How to save

Use energy saving light bulbs
LED technology allows for great energy savings as, for the same absorbed power, it produces 5 times more light than classic incandescent and halogen bulbs. The operating life of a white light LED is approximately 15,000 hours; comparing it with fluorescent bulbs (7,500 hours of operation) and halogen bulbs (750 hours), you can see the savings in terms of maintenance over time.

Reduce your use of hot water
Taking a bath compared to taking a shower involves four times more water consumption. In fact, the average consumption of water for bathing is 120 -160 litres, while for taking a 5 minute shower a consumption of 75-90 liters is estimated and for a 3 minute shower 35-50 litres. To further reduce consumption it is important to turn off the water when soaping yourself or when doing treatments such as conditioner or masks; further savings can be achieved by installing jet breakers or flow reducers on taps and hand showers.

Use multi-socket power strips
On average, television or any electronic equipment in stand-by, i.e. with the red light on, absorbs power from 1 to 4 Watts (depending on brand and model).
If we multiply this data by 24 hours, it turns out that between 24 and 96 Wh were consumed. This figure becomes impressive if multiplied by the entire year, i.e. accumulating a useless consumption estimated between 8,760 Wh and 35,040 Wh and, if there is not only a television on stand-by but also a DVD player, a decoder, a stereo or a computer, the situation turns out to be even worse. The solution to this problem could be to combine all the plugs of the electronic devices in a multi-socket power strip with an attached switch, so that they can all be turned off with a single gesture if not in use.

Do not leave the light on unnecessarily
During the evening it is a good idea to keep only the light of the room you are occupying on at home and, as you move around the house, it is always a good habit to turn off the light and all the electronic devices you are using.
During the day, however, it is important to make the most of the sunlight, trying to keep the lights off as much as possible.
Remote control systems are currently being developed and starting to appear on the market, which allow you to turn lights off and on with your smartphone. Furthermore, more sophisticated home automation systems have long existed for the management not only of lights but also, for example, of shutters and curtains.

Do not leave the light on unnecessarily
During the evening it is a good idea to keep only the light of the room you are occupying on at home and, as you move around the house, it is always a good habit to turn off the light and all the electronic devices you are using.
During the day, however, it is important to make the most of the sunlight, trying to keep the lights off as much as possible.
Remote control systems are currently being developed and starting to appear on the market, which allow you to turn lights off and on with your smartphone. Furthermore, more sophisticated home automation systems have long existed for the management not only of lights but also, for example, of shutters and curtains.

Pay attention to the times the heaters are turned on
It is useless to keep the heating system on day and night. In an efficient home, the heat that the structures accumulate when the system is in operation guarantees a sufficient level of comfort even during the shutdown period. The maximum daily switch-on time varies by law depending on the 6 climatic zones into which Italy is divided: from a maximum of 14 hours per day for systems in zone E (north and mountain areas) to 8 hours in zone B (bands coastal areas of Southern Italy).

Screen windows at night
Closing shutters and shutters or placing heavy curtains reduces heat loss towards the outside.

Avoid obstacles in front of and above radiators and do not leave windows open for long
Placing curtains, furniture or screens in front of radiators or using them as clotheslines is a source of waste as it hinders the diffusion of heat. However, it is advisable to insert a reflective panel between the wall and the radiator, especially in cases where the radiator is embedded in the wall, reducing its thickness and degree of insulation. Even a simple sheet of aluminum foil helps to reduce dispersion towards the outside. Furthermore, to renew the air in a room it is sufficient to keep the windows open for a few minutes, while leaving them for too long only leads to unnecessary heat loss.

Defrost refrigerators and freezers regularlythe
A defrosted refrigerator is more energy efficient. But if the refrigerator is near the oven or in a warm room it consumes up to an extra 10%. The suggestion is therefore to position refrigerators and freezers appropriately.

Prefer electronic appliances with a higher energy class
For the 58%, the electricity consumption of homes can be traced back to household appliances and it is thanks to the replacement of the latter that a significant reduction in energy consumption can be achieved.
For example, by replacing a 20-year-old washing machine with a current class A one, you could achieve electricity savings of 35%; instead, taking into consideration the replacement of a refrigerator you could get up to 40%.

Carry out maintenance on the systems
It is the number one rule in terms of safety, savings and attention to the environment. In fact, a system consumes and pollutes less when it is correctly regulated, with clean filters and without limescale encrustations

Equip your system with a temperature regulation control unit
It is essential to equip your system with an automatic temperature regulation control unit that avoids unnecessary peaks or power surges. The possibility of hourly, daily and weekly programming guarantees further energy savings. Home automation also helps to save: chronothermostats, presence sensors and electronic regulators allow you to adjust the temperature of individual rooms and the switching on time of heating systems even remotely via mobile phone.

Use thermostatic valves
These devices serve to regulate the flow of hot water in the radiators and allow the average temperature of the entire apartment not to be exceeded in the rooms where they are installed, especially in rooms facing south.

Use a heat accounting system
It allows you to independently manage the heating of your apartment and allows the individual user to save and pay only based on actual consumption. To take advantage of it, it is necessary to install heat measuring devices on the radiators or in the pipes connecting the apartment to the central heating system and thermostatic valves in the individual radiators. The law has made its installation mandatory in condominiums and multipurpose buildings heated by a centralized system.

Do a property check-up
A technician's assessment of the level of efficiency of a property, carried out through the energy diagnosis or the energy performance certificate (APE), allows the most convenient interventions to be determined to contain consumption and costs. The compensation for the technician is generally affordable and the interventions are even more convenient thanks to the tax deductions and non-repayable incentives of the "Thermal Account". Even the cost of consultancy is deductible.

Replace the existing boiler with a condensing boiler
Condensing boilers differ from traditional boilers because they achieve higher efficiency and guarantee energy as well as economic savings, as heating costs are reduced. In a traditional gas boiler the water is heated by the heat of combustion: the resulting exhaust gases normally pass into the flue and are expelled towards the outside. The result is that the energy contained in the exhaust fumes is lost.
A condensing boiler, on the other hand, exploits the heat contained in these exhaust gases, which consist largely of water vapour: in fact, there is condensation of the water vapor present in the exhaust fumes. In this way, the latent heat of condensation is recovered and consequently greater energy efficiency compared to a traditional boiler. However, in order to obtain energy, the water vapor present in the flue gas must condense: this may be possible at a temperature lower than approximately 54° C. The condensing boiler cools the water vapor present in the flue gas through a specially designed heat exchanger. The energy obtained is used to preheat the water in the heating circuit which returns to the boiler: the preheated water can be further heated to reach the desired temperature by passing through the primary heat exchanger as happens in a traditional boiler. It is important to underline that the delivery temperature to the heating circuit depends on the temperature of the air outside the building: for example, it may be useless to send water at 70°C to the radiators if it is 12°C outside. This means that if I send less hot water to the heating circuit (e.g. 50°C), colder water will return to the boiler (e.g. 40°C) making the most of the operating principle of the condensing boiler. To do this, simply combine an external temperature probe with the condensing boiler in order to manage the so-called "climate compensation" of the delivery temperature to the heating system.
However, an excellent solution is to combine a condensing boiler with low temperature heating systems (e.g. radiant floor panels: maximum flow temperature of 35°C), which have optimal operating temperatures to make the most of the principle of condensation of the water vapor present in the fumes.

Improve the insulation of the home
Improving the level of insulation in your home is a very important step as it significantly reduces energy needs.
The creation of external thermal insulation of the casing and in particular the insulation of the roof reduce losses between 40 and 50%.
The lower need for thermal energy once the interventions have been carried out also allows you to install a less powerful and therefore less expensive boiler.
The installation of the thermal coat is very convenient if inserted within a general discussion of extraordinary maintenance of the house, such as the re-roofing or the façade, otherwise it implies a considerable initial cost, but with the an advantage that does not involve further maintenance costs over time.
Coat insulation can be achieved both externally and internally. The second option is generally less invasive but involves the loss of internal surface and is not possible in all cases.

Insulate the roof and ceiling
A well-insulated roof makes a difference to your energy bill, managing to contain upward heat dispersion. An important investment but one that offers significant advantages. In any case, it is a good idea to start from the ceilings of the rooms, insulating them well with the right false ceiling, which can save you up to 20% of energy.

Use double-glazed windows
Another very important step for insulating the home, in addition to the construction of the coat, is the replacement of old windows and doors, which often cause drafts and thermal bridges.
The windows and doors must be made:
1.in highly insulating materials such as PVC and wood;
2.thermal break;
3. with double or triple glazing based on climatic needs and an air chamber with argon;
4.with particular attention to soundproofing and internal acoustic comfort of the home.
If installing shutters, it is a good idea to check that the boxes are well insulated to avoid air infiltration which could alter the comfort of the home.

Create renewable energy generation plants
The construction of a system that uses renewable energy is very useful in the production of electrical or thermal energy.
These systems, if well combined with each other, can allow homes to be completely independent from external supplies of electricity and/or other fuels. These types of systems can exploit various renewable sources such as the sun, wind and water.
One of the most widespread systems is the photovoltaic solar system, which is made up of a series of panels composed in turn of silicon modules, which exploit the incidence of solar radiation to produce electricity. The solar thermal system system involves the exploitation of solar energy according to a principle similar to a photovoltaic system for the production of electricity, but with the aim instead of heating a liquid placed inside special panels, which in turn Once, thanks to an exchanger, it transfers the absorbed heat to the water which can be used for heating or domestic hot water.
Another type of system is the mini wind farm, which involves the installation of a mini vertical wind turbine on the roof for the production of electricity.
A final example is the geothermal system, which, in combination with a water-water heat pump, uses the heat released by the ground or groundwater to heat the water inside the heat pump via an exchanger; this in turn can be used for domestic hot water or heating.