Industrialisation (or Industrialization) is the process of
social and economic change that transforms a human group from an
agrarian society into an industrial one. It is a part of a wider
modernisation process, where social change and economic development
are closely related with technological innovation, particularly
with the development of large-scale energy and metallurgy
production. It is the extensive organisation of an economy for the
purpose of manufacturing.[2]Industrialisation also introduces a
form of philosophical change where people obtain a different
attitude towards their perception of nature, and a sociological
process of ubiquitous rationalisation.There is considerable energy
in and around literature on the factors facilitating industrial
modernisation and enterprise development.[3] Key positive factors
identified by researchers have ranged from favourable
political-legal environments for industry and commerce, through
abundant natural resources of various kinds, to plentiful supplies
of relatively low-cost, skilled and adaptable labour.One
survey[citation needed] of countries in Africa, Latin America, the
Caribbean, and the Middle East and the rest of Asia in the late
20th century found that high levels of structural differentiation,
functional specialisation, and autonomy of economic systems from
government were likely to contribute greatly to
industrial-commercial growth and prosperity. Amongst other things,
relatively open trading systems with zero or low duties on imported
goods tended to stimulate industrial cost-efficiency and innovation
across the board. Free and flexible labour and other markets also
helped raise general business-economic performance levels, as did
rapid popular learning capabilities.Positive work ethics in
populations at large combined with skills in quickly utilising new
technologies and scientific discoveries were likely to boost
production and income levels and as the latter rose, markets for
consumer goods and services of all kinds tended to expand and
provide a further stimulus to industrial investment and economic
growth. By the end of the century, East Asia was one of the most
economically successful regions of the world with free market
countries such as Hong Kong being widely seen as models for other,
less developed countries around the world to emulate.[4] The first
country to industrialise was the United Kingdom during the
Industrial Revolution.[5]
Read more:
http://www.answers.com/topic/industrialisation#ixzz1HyfxXgJ8
Rising populations, expanding industrialisation, increasing
pollution, depletion of the Earth's natural resources and the
resultant global warming have all taken a heavy toll on our
environment and the planet's ecosystems. Unless we learn to live in
an eco-friendly manner, the days ahead are going to be tougher. So,
it is necessary for all of us to be aware of the implications and
to work towards a sustainable development and pollution-free world
by making changes in our lifestyles.On the home front these changes
can be as simple as turning off unnecessary lights, using "hand
powered" appliances instead of electrical appliances where
possible, recycling and re-using water and other materials,
switching to "green" cleaning products etc. If enough people make
these changes it WILL eventually have a beneficial effect on our
health, our local environment and on the planet as a whole.So, our
"Green Stuff" forum is the place for you to post any eco-friendly
ideas you'd like to share which might help to inspire others to
switch to "greener" methods of doing things, including ideas about
organic foods and natural or herbal remedies etc.We also have a
"Kitchen Witchery" forum where you can share your recipes for
special sabbat foods and drinks, or any other yummy snacks
etc.Please give your message a title which indicates the subject
clearly, to make it easier for others to find what they're looking
for.You may access the Eco-Friendly and Healthy Living forums
directly by clicking on the "Forums" link in the main menu, or now
that you're here, just click on Planet Earth.Ensures safe and
eco-friendly recycling of vesselsShip Recycling Industries
Association (IndiaAs of Jan. 1, the traditional 100-watt and
150-watt A19 incandescent light bulb is no longer sold in
California. A year from now, the energy waster will be out of
business nationwide.In 2013, the familiar 75-watt incandescent also
will be history. (California will shoo them off of store shelves
one year earlier.) And in 2014, Americans will wave good-bye to
their belovedalbeit energy-inefficient60- and 40-watt A-shaped
incandescents.The resulting switch to more efficient compact
fluorescent lamps (CFLs) or to the brand-new high-efficacy halogens
that manufacturers have introduced in response to the light bulb
law within the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 will
mean considerably steeper pricesin the $2-per-bulb rangeversus the
50-cent incandescent. But other than that, for many builders, the
shift will barely register becausefor nowonly the bulbs, and not
the fixtures, are required to change.Its not that hard of a change
