How can Smart Builders Help Residents Minimize High Electricity Bills?
High electricity bills are becoming a major pain point in resident’s everyday life. With the growing demands for electronic gadgets and increasing dependency on electrical equipment such as a fridge, ACs, water heaters, computers, laptops, mobile devices, speakers, washing machines, and much more the use of electricity will only go up.
This restraint will force residents to choose apartments and houses that provide alternate green energy options such as solar panels, natural ventilation, passive cooling systems, and efficient power outlets to reduce their costs.
Several prominent factors contributing to this issue include increased energy consumption, rising energy costs, inefficient appliances, leaky homes, standby power, seasonal variations, climate change, fixed fees, and surcharges.
The graph illustrates a consistent upward trajectory in electricity costs over the span of 8 years (Maharashtra energy tariffs). The continuous increase in electricity prices has significant financial implications for consumers. Notably, 8% of the revenue earned is allocated towards paying these rising electricity bills in Maharashtra. It underscores the fact that the growing amount of income is being diverted to cover the escalating expenses associated with electricity consumption, leaving less financial room for the other essential needs.
The chart shows the average monthly tariffs (in paise per unit) paid by the consumers who use electricity across different states and cities. It clearly indicates that Mumbai has the highest electricity tariffs among other states.
Headlines like these are becoming common
However, this challenge comes with an opportunity for change. The solution is all about adopting smart sustainable design. We can enhance building materials to optimize temperature regulation, choose suitable paint colors to lower cooling demands, employ shading devices to reduce heat absorption, strategically position windows for ample natural light, design for efficient cross ventilation, insulate walls to stabilize indoor temperatures, and harness renewable energy sources.
Example 1: Illustrates a reduction of electrical consumption using insulation for walls
Insulating walls moderates indoor temperature and to maintain comfort and cost-effectiveness, selecting the right insulation thickness is vital. A diagram illustrates Energy consumption decreases by 0.5% when adding 25mm of insulation and by 0.2% with 50mm of insulation. Beyond this point, further thickness yields only marginal energy savings. Optimization of insulation thickness based on performance is more effective than expecting substantial reductions with excessive thickness
Example 2: Illustrates the reduction of electrical consumption using Shading Devices
Shading devices are essential to shield glass windows from intense sunlight, preventing heat transfer into the indoor space. Openings contribute significantly more to heat gain than other facade components like walls and roofs. In the graph shown, the varying energy savings are noted by varying Vertical Shading Angle of the horizontal shading device (Overhang) over glass element which strongly depicts the importance of window shade leading to notable energy savings
Example 3: Illustrates reduction of electrical consumption using high-reflective paint
It is observed that the usage of high-reflective paint has a significant impact on energy savings. From the graph, it can be observed that more than 3% of annual energy savings can be achieved by having higher reflective paints on conducting surfaces. Also, it is seen that the greater the energy savings in buildings which have a greater percentage of wall area.
Conclusion:
These above illustrations align with sustainable and energy-efficient design principles, playing a pivotal role in curbing high electricity bills.
The high electricity bills stand as a silent, yet formidable challenge for the builders and architects. As a result, residents find themselves in the labyrinth of soaring energy costs, navigating the price of opulence. They should embark on a quest to harness the power of innovation, turning kilowatt hours into opportunities for savings. In this electrifying tale, the builders, developers, and architects must seek a balance between ambition and accountability, ensuring that the buildings they design do not eclipse the affordability and sustainability of the lives they shelter.
McDBERL provides sustainable solutions through efficient innovative techniques so that the electricity bill, which is a menace in today’s market, is kept under control all year around.