| Simply put, energy efficiency is a technological | | | | Of course, your furnace and air conditioner use |
| concern. Energy conservation is a human concern. | | | | the most energy in your home, so they make |
| For example, you can make furnaces and air | | | | good targets for action that can improve energy |
| conditioners more efficient by improving the | | | | efficiency. One way to improve heating and |
| technology that governs their operation. But | | | | cooling efficiency is to make sure your furnace |
| people are responsible for turning the thermostat | | | | and air conditioner are inspected each year and |
| to 68 degrees instead of 75 degrees. | | | | necessary repairs are made. |
| Yes, this is an oversimplification. But it makes an | | | | Another solution is to exchange your older-model |
| important point. Technology can take us only so | | | | furnace and air conditioner for a newer version. |
| far as we attempt to keep energy costs and | | | | Today, manufacturers are producing units of very |
| greenhouse gas emissions down. People have to | | | | high efficiency that are able to pay for |
| take responsibility for using the technology wisely. | | | | themselves in energy savings in a remarkably |
| The focus on energy efficiency and energy | | | | short time. |
| conservation has been around for quite a while, at | | | | You can easily find out how energy-efficient a |
| least since the 1970s when the oil crisis had | | | | new furnace or air conditioner might be. |
| gasoline and heating oil prices skyrocketing and | | | | Air conditioners are rated by the Seasonal Energy |
| cars lined up at the pump. A physicist named | | | | Efficiency Ratio (SEER). The SEER is computed |
| Amory Lovins introduced the idea of negawatts, | | | | from the cooling output in British Thermal Units |
| which contradicted the notion that, to meet | | | | (BTUs) during a typical cooling season divided by |
| energy requirements, you have to generate more | | | | the total electric energy input in watt-hours during |
| energy. He thought you could meet those needs | | | | the season. The higher the SEER rating the more |
| by using energy more efficiently, not just | | | | efficient the air conditioner. |
| providing more. | | | | Furnace efficiency is measured in the percentage |
| From the technological point of view, making | | | | of fuel - for example, natural gas - that is turned |
| homes more energy-efficient is hugely important | | | | into usable energy - that is, heat. Thus and 80 |
| in reducing energy consumption. The steps | | | | percent energy efficiency rating is better than a |
| toward greater efficiency can be pretty simple. | | | | 70 percent energy efficiency rating. |
| For instance, you can exchange an incandescent | | | | Keep current furnaces and air conditioners in good |
| light bulb with a fluorescent bulb and get the same | | | | condition and, when the time comes, replace |
| light output for 13 watts that before required 60 | | | | them with high-efficiency models to save energy |
| watts. | | | | and money. |