to make for recessed lighting, which is most of the indoor lighting
that we build into homes, says Jim Bayless, owner of GreenBuilt
Construction in Folsom, Calif.In fact, estimates the National
Electrical Manufacturers Association, about a quarter of the light
bulbs sold in America are CFLs, and many pros long ago embraced
them. Those who havent, advises Larry Weinstein, president of
design/build firm DBS-Shared Solutions America in San Diego, should
make the switch.Architects and contractors for the most part are
hurting right now, he reasons. Those who are wise enough to realize
theres a substantial market in energy-efficient new homes are doing
very well.Derek Greenauer, program manager for D&R
International, a Silver Spring, Md.-based energy-efficiency
consulting firm, agrees. If builders can get up to speed on LEDs
[light-emitting diodes] and technology and the new choices theyll
have for lighting homes, they can kind of ride that green wave to
set a particular builder apart from competitors.Bulb
BasicsHalogens. Part of the incandescent family, energy-efficient
halogen bulbs produce the familiar color and quality of light of
the lame-duck 40- to 100-watt incandescent A19 bulb. New to the
market, these high-efficacy halogens are energy-efficient enough to
comply with the governments new standards for lighting. They cost
around $1.50 to $2 per bulb and can last for up to 2,000 hourstwice
as long as a traditional incandescent.CFLs. Much improved over the
past five years, spiral-shaped compact fluorescent lamps can last
up to 10,000 hours and run about $2 to $3 each, depending on
burning time. Dimmable CFLs cost more, and most cant dim to quite
the same low level as a halogen. Still, theyre up to 75% more
energy efficient than incandescents.LEDs. With a life expectancy of
25,000-plus hours, light-emitting diodes are likely to be the light
source of the future. Not a bulb at all, LEDs can be integrated
into a fixture or even into a glass enclosure designed to look like
a traditional bulb and screw into a standard light fixture. But
with a per-unit price of $40 or more and with limited beam spread,
theyre not expected to find their way into mainstream use for at
least five years. They are at least as energy efficient as CFLs.
--S.O'M. Builders and homeowners who will grieve the loss of the
familiar A-shaped incandescent, says Weinstein, will do so only
because they dont know any better.What they might not know is that
CFLsthe most likely immediate replacement bulb both for built-in
residential lighting and for portable luminaires like table
lampslast for around five years and use 75% less energy than
traditional incandescents, which burn out after about seven months
of normal use. CFLs also cost about four times more.What they
almost certainly dont know is the difference between a lumena
measure of light output that the government is requiring bulb boxes
to display starting in Julyand a watt, the consumers comfortable
gauge of how bright a light bulb will burn.An example: The old
60-watt incandescent bulb produces 800 lumens. So a builder or
homeowner who wants to replace a 60-watt bulb with a similar but
more energy-efficient alternative should choose a CFL,
high-efficacy halogen, or LED that produces 800 lumens. That number
will be displayed on the packages required new Lighting Facts label
(see "Reading the Label," page 2).The big challenge, says Hampton
Newsome, an attorney and spokesman for the Federal Trade
Commission, is to help people understand that when theyre looking
for the light the bulb produces, look at lumens.So its a good thing
the phase-out is staggered over three years, says Peter Soares,
director of consumer product development for Philips. It will give
consumers time to understand the legislation, he says.And it could
take some time. There hasnt been much consumer education about
light bulbs in a long, long time, notes Terry McGowan, director of
engineering for the American Lighting
Association[http://www.americanlightingassoc.com/]. The fact is
that the consumer likes to make decisions right at the shelf and
gets confused with all these labels and lamps. I dont know what
theyll do.His prediction: Any time theres change, theres a little
bit of craziness. Indeed, some are expecting consumers to make a
run for incandescent light bulbs as Jan. 1, 2012, approaches,
stockpiling them like milk and bread before a
snowstorm.UNDERSTANDING THE RULESWhile the new law effectively
phases out the traditional light bulb, it stops short of banning
it. Instead, the Department of Energy has set efficiency standards
for all light bulbs, and todays standard incandescents cant meet
those levels. New, high-efficacy halogen bulbsa form of
incandescentcan, however. Theyre not as efficient as CFLs, but they
emit the same warm light as their outlawed cousins and are easier
to dim than stubborn CFLs, most of which can dim only so much
before snuffing out completely.Under the new rules, all light bulbs
will burn 25% to 30% less energy than traditional products do
today. By 2020, all bulbs will be 70% more efficient.CFLs already
are 70% more efficient than traditional incandescents.
High-efficacy halogen bulbs are about 30% more efficient, so theyre
a viable choice for now, but wont be in 2020 unless manufacturers
find a way to upgrade them.Super-efficient, long-lasting LEDs fill
the bill, as they are about 90% more efficient than incandescents,
but theyre so new and so expensive that few home builders and
remodelers are ready to recommend them to their clients. Still,
Soares of Philips Lighting believes builders will gravitate to a
mixture of energy-efficient halogens, CFLs, and LEDs.
READING THE LABELLike the nutrition label on packaged food, a
Federal Trade Commission-mandated new label on light bulbs will
tell consumers all about the bulbs they buy.
A Lighting Facts label on the back will repeat the information
about brightness and energy cost, and add facts about the bulbs
life expectancy; light appearancewhether the light it shines is
warm or cool wattage, or the amount of energy the bulb uses; and
whether the bulb contains mercury. The simplest solution, he
suggests, is to install a traditional fixture and screw an
energy-saving bulb into ithalogen, CFLs, or LEDs clustered together
within a bulb-shaped lamp. Indeed, traditional fixtures give the
homeowner the most flexibility because they accept a variety of
screw-base light bulbs. The builders who are still holding onto the
basic 16-pack of incandescents will go to halogen, Soares predicts.
Builders who are already using CFLs will go to LED. In the end,
there will be plenty of solutions on the shelf. And that might spur
a change in the way pros light their homes.Home builders tend to
put some CFL products in the house already, notes McGowan, so it
isnt going to be a dramatic change. But it is something theyll have
to pay attention to. They will have to because thats what will be
on the shelf.That could be a good thing, suggests lighting designer
Glenn Heimiller, a principal of the Cambridge, Mass., firm Lam
Partners and chairman of the International Association of Lighting
Designers Energy and Sustainability Committee. If they want to
install energy-efficient lighting, they shouldnt worry about the
loss of the incandescent A lamp, he says. What you will see is a
mix of all kinds of different light sources if youre doing a good
design.Soares agrees. Cost-conscious home builders and remodelers
too often opted for inexpensive incandescents simply because of the
price, he says. With those cut-rate relics out of the picture, he
predicts, pros might concentrate more on supplying light bulbs that
are most appropriate for the fixtures, the room theyre in, and the
homeowners lifestyle.
A label on the front will contain information on brightnessor
lumen outputand the estimated cost to burn the bulb for one year.
LOOKING AHEADStill, builders, manufacturers, lighting designers,
and industry observers agree that LEDs are the next big thing in
lighting--with or without legislation to force builders and
consumers in their direction."We're taking a product line that was
a disposable product line and now we're turning it into a more
durable good," says Soares, who notes that LEDs can last for
25,000-plus hours--and some predict they'll burn twice that
long.When their high price tag shrinks, the high-tech,
high-efficient lights are likely to change the way the world lights
its buildings.Many residential LEDs today are packaged within a
traditional-looking housing with medium screws bases so they can
replace traditional incandescent bulbs in standard fixtures. But
before long, says McGowan, they won't look anything like light
bulbs--because they're not light bulbs. "It will be a fixture that
lights up inside, but you won't see any light bulb in it--just
chips and surfaces and points of light," he says. "It will look
very different."
