps around windows to prevent cold air from getting inside in winter and to keep hot air out in summer.
A Designer’s Sustainable Home for the Future
Reduce your need to flick the switch
Heating and cooling are the biggest energy drains in Australian homes. There are several simple steps you can take to reduce your need to switch on the heater or air conditioner. These include:
Heating and cooling are the biggest energy drains in Australian homes. There are several simple steps you can take to reduce your need to switch on the heater or air conditioner. These include:
- Put on a jumper: Self-regulation makes an enormous difference to your heating bills. Rather than turning the heating up, try layering up the woollens instead.
- Block out air leaks: This not only includes doors and windows that don’t have effective soft seals around their perimeter, but also ceiling fan outlets and kitchen exhausts.
- Create zones: Close bedroom and bathroom doors when they’re not in use so you’re only heating or cooling the rooms you’re actually using.
- Insulate correctly: We lose a considerable amount of heat through the ceiling, doors and windows, so be sure to insulate these areas well.
- Go up a star: If you’re building from scratch, consider going above the basic building standards. Your home will be more energy efficient as a result, which will save you money on running costs.
- Switch to LED bulbs: These energy efficient bulbs cost much less to run than regular bulbs and can last up to 20 times longer.
The Power of Simplicity
- Reduce garden lighting: It may not seem like much, but lighting your garden every night can really add up. Remember, your garden will grow without floodlights on it!
- Switch appliances off at night: Turn off anything you don’t use at night, such as televisions and computers. Remember – sleep mode still consumes power.
- Use photovoltaic (PV) technology to collect your own power: Otherwise known as solar power, it allows you to heat your own water and become more self sufficient.
- Use smart technology: Devices such as movement and light sensors that activate heating, cooling and lighting automatically can cut your energy consumption significantly as you won’t need to remember to switch appliances on or off manually.
And the most common energy-efficiency mistake I see is…
People designing homes that are too big. Remember, all houses need to be heated and cleaned, so consider how much space you really need. My advice is to design a home that’s smaller than you think you’ll need.
People designing homes that are too big. Remember, all houses need to be heated and cleaned, so consider how much space you really need. My advice is to design a home that’s smaller than you think you’ll need.
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