stove, the pot should fit flat on the stove,
making contact with the burner. To
save even more energy, cook multiple
items in the oven at the same time when
cooking temperatures are comparable.
“Since the entire oven will be heated,
take advantage of the available heat
and space,” he says.
You may also want to consider
induction heating. “Induction power
generators heat the pot, not the kitchen,
resulting in more than 90 percent energy
efficiency, as opposed to roughly 50
percent efficiency for gas burners and
60 percent efficiency for electric burners,” says Kim Harris, product manager
of refrigeration and dishwashers for Viking Range Corporation.
Save Water, Save Money
Water heating can account for 14
to 25 percent of the energy consumed
in your home. Because traditional
water heaters heat water all the time,
and not just when you need it, they
are at best 80 to 85 percent efficient.
Tankless water heaters only heat water
when you need it and can be up to
98% or more efficient.
A family of four can save up to 8,000
gallons per year by replacing a current
2. 5 gallons per minute (gpm) shower-
head with one of American Standard’s
Flo Wise® Showerheads that uses 1. 5 gpm.
Similarly, American Standard’s Flo Wise
High Efficiency toilets use just 1. 28 gal-
lons per flush (gpf)—that’s 20 percent
less than a regular 1. 6 gpf or more than
60 percent over a 3. 5 gallon per flush
toilet. A Flo Wise toilet can save a family
of four more than 4,000 gallons of wa-
ter a year versus a 1. 6 gpf and more than
12,000 gallons a year versus a 3. 5 gpf toi-
let. Another thing to consider, especial-
ly if you already have your water closet,
is companies such as MJSI (www.gom-
jsi.com/) and ( www.flushchoice.com/)
inexpensive and easy, drop-in conver-
sions for most toilets to help save 50
to 70 percent water by using only the
amount of water required.
Landscaping
Your landscaping can also help keep
you conserve energy. The Department
of Energy (DOE) estimates that the
proper placement of as few as three
trees can save the average household
between $100 and $250 annually in
energy costs. Because trees and shrubs
shade the ground and evapotranspire
(release water vapor), air temperatures
below trees can be as much as 25 degrees cooler than air above a street.
Planting deciduous trees (which lose
their leaves in the fall) provides summer
shading, which helps reduce summer
cooling needs while opening up your
home to warmth from winter’s solar
rays. Conversely, by planting evergreen
trees and shrubs north and northwest
of a property, as a windbreak, and can
dramatically lower energy costs by
channeling winds away from or over
a house. When deciding your overall
landscaping plan, you might want to
consider xeriscaping—utilizing plants
and shrubs which reduce or eliminate
the need for supplemental watering.
