Save energy in your home

The most important thing you can do in terms of energy use is to reduce the amount you use. This will save you money as well as reducing your greenhouse gas emissions.

Average energy usage for homes without pools

Average energy usage for homes without pools. Source: Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage & the Arts.

Ways to reduce your energy costs

  1. Know how much you use. Use this energy usage calculator to compare how much energy you use compared to other similar households in your area. If your household use is much higher than average, call our free energy advice service (see below) to identify potential energy savings.
  2. Buy energy efficient appliances. Energy efficient appliances may cost more to buy but they save money in the long run as they cost less to run. When you buy a new appliance, use the energy rating label to compare models and choose one that suits your needs, saves energy and saves money.  Find more tips on energy saving appliances or contact our free energy advice service (see below).
  3. Electrify your home. You can save money through efficiency upgrades and electrification. Council has partnered with the Australian Energy Foundation to provide you with simple energy advice you can trust. They can provide information on heat pumps, induction cook tops, insulation and all other household energy efficiency products and can provide free one-on-one consultations for personalised advice.
  4. Have you considered a solar PV system? Council offers a Bulk Buy system so residents can buy quality products at a special Willoughby City Council price.

Energy and water tips for pool owners

A typical pool pump can use more electricity than all other household appliances combined and increase water use by 10%*.

Make your pool more energy and water efficient by:

  • Experimenting with pump and filtration times to optimise your pool’s maintenance regime
  • Replacing old pumps with energy efficient multi-speed or variable-speed pumps
  • Investigating solar or heat pumps if you use pool heating
  • A pool cover is the number one water saving device – installing a pool cover saves water through evaporation and retains heat
  • If a pool cover is not suitable, build a shade cloth over your pool or create a windbreak to reduce evaporative water loss
  • Installing a pool cover to save water and retain heat
  • Installing a rainwater tank to top-up the pool, reducing mains water use
  • Checking around your pool, piping and equipment for cracks and leaks and fixing them
  • Consider installing a cartridge filter to reduce water wastage
  • Create a windbreak (fencing, screening or planting) to reduce evaporative water loss

  • Backwash your pool only when necessary.

*According to the Building Sustainability Index a pool pump adds 17% energy consumption to the average NSW household, using 1,500kWh of power each year. If used all day and night, in the space of a year a typical pool pump can use more electricity than all other household appliances combined.

In addition, a backyard pool can increase water consumption by 10%. The average domestic pool in NSW is approximately 45,000L and requires a similar volume of water every two years to keep this full, due to evaporation, splash and backwash factors.

Energy Wise videos on energy efficiency

Let’s have a closer look at your energy bill in this video:

The key to a comfortable home is efficient heating and cooling. Let’s find out how to stay cool in summer and warm in winter the smart way in this video:

Paying for nothing while your appliances are sitting idle? Let’s have a closer look at standby power in this video:

Let’s have a closer look at insulation and sealing in this video:

Let’s have a closer look at how much power your hot water system uses and how to reduce it in this video:

 

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