Spain: saving energy is not so difficult

During one year, the Fundación Terra has carried out a programme called ?Ecosasa?, whose aim has been to contribute to saving energy at home and has also served to have a first-hand knowledge of energy consumption in more than two hundred dwellings in Barcelona. This study revealed that these households, made up of an average figure of 2,4 individuals, consumed 8,014 kWh/year, that is, 3,339 kWh/year and person. If only simple measures of energy saving were applied, such as a good thermic isolation, the use of efficient electric appliances and low-consumption bulbs, and a rational use of the thermostat, energy consumption could be reduced up to 2,018 KWh/year and person, which amounts to less than 40 per cent the average consumption. According to those responsible for the Fundación Terra, other things could still be done to reduce energy consumption a little further, such as using a thermic solar panel to heat water and in summer to cook with a solar cooker, which operates practically as a conventional cooker. If in winter the internal temperature is not raised over 20º and in summer the air-conditioned apparatus is kept off until the external temperature is over 29º, energy consumption is still lower and could be reduced up to between 1,700 and 1,900 KWh/year and person. Those responsible for this Fundación also state that neither the Catalan nor the Spanish Public Administrations have made the necessary efforts to incentive citizens to save energy at home. Public Administrations should also promote that new dwellings are built applying sustainability criteria, which is currently only the case of 10% of them. More information on: http://www.ecoterra.org