- BY Mathew Mullan
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Many of us have successfully adapted to working from home life,
and what may have seemed unfamiliar at first now feels more routine.
Working from home & energy use
New research carried out by British Gas has revealed a number of trends regarding how working from home affects everyday energy consumption. The biggest highlight is that there’s a 38% increase in energy usage currently occurring around lunchtime – 1pm – as households use appliances to prepare meals while simultaneously going about their work tasks.
Likewise, there’s evidence to suggest that a lot of people are staying up later than usual. According to findings, between 10pm and 7am overall energy consumption is higher (most likely due to lights, TVs, iPads etc being used throughout the night more).
It’s safe then to assume that working from home habits are changing the way we use energy in the house, potentially causing bills to rise.
Which household appliances use the most energy?
Wherever you go in your home, there’s always an appliance running, whether gas or electric. Sometimes, even when you think they’re idle! The main energy-hungry culprits are:
Cooling and heating systems: 47%
Water heater: 14%
Washing machine and tumble dryer: 13%
Lighting systems: 12%
Fridge: 4%
Oven (electric powered): 3-4%
Television: 3%
Dishwasher: 2%
Computer (desktop PC): 1%
How much extra does it cost to work from home?
As we continue working from home, energy bills could rise with lots of us looking for ways to stay warm indoors. In fact, recent research by Uswitch has predicted that households where people are already working from home will use 25% more electricity and 17% more gas per day. Those living in cold, leaky homes could see their heating bills reach up to £124 per month, compared with £76 per month for residents who have well-insulated, energy-efficient homes – a difference of £49 (£48.70) per month.
Working from home energy saving tips
Here are several things you can do while working at home to help keep your energy bills at a stable level
Stay in one place. While moving from room to room is an easy habit to get into during work-from-home hours, it can unwittingly increase your energy consumption.
Take charge of your schedule so that you don’t work longer than necessary. Although this can be tempting, especially at home, you’ll only be wasting energy and money. And burning yourself out in the process!
Keep heat to a minimum. Wrap up warm in a cosy jumper while working from home in winter. Save energy by only using your thermostat when needed, which your smart heating system can help with. There’s also the possibility of changing temperature by room if you have a smart thermostatic radiator valve (TRV) installed.
Get acquainted with the eco settings on your appliances. Today’s dishwashers and washing machines usually feature environmentally friendly cycles that keep your items clean and your costs down.
Try not to overfill the kettle on your coffee break – otherwise, you’ll waste electricity heating water you don’t need.
If you plan on using the oven at lunchtime, try batch cooking or baking several things simultaneously, to take advantage of the energy used to heat it. By the same token, if you use the hob, place a lid over each saucepan to lock in the heat. This will save you energy and money long-term.
Make sure your home is properly draught-proof and insulated to prevent cold air from entering through gaps around doors.
When the working day is done, unplug all unnecessary devices from their outlets.