Printed directly on the bulb will be the lumen output and
whether the bulb contains mercury. But the look isn't the real
difference the gradual gravitation toward LEDs will make.McGowan
predicts that LED lighting will change the way Americans wire their
homes. LEDs don't need the high-voltage wiring in today's houses.
So low-voltage sockets, wires connectors, and fixtures will take
its place.He foresees a time when walls themselves might be
electrically conductive so light fixtures won't need wiring at
all."I don't know what home builders are going to do until we see
these things," McGowan says. "But it's very clear this is going to
open up a whole realm of possibilities for putting light where we
want it and where we don't have it now."Sharon O'Malley is a
freelance writer in College Park, Md. This article appeared in
Building Products magazine. Save / Share 1 2 Next >
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LightingComments (8 Total)
Posted by: Garageguy | Time: 10:53 AM Monday, March 21, 2011
CFL's may have Mercury, but LED's emit a blue light that according
to a Harvard and other studies may cause Macular Degeneration and
sleep disorders. Is our Gov't. really making sure we will be safe!
How many lives are we saving with the Lead laws...how much damage
will LED's cause? Sometimes common sense should prevail.Report this
as offensive Posted by: Anonymous | Time: 5:50 PM Thursday, March
17, 2011 We need to remove these idiots that want to legislate what
we can buy/use. I will buy a palat and burn them 24/7 just to
protest their stupidity.Report this as offensive Posted by:
appledude | Time: 11:37 PM Wednesday, March 16, 2011 I love
energy-efficient lighting, and have used florescent for many years
almost exclusively in my condo, with a couple of LED's now in the
mix - however, a watt is still a watt! I see in new buildings often
we are overlighting many areas, and using more wattage than if we
just had used old-fashioned porcelain ceiling fixtures with a 100W
incandescent bulb! Also, I am against government going so crazy -
if I want a particular light bulb to read by - I want to have that
right! I still have a few incandescent bulbs in my condo - because
it some instances they do the job better! Part of lighting is the
human aspect of it - to me, with lighting you want zones, ways you
can vary the lighting to make it different day-to-day, and for
different tasks. This is very important, even in small spaces.
Report this as offensive Posted by: Anonymous | Time: 10:07 PM
Wednesday, March 16, 2011 CFLs also worsen health problems of
persons with photosensitive neurological and immunological
disabilities such as autism spectrum disorders, traumatic brain
injuries, migraines, lupus and others according to studies, and
reports from doctors, hospitals, medical charities, patients and
their families. This mandate would violate the Americans with
Disabilities Act, and lead to further isolation if the CFL (flicker
rate and UVA/UVB and radiation are the problem areas) is mandated.
The LED bulb is still not the natural spectrum of light, such as
that in sunlight or the incandescent, and too bright for many who
are glare sensitive. CFLs also pose a mercury hazard. The last
thing we need is more neurologically injured people due to heavy
metal poisoning.Report this as offensive Posted by: Anonymous |
Time: 7:55 PM Wednesday, March 16, 2011 In my own personal
experience with CFLs in my home, they do not last much longer than
incandescents, although they are more expensive. Let the market
prevail. Don't take away people's choice in light bulbs. We give
people the choice to end a pre-born baby's life, for the love of
heaven!Report this as offensive Posted by: Anonymous | Time: 6:33
PM Wednesday, March 16, 2011 Here's the thing: what is the kelvin
difference? The color of the light. I say they're forcing
technology on the buying public before it's ready. Not all light is
the same. The color of the light is very important to people. Have
you priced a incandescent flood light and a flood led replacement
of equal lumen? One is $85.00 and one is $5.00. Report this as
offensive Posted by: Anonymous | Time: 6:27 PM Wednesday, March 16,
2011 I'm a builder and I recommend and use LEDs almost exclusively
the CREE brand. I have a problem where the government is
subsidizing CFL's when they are toxic if broken or disposed of
improperly and are rarely recycled. Not green in my view and I
never read or hear about about the toxicity such as in this article
not one mention.Report this as offensive Posted by: Anonymous |
Time: 4:55 PM Wednesday, March 16, 2011 I think its worth noting
that, in certain applications, cold cathode lighting has a place to
play in the future of residential lighting as well. Ultra-low
mercury when compared to CFLs, and not containing materials that
get them labeled as toxic waste like LEDs. Report this as offensive
Comment on this ArticlePost your comment below. If you wish, enter
a username and password though they are not required. Please read
our Content Guidelines before posting. Comment: Enter code: Enter
the code shown in the imageUsername: Username is optional Password:
Enter a password if you want a username Ads by GoogleLED High Bay
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CE, GS etc. www.everlightings-led.comIn the backyards of five
houses within a 2-mile span in Tarrant County, Texas, small
Skystream wind turbines whir quietly atop poles. A prospective
client recently approached builder Don Ferrier about making his
lakeside house the sixth."The owner came to me as most of my
clients do, saying, 'We believe building energy efficient only
makes sense,'" says the owner of Ft. Worth-based Ferrier Custom
Homes. Ferrier had to build the alternative energy system into the
budget but found--as incentives for harnessing wind power whip over
the nation in the form of federal tax breaks and state, local, and
utility incentives--his client was in for a good deal.Wind turbine
dealers have sold almost 100,000 residential units since 1980, and
in 2009 the turbine market swelled 15% despite the economic slump,
according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). The
market boom, buoyed by growing interest in alternative energy, is a
direct result of federal tax credits worth 30% of wind-harvesting
costs.More reliable and durable equipment also has helped. "The
technology has really moved forward," says Sterling Condit, a
Kansas remodeler and turbine dealer. "For example, one of the
turbines I sell is practically maintenance-free." HOW IT WORKSA
wind turbine is essentially a generator with fan blades that catch
the breeze and spin the rotor over a coil to create an electric
current. The most common are horizontal-axis turbines, which look
similar to a pinwheel, and eggbeater-like vertical-axis turbines.
Also offered are helix models, which resemble DNA. As the industry
picks up speed, new options resembling bike wheels and jet engines
mark a competitive quest for the best angle to catch the
breeze.Many horizontal residential models resemble smaller versions
of common industrial-sized versions, with a 3-foot to 10-foot blade
span, according to Mike Batten, a turbine dealer for Midwest Energy
Solutions.It takes 8-mph winds to kick an average turbine into
gear, and about 15 mph for it to generate electricity. Since winds
that fast only blow high above ground, for the most effective
results a turbine needs to sit on a pole, a house, or a hill, and
away from obstacles.U.S. wind maps show the strongest gusts snaking
down the middle states, off the coasts, and near mountains. Air in
the Southeast is still, so that region may never see a huge turbine
trend. Average residential models generate from 1 kW to 10 kW,
according to the AWEA. A 10-kW unit could completely power an
average home in good wind conditions (and potentially have extra
power to sell back to the utility company), Batten says, but there
are many factors--including turbine location and wind
conditions--so it's difficult to give a broad, concrete estimate. A
2-kW model provides just supplemental power, but is a more
manageable size. Turbine dealers evaluate each project to determine
the best unit for the home buyer's needs and the wind potential of
the site.Most residential systems cost $15,000 to $20,000
installed, say turbine dealers. But the figure is dramatically
reduced by federal tax credits, as well as state rebates and tax
credits, low-interest loans, and utility
incentives.CHALLENGESBefore a homeowner leaps into wind energy,
there are a few considerations: "What are your needs? How can we
get there? Where's the application going? What's your elevation?
Who's your power company?" says Batten. "You can't just go and
stick up a wind turbine."In addition, codes in most counties
dictate how far from the house you can place a turbine, how high it
can be, and the amount of acreage required on the lot. While the
smallest systems are relatively quiet, 10-foot-long blades create a
whooshing noise, a sound manufacturers attempt to silence.In
Kansas, remodeler Condit says some utilities are not eager to
embrace wind technology because of the industry's past. "I've
actually had a couple of customers discouraged from installing a
wind turbine... [Utilities] just say they don't work, they are not
reliable, which is not true, but that was true of the early
'80s."But the biggest determining factor is the client, asserts
Ferrier. The homeowner has to understand the return on investment
and have the resources to pay the up-front costs.While clients
willing to work $15,000 into the budget may be scarce,
manufacturers believe the winds are changing direction. "We are
looking at the wind industry almost the way we looked at the
satellite television industry 20 years ago," says Brian Levine,
vice president of business development and marketing at
WindTronics. "First those satellite dishes were monstrous then they
got smaller and now people have multiple units on their
homes."Predicts Levine: "I think you are watching the wind industry
and the alternative energy industry going mainstream."Evelyn Royer
is Assistant Editor for Building Products. This article originally
appearedin the Winter 2011 issue of Building Products. Save / Share
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Articles Related Topics Green Products Wind PowerComments (5
Total)
Posted by: Anonymous | Time: 12:56 PM Saturday, March 05, 2011
One of the problems with wind is that when it is connected to the
grid it is not predictable. It can cause spikes and brownouts
because the generating plants can't react quickly enough to changes
in the wind. Personally I like the idea of stand alone wind power
for residential use, but I resent having to depend on fellow
taxpayers to help me pay for it. Back in the 1920's, farmers living
off the grid relied on 6 volt wind mills that generated enough
electricity to power a radio. When the Gov't began the rural
electrification projects, the natural development and improvements
that would have occured ceased because there was no longer a
significant market.Report this as offensive Posted by: Anonymous |
Time: 11:04 AM Thursday, March 03, 2011 Wind also has the virtue of
generating power at night/cloudy days, a mix of wind and solar
might smooth out the flow. Companies are coming up with battery
systems to store renewable power. tohttp://goo.gl/HtChqReport this
as offensive Posted by: Love Green | Time: 10:10 AM Thursday, March
03, 2011 In response to Anonymous saying it is not cost effective,
I think that greatly depends on where you live. Using the costs in
the article and my current utility bills, I would have a 5 year
payback (No rebate - as requested). I also live on a very
consistently windy flat plain. Wind is not the answer for everyone,
but it is a good answer for some of us - just as solar is not very
viable in my area, but very cost effective elsewhere.Report this as
offensive Posted by: Anonymous | Time: 9:00 AM Thursday, March 03,
2011 Your article shows wind generators are not cost effective.
Please do not consider the tax rebates as I am paying those
credits. I notice there were no calculations of pay back
period.Report this as offensive Posted by: Anonymous | Time: 4:33
PM Wednesday, March 02, 2011 Our county recently voted down
allowing wind turbines within Lake County,IL. Quote:"one little
wind farm won't solve the energy crisis ...". More, Not In My Back
Yard mentality like that, and we are along way off from even being
on the same page as a country. I personally don't like the
sentiment, but it shows how much of these "green" & alternative
ideas are just lip service to, many people out there. Even though
similar government agencies are pushing towards net zero energy in
2030. Maybe if/&/or when the prices for wind turbines come
down. Way down.Report this as offensive Comment on this ArticlePost
your comment below. If you wish, enter a username and password
though they are not required. Please read our Content Guidelines
before posting. Comment: Enter code: Enter the code shown in the
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SEnergy-efficient and high-performance building have dominated
the construction industry for the last few years, but one piece of
the equation rarely mentioned is perhaps the most important: human
behavior.For example, if home buyers select the most
energy-efficient HVAC system, choose compact fluorescent lighting,
and buy the highest-rated water heater, they still will need to use
these products correctly in order to gain the maximum benefit.
Unfortunately, many consumers are not mindful of the fact that how
and when they use the products affects the desired
results.According to a 2010 Energy Pulse survey conducted by the
Shelton Group in Knoxville, Tenn., more Americans are buying
energy-efficient appliances, installing insulation, replacing their
incandescent bulbs with CFLs, and adjusting their thermostats.
Suzanne Shelton, president and CEO of the company, says, however,
Most Americansdespite their efforts to conserve energy and control
costsare seeing their energy bills rise.Shelton says rising
electricity rates and more plug-in electronic devices are partly
responsible, but behavior is also a culprit: Consumers can get
lulled into thinking that because they installed CFLs, they can
leave their lights on all the time, or because they bought a
high-efficiency water heater, they can indulge themselves with
longer, hotter showers, the groups survey concluded.The bottom line
is that all the features in the world will not save energy unless
humans change their behavior, as well. So, new energy-monitoring
devices promise to help accomplish that.An energy dashboard is a
device that lets homeowners know how much power they are using in
real time. The idea is that if people know exactly how much energy
they are consuming and when, they may change old habits and reduce
consumption.The Advanced Metering Initiative and Residential
Feedback Program: A Meta-Review for Household Electricity-Saving
Opportunities, a 2010 report by the American Council for an
Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) in Washington, says such feedback
initiatives are opening the door to potential energy savings that,
on average, have reduced individual household electricity
consumption 4 percent to 12 percent across our multi-continent
sample. Feedback is proving a critical first step in engaging and
empowering consumers to thoughtfully manage their energy
resources.Devices such as the touchscreen-based energy dashboard
from Orem, Utahbased Vantage quantifies specific energy usage and
offers strategies for direct savings. Andrew Wale, vice president
of marketing, says, Were now offering homeowners the ability to see
real-time energy usage and the effect of strategies that manage
energy usage in accordance with their own lifestyle
requirements.Still, in its analysis of feedback studies, ACEEE
concludes that significant savings from energy-monitoring devices
are possible, but the group says it depends on the type and how
well it is implemented. Past studies suggest that daily/weekly
feedback and real time plus feedback tend to generate the highest
savings per household, the report says. Median energy savings,
across all countries and decades, for studies employing these two
approaches were both above 10 percent.But simply installing a
gadget is unlikely to maximize energy savings. Instead, the group
says the best systems include both the device and specific guidance
on how to decrease usage.
Monitor WizardTED 5000-C is a simple and accurate home energy
monitor that allows homeowners to see electricity usage in real
time. The system has a sensitivity of 1 watt so its very accurate,
and its easy to install and use. It comes with all the components
necessary to monitor total energy usage. Energy Inc. 800-959-5833.
www.theenergydetective.com.
Cost ControlThe PowerCost Monitor allows home buyers to save up
to $250 a year on their electric bills. Easy to use and install,
the product shows exactly where energy is being consumed in either
kilowatts or dollars per hour. A predictive feature provides the
user with an estimate of the 30-day energy consumption totals. Blue
Line Innovations. 866-607-2583. www.bluelineinnovations.com.
Brillion IdeaPart of the Brillion suite of home energy
solutions, the energy display provides a continuous audit of
household energy consumption in kilowatt hours and in estimated
dollars spent. The device communicates with a utilitys smart meter
on the house to provide consumers with continuous energy
information. GE Appliances & Lighting. 800-626-2005.
www.ge.com.
Management TeamPart of the companys Energy Management Solution,
this touchscreen energy dashboard quantifies specific energy usage
and enables custom strategies to produce direct savings. It can be
programmed with local power costs, so homeowners can instantly view
the exact amount of money they are saving. Vantage. 800-555-9891.
www.vantagecontrols.com.
Smart IdeaThe Smart Energy Manager allows home buyers to monitor
and assess energy usage and analyze historical usage to reveal
trends. Users may disconnect loads based on these trends and
program HVAC temperature settings based on preferences. The 5-inch
touchscreen supports three wireless protocols. Eaton Corp.
877-386-2273. www.eaton.com.