The Complete Guide to Saving on Your Energy Bills

It's the sizzling hot summer season, and temperatures in the UAE are soaring. But it's not just temperatures that go up in the summer; your energy bill usually balloons up as well. When temperatures rise, our energy bills can be at their highest, and the UAE is one of the world's largest per capita water consumers. The good news is that the UAE government has planned strategies to conserve resources over the years, increase water and electricity consumption efficiency, and develop and promote renewable energy sources such as solar power. There are many things you can do to lower your energy bill. 

Trying to lower your energy bill is beneficial for both the environment and your finances. Precious resources will not last forever, and you know all about global warming already. Meanwhile, your wallet would want to see your energy bill shrink. This way, it's a win-win situation for both the environment and your finances. DEWA has extensive guidelines on its website to lower your energy bills, and you can see a complete list of "General Tips" here: 

https://www.dewa.gov.ae/~/media/A5-5907_General%20Tips%20Bro_ENG.ashx

To view a complete list of "Conservation Tips":

https://www.dewa.gov.ae/en/consumer/Sustainability/sustainability-and-conservation

Consider "retrofitting," which is the process of replacing components or systems to improve efficiency and performance. To view an extensive handbook on electricity and water conservation measures. 

https://www.dewa.gov.ae/~/media/Files/Customer/Conservation/Handbook%20of%20Electricity%20%20Water%20Conservation%20Measures%20-%20English.ashx

To view a basic DIY energy efficiency survey that you can fill out for your home or business:

http://www.myenergymyresponsibility.ae/img/Memr-checklist.pdf

Keep in mind that your electricity usage is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). If you want to get a bit more technical, when you calculate the energy use for an appliance or system, you can calculate its "daily kilowatt-hours" by multiplying the hours used per day by its wattage. Once you get the kWh, multiply that by 0.001. With this method, you can calculate how much an appliance or device costs to operate each month if you can determine its wattage and average usage time. If you don't want to deal with such technicality, always check energy labels on your appliances from the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA). These energy efficiency labels can be found on most household appliances, such as refrigerators and tumble dryers. 

You can keep your home as energy-efficient as possible by following the tips and tricks mentioned here: 

Monitor your consumption frequently.  

Always keep an eye on your daily and monthly water and electricity consumption. Turn off all lights that you don't use, especially in rooms where you will not spend considerable time. Check for all possible water leaks around the house, including faulty faucets. DEWA's Smart Living Dashboard provides charts and graphs for your consumption, along with the ability to track it. DEWA has a nifty free feature called "High Water Usage Alert," which can notify you of any suspected water leakage if you have a smart meter installed. This feature can come in handy because you would know if there is internal water leakage. Customers who have smart water meters installed in their premises can receive the High Water Usage Alert, and this service is available automatically for all residential, commercial, and industrial premises. According to DEWA, you will receive a High Water Usage Alert if your smart water meter continuously records consumption (for a minimum of 48 hours) substantially higher than your average daily water consumption during the last three months. To know if your meter is a smart meter, log in to your DEWA account and see if this option is available. Alternatively, you can call DEWA and ask them to confirm if your meter is a smart one. 

Leakage disasters happen all the time. I remember once waking up at 3 am, and as soon as I got up and put my feet on the floor, I felt my feet getting completely soaked!

The house turned into a swimming pool! 

At first, I panicked because I thought that the water might be electrocuted if the water level reached one of these electrical outlets. After mustering up the courage to investigate and move around the house, which turned into one of the biggest indoor swimming pools, I later realized the problem: the Shattaf's pipe burst in the living room's bathroom, and because the bathroom's manhole was closed, the water seeped into all the rooms in the house and turned it into a swimming pool! 

What a disaster that was. 

Imagine if this happened and I was away from home. With DEWA's High Water Usage Alert, you can be notified of any leaks. Another feature called "Away Mode" can alert you of your daily or weekly consumption if anyone else stays in your house. 

DEWA launched the "Smart Living" initiative in July 2020, which can help you monitor your electricity and water consumption. The initiative has achieved savings of more than 179.5 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and 67.7 million gallons of water. Smart Living has several useful features such as Away Mode, High Water Usage Alerts, 

Compare Your Consumption with Similar Homes, 

For more information, visit: 

https://www.dewa.gov.ae/en/consumer/consumption-management/smart-living

The Biggest Energy Culprits 

Many people don't know which appliances or devices consume the most energy in their homes, and their energy consumption is displayed on the bill as a total amount. Wouldn't it be amazing if we could all see a detailed breakdown of energy consumption for all appliances and systems to develop more effective energy conservation habits? Unfortunately, that kind of monitoring technology is not available with standard power solutions. 

Did you know that your AC, tumble dryer, and water heater are the biggest energy guzzlers in your home? According to DEWA, peak times for electricity and water loads in the UAE are from 12 pm to 5 pm, especially during the summer months between June and September. 

On the other hand, according to Direct Energy, here's a breakdown of the most significant energy use categories in the typical home in the US:

1. Air conditioning and heating: 46 percent 
2. Water heating: 14 percent
3. Appliances: 13 percent
4. Lighting: 9 percent
5. TV and Media Equipment: 4 percent

For more detailed information: 

https://www.directenergy.com/learning-center/what-uses-most-electricity-in-my-home

As for the UAE, DEWA's breakdown for residential electricity use shows that HVAC systems account for 75% of all energy use! Lighting is a mere 10%, whereas others, including home appliances, account for 15%. 

Air Conditioning 

As indicated above, air conditioning consumes a massive chunk of energy, especially during summer. It's the single biggest culprit here by which if you manage to, say, reduce its consumption to half, you'd be able to reduce your energy bill by almost half as well! Here are the best energy-saving tips for air conditioning:

• Just switch it off: Switch off your AC when you're out of the house.
• Unused is misused: Switch off the AC in rooms that are not being used.
• 24 is the best score: DEWA recommends setting the thermostat to 24C in the summer for best results. For me, I find it a bit uncomfortable, so I set the temperature to 23C. Find what works best for you, but remember that the colder you set your thermostat, the more energy it uses and the higher your energy bill. Each degree increase in setting your thermostat temperature can save up to 5% on AC consumption. There is also an interesting "eco" mode feature found on most AC units, both split and central. Investigate this feature and find out if it works for you. 
• Let your fan be your plan: If you have a fan, use it more often! Turn it off before leaving, though. To balance comfort and energy savings, I like to use a mix of AC and fans by setting the AC to Auto or using the AC in one room instead of many ACs in the house by combining them with fans (if the temperature is bearable).
• Insulate to encapsulate: Try weatherstripping and caulking doors and windows to prevent air leakage. I won't recommend this for rooms with split units since fresh air can't seep into doors and windows. This tip is helpful for central ACs with freshly circulated air. 
• Auto is your new motto: Ensure your air-conditioning unit is set to "auto" rather than "on" most of the time, as this process will regulate the room temperature more effectively. 
• Clean is serene: If your AC's filter is clogged or dirty, airflow can be affected, and its efficiency may be reduced significantly. DEWA recommends cleaning your AC filters periodically or at least twice a year. I once wrote an interesting paper on a subject called Sick Building Syndrome, or SBS. Look up this topic. 
• Programmable Thermostat: Programmable or intelligent thermostats can regulate room temperature and AC operation duration, decreasing the energy consumed by your AC.
• Maintenance: Make sure your AC is in tip-top condition. Hire a professional maintenance company to perform periodic checkups. Ensure your AC filters are clean, your electrical wirings are working correctly, and your refrigerant levels are in the right amounts. I once had an AC problem where my thermostat was not working properly, and my room was freezing. The culprit was a faulty thermostat which the landlord replaced. If you don't perform maintenance, you might end up with more expensive problems, especially during the summer. 

If you want to get even more technical, look up "Seer Value." It's a critical value that measures air conditioning and heat pump cooling efficiency and stands for the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. Before you purchase an AC for your house or business, always check this value first. Here is an example of SEER values explained for Trane models: 

Other manufacturers may have different nomenclature for finding the SEER value. It is calculated by dividing the cooling output for a typical cooling season by the total electric energy input during the same time frame. Note the following: 

- A higher SEER rating means greater energy efficiency.

- Make sure your AC unit(s) have a minimum SEER rating of 14.5 BTU/W·h, which is the minimum standard by the EPA. DEWA recommends AC units above 13 BTU/W·h. 

- To determine the tonnage of an existing AC unit, divide the nominal capacity by 12 since 1 ton is equal to 12000 BTUs per hour.  

Suppose you have an existing AC unit on your house (which can be found on the roof for most centralized AC units) with a SEER value of 10, which is below the recommended standard. It means that your AC unit is less energy efficient by a whopping 32%!

For more information on SEER values and how to calculate them: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasonal_energy_efficiency_ratio

Water 

Water is a precious resource, and you should be saving it. Here are a few saving tips directly from DEWA on your water appliances, irrigation, and bathrooms:  

Water Appliances

Dishwashers

• Only run your dishwasher when full to make the best use of water, energy, and detergent.
• When purchasing a new dishwasher, consider purchasing one with a high ESMA energy efficiency rating (5 or 4 stars).

Washing Machines

• - Wait till you have a full load of laundry before running the machine to save both water and energy. If you can't wait for a full load, use the proper water level to match the size of the load.

- When purchasing a new washing machine, consider purchasing one with a high ESMA energy efficiency rating (5 or 4 stars).

- Reducing the temperature at which your washing machine operates is an easy way to save electricity. You don't always need to wash your clothes on higher temperature settings.

- Dryers consume a lot of electricity. Take advantage of the sunshine and hang your clothes to dry (it may not be for all people, though, including myself. I prefer my clothes dried instantly). 

Shower's and Kitchen's Faucets

• - Install a water-efficient showerhead with a flow rate of less than 8 liters per minute.
• - Install aerators on your kitchen and bathroom faucets to reduce faucet water use by up to 40%.
• - Turn off the water when brushing your teeth or shaving and save more than 5 gallons (19 liters) per day.
• - Clean vegetables in a bowl partially filled with water rather than running water from the tap, considering all health issues. Reuse the water for plants at your home.

Toilets

• - New toilet models use up to 6 liters of water per flush, saving about 6 liters per flush compared to the older models, resulting in an annual water saving of around 10,000 liters per person.
• - Check toilets periodically for leaks and repair them promptly.

Water Heaters and Water Coolers

• - Switch off electric water heaters during summer and water coolers during winter; this can save up to 50% on your water heating and cooling energy consumption!
• - When purchasing a new water heater, it is advisable to buy solar water heaters if possible, or an electric water heater with a top rating (5 or 4 Stars) approved by ESMA. 

General Watering

• - Water your plants before 8 am or after 6 pm to reduce evaporation losses.
• - Use Treated Sewage Effluent (TSE) from Dubai Municipality (if available) to irrigate green spaces when possible.

Sprinklers/Sprinkler Systems

• Check sprinkler system valves periodically for leaks and keep the heads in good condition.
• Adjust the timer on automatic sprinklers according to seasonal water demands and weather conditions.
• Install a rain shutoff device on automatic sprinklers to eliminate unneeded applications.
• Place your sprinkler so it only waters the lawn, not the pavement. Avoid sprinklers that spray a fine mist, which increases evaporation.

I want to add to this the following: 

• - Shower instead of taking a bath: Taking a quick shower rather than a bath can save you an average of 20 gallons (76 liters) of water!
• - Use the microwave oven instead of your main oven to save more energy. 

Phantom Power 

Call it Phantom Power, Vampire Power, Idle Power, or whatever kind of power that will suck you dry. Phantom power or load refers to electricity consumed (or wasted) by connected devices switched off or in standby mode. According to a joint study by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and several other environmental agencies around the globe, phantom power can cost you up to 10% of your monthly energy bill! To save more energy, turn off any devices that are not used, such as coffeemakers, microwave ovens, computers, clocks, etc. In short, turn off anything that has an on/off switch that isn't being used. 

Lighting 

Although lighting takes up to 10 - 15% of your energy bill, it's a good idea to consume it more efficiently. Here are some great tips directly from DEWA: 

• - Turn off lights in unoccupied areas to save energy.
• - Use efficient lights (LED) for indoor & outdoor lighting because of their longer lifespan and higher efficiency than equivalent conventional lights.
• - Clean your light bulbs regularly, as dirt limits diffusion of light and decreases illumination.
• - Turn off unnecessary lights and use natural lighting as much as you can in places that are not exposed directly to sunlight during summer.
• - Use timers or motion-detectors to control the light's operation, wherever applicable.
• - Install dimmers to control the brightness of lights and reduce energy consumption.

I replaced my existing 60W incandescent lights in my apartment with this incredible 8W energy-efficient LED light from Electrolux.

You can also find other great alternatives from Phillips, GE, and others. Just imagine this: LED light bulbs are up to 85% more efficient than conventional bulbs. This means that each LED lamp can save you up to 1,000 AED over its lifetime! Oh, and they can live for tens of thousands of hours, up to 50,000 hours! They also generate less heat than traditional light bulbs, which ultimately reduces your cooling load. Say goodbye to incandescent lighting (unless you still want to be a wasteful dinosaur), and join the efficient, money-saving future with LED lighting technology. Some brands also offer you the option to change the lighting color!

Make sure you know the size and type of your lighting fixture. For instance, most houses have the fitting/cap type E-27. Before you can splurge on your new energy-efficient LED lights, make sure you understand these things first: 

• What is the wattage you aim for? Some LED lights offer the equivalent of 60W, such as this 8.5 Electrolux LED light or this 7W Phillips LED light. 
• What is the color temperature you want? I prefer mine to be 6500 (white). You can also go for more yellowish options (less than 6500)
• How many lumens does the bulb have? Try to get bulbs that are at least 700 lumens to ensure bright lighting. 

With all these energy tips, you can shrink down your energy bill and prevent it from ballooning up ever again, especially during summer.