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| Source: interiorzine.com |
Assalamualaikum and a very good day
everyone! I feel really inspired to write about “Sustainable Smart Living
House” as another effort to support energy efficiency and sustainable energy
measures promoted by SEDA Malaysia. Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) Malaysia
is formed under the Sustainable Energy Development Authority Act 2011 [Act 726]
and SEDA Malaysia becomes the implementer of the Feed-in Tariff program for the
development of renewable energy effort in Malaysia. I
am sure that all of you are familiar with the roles being played by SEDA
Malaysia with their commitment in providing better future for the country right?
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| Source: ecobuiltsystems.com |
“Sustainable Smart Living House”
might be an unfamiliar phrase. It sounds expensive and alien to most of us. I
know that some of you are already thinking about robots managing the house with
technical items installed at every corner of the house, is it true? A
sustainable house means using energy efficiently and not more than necessary.
As we are all aware, electricity is the main source of energy used at home and
if we use so much of energy, we are actually contributing to the Renewable
Energy Fund administered by SEDA Malaysia. But how could this happen?
| Source: SEDA Malaysia |
Malaysia’s Feed-in
Tariff system requires the Distribution Licensees (DLs) such as Tenaga Nasional Berhad
and NUR Distribution Sdn. Bhd. (NUR) with this year’s addition of Sabah Electricity
Sdn. Bhd (SESB) to buy from renewable energy producers the electricity produced
by them. FiT rates are set by SEDA Malaysia with approval from KeTTHA to pay
for the renewable energy supplied to the electricity grid for a specific
duration. By having access to the grid and setting a favorable price per unit
of renewable energy, the FiT mechanism also ensures that renewable energy
becomes a viable and sound long-term investment for companies, industries and
individuals. This can happen very easily if consumers are registered under SEDA
Malaysia as one of the producers of renewable energy through solar panels,
small hydro power, biomass and biogas at their homes or private lands.
The Cabinet has
also agreed for the surcharge on consumers’ electricity bills that has been
gazetted and collected from consumers. 1% surcharge is needed to achieve the
target capacity of renewable energy in the long run. As of 2013, 1% surcharge
was imposed on all electricity customers and domestic electricity consumers are
obliged to contribute to the surcharge only if their monthly electricity consumption
exceeds 300 kWh or RM 77 a month. This money is channelled into the Renewable
Energy Fund and administered by SEDA Malaysia to pay the premium Feed-in Tariff
rate to those producers who generate electricity from renewable resources at
homes or in industrial companies. However, as of January 2014, this surcharge increases
by 0.6% to be 1.6 % for current electricity users. This increase will also
affect the consumers in Sabah and Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan as they are
charged with 1.6% of their electricity bills for the first time. Please refer
to www.seda.gov.my for more news and information about this
tariff.
So,
based on the above reasons, we must take several methods in saving energy usage
in our house. I will provide you with some possible ways to have your own
“Sustainable Smart Living House”. Remember that everyone can take part in this
small effort to inculcate an efficient living habit within ourselves. Let us
begin with a small but consistent step by applying these approaches:
Bedroom:
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| Source: hgtv.com |
-Purchase
5-star energy efficient fans or air-conditioner.
-Use
suitable curtain to reduce heat transfer into the room.
-Use
air-conditioner only when it is needed and set the timer.
-Use
appropriate fan speed and temperature of the air-conditioner.
Study Room:
-Use
task lighting to light up work desk.
-Do
not leave your desktop or laptop on standby mode.
-Unplug
router when not in use to save energy and to protect it from electric surges
during thunderstorms.
Bathroom:
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| Source: timticks.com |
-Buy
solar water heater if possible to save energy.
-Unplug
electrical appliances such as hair dryers when not in use.
-Do
not take unnecessary long showers to conserve electricity and water.
Porch/Garage:
-Use
energy efficient light bulbs.
-Opt
for hybrid or electric car if possible.
-Avoid
taking unnecessary trips as it wastes money and fuel.
-Drive
a car that is suitable to your needs, nothing too big or too small.
-Install
daylight sensor to ensure that the light is switched on accordingly.
-Make
use of natural light as much as possible.
-Turn
off and unplug appliances when not in use.
-Use
5-star energy efficient electrical appