Define We were challenged to look at our Electric House projects, and think of ways to make them ‘greener’ towards the earth and its environment. We had to pretend there was a family living there, and select the best deals and best ways to save energy. One of the challenges in doing so was that the cost of the item, whatever it may be, was expensive, and installing the item was an added cost. Buying things that are good for the environment are costly, and because of this, people often stick with the things that are cheaper, and may be harmful towards the Earth.
Discover- I looked at the pros and cons of various different energy saving ideas, and often a con was how much it would cost to buy.
Dream- these are the ideas I researched briefly –
-Solar panels into the roof-https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/pros-and-cons-of-solar-energy.php , https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/053015/pros-and-cons-solar-energy.asp
Pros-No contamination, renewable and sustainable, installs on rooftops (saves money and space), reduce electricity bills, low maintenance, silent,
Cons-Only used during daylight, cost to install, large area to setup, expensive for storage
Cost-
-Low flow Showerheads-http://blog.teakyourshower.com/2014/02/pros-and-cons-of-low-flow-shower-heads.html , http://www.poolesplumbing.com/plumbing-tips/what-are-the-benefits-of-using-a-low-flow-shower-head/
Pros-Saves money, easy to install, inexpensive, drop overall house water usage by 40%, cut down on energy usage, about $20 to buy
Cons-Time lag from when you adjust temperature, water cools faster than regular showerheads
-Replace incandescent bulbs with other types-https://www.electronichouse.com/home-lighting/pros-cons-type-light-bulb/
-Incandescent
Pros-Bright light
Cons-Wastes energy
-Florescent
Pros-Color temperature good, no audible noise
Cons-Don’t have big range of light
-LED
Pros-Excellent color rendering, efficiency, long life (decades)
Cons-More expensive than the light bulbs mentioned above,
-Install dimmers-http://ezinearticles.com/?Pros-and-Cons-of-Installing-Dimmer-Switches&id=6666820
Pros-Save money, control over how much light is in the space, can work with various remotes, can be installed in every room, increase lifespan of bulb
Cons-May not work with all lights in house, hard to install, have to pay someone to install,
-Install motion sensors-https://www.doityourself.com/stry/indoor-motion-sensor-lights-pros-and-cons
Pros-Save energy, don’t have to look for a lightswitch,
Cons-Lights turn on when you don’t want them to, lights turn off when you don’t want them to
-Use bubble wrap on windows- https://dengarden.com/home-improvement/How-to-Bubble-Wrap-Windows
Pros-Easy to put up, keeps heat in, lets light into rooms during winter, can buy lots of bubblewrap for cheap
Cons-Reduce visibility,
Deliver- These are the 3 ideas I narrowed it down to
https://www.doityourself.com/stry/indoor-motion-sensor-lights-pros-and-cons
The pros of using sensor-activated lights include that you save energy, since the lights will not be in use when you don’t need them. Another perk is that you also don’t have to look for a light switch since they turn on automatically, also the price for installing and buying them is an average price,
A few miniscule cons are that the lights could turn on when you don’t want them to, and that the lights can turn off when you don’t want them to
http://ezinearticles.com/?Pros-and-Cons-of-Installing-Dimmer-Switches&id=6666820
The pros to this option is that you can save money, and you can control over how much light is in the space. These can work with various remotes, can be installed in every room, and often increase lifespan of each light bulb
The cons to this option is that it may not work with all lights in house and these can be hard to install yourself, so you’ll have to pay someone to install them which can rack up a hefty fee. The cost is between $13 and $40 so this can get very expensive depending how many switches you have.
https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/pros-and-cons-of-solar-energy.php , https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/053015/pros-and-cons-solar-energy.asp
The pros of installing solar panels include that there is no contamination found, and it is renewable and sustainable. You can installs solar panels on rooftops, and it saves money and space inside the house. It also reduces electricity bills since you are creating your own, and it is generally low maintenance and close to silent.
The cons of installing solar panels includes that it is only able to be used during daylight, and there is a large cost to install them. You need a large area to setup the panels. If you live in a forest and trees block out the light, this would be not very useful for you to install.
Ending Statement- I would choose the best 3 options and discuss It with the family living in the home. I would then go out and find the most reliable brands with the best value for the prices.