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HEATING BUILDINGS
Energy used for heating typically accounts
for 19% of your personal CO2 emissions, and is thus an
area where you can realize significant savings. On this page, you
will find many ways to reduce the amount of energy you use for heating,
some of which will cost you no money at all. Some of these measures
are eligible for rebates from KeySpan or NSTAR. (Click rebate
for more information)
We´ve provided the approximate CO2 reductions
for many of the energy saving actions. (For some, we don´t
know the amount but you will be saving energy & CO2!) We hope
that these will help you calculate the effect of your reductions.
The numbers on this page show results for heating with natural gas,
oil and electricity.
Free ways to save on heating energy:
Close damper on fireplace when not in use
Close heating vents in unused rooms
Lower thermostat by one or two degrees, more if you
can
Lower thermostat when not home or when you´re
sleeping
Close drapes after sunset in the winter
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| Low
cost saving measures: |
Natural
Gas
(CO2 lbs/yr saved) |
Oil
(CO2 lbs/yr saved) |
Electric
(CO2 lbs/yr saved) |
- Install a programmable thermostat
- Plug large air leaks in the basement and attic
- Replace and re-putty broken window panes
- Weatherize windows and doors
- Use air gap window films during the heating season
- Change or clean your heater air filter
- Install a heat recovery ventilator
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955
1330
--
555
660
--
-- |
1320
1830
--
770
910
--
-- |
1015
1410
--
590
700
--
--
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| Measures
with higher costs, but short payback periods: |
Natural
Gas
(CO2 lbs/yr saved) |
Oil
(CO2 lbs/yr saved) |
Electric
(CO2 lbs/yr saved) |
- Caulk and weatherize all leaks (many can be found where
wires and pipes cut through walls
- Seal and insulate heating ducts
- Have heating system tuned up every few years
- Put insulating shades on your windows
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--
1355
480
-- |
--
1870
660
-- |
--
1435
510
-- |
| Cost-effective
measures requiring a significant investment: |
Natural
Gas
(CO2 lbs/yr saved) |
Oil
(CO2 lbs/yr saved) |
Electric
(CO2 lbs/yr saved) |
- Insulate walls
- Insulate attic
- Insulate basement
- Install insulating windows
- Install a high efficiency furnace
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765
1910
1035
--
3825 |
1060
2640
1430
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5280 |
810
2025
1100
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4055 |
For more information about high efficiency
heating systems, visit the American
Council for an Energy Efficient Economy website.
All CO2 reduction numbers are from Richard
Heede of the Rocky Mountain Institute. This work is supported by the
Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund, Winslow Foundation and Sun Hill Foundation.
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