Cyprus Heating

Nearly 60% of the energy used by homes is directly related to heating and cooling. Even though we think we're becoming more energy conscious, this figure is actually rising because the size of the homes we build has been steadily increasing since the 1940s.

Depending on which country you live in, electricity comes from burning fossil fuels, hydro-electric dams or nuclear power plants. Each of these have environmental consequences — from air pollution and global warming to habitat loss and nuclear waste.

Come on people, it's time to kick our bad habits and get into shape!
Check walls, doors and windows for drafts and seal them up — up to 40% of heat loss is from these areas. ( Check out this video.

Insulate everywhere — the roof, floors, walls, basements. It'll keep you cool in the summer and toastier in the cold seasons.

Any electronic gizmo that has a clock, digital timer, remote control or standby mode is sucking energy when it's not being used (it's called 'phantom electricity' — and it's scary how much of it there is). If you're not using them, unplug them.

Set up a 'charging station' for equipment that needs charging — plug everything into a power bar and turn that off until you actually need to charge something.

Switch to compact fluorescent (CFL) or LED light bulbs. They're 75% more efficient than conventional bulbs.

If you're buying a home, be sure it meets all new low energy building standards (which means it will use two-thirds of the energy of a conventional home). It costs a little more up-front, but in the long run, the design saves money on utility bills and boosts resale value.

Choose Energy Star appliances — they're way more efficient than their ancestors. A new refrigerator, for example, uses 40% less energy than a model produced before 1990 (AND saves you still more  on utilities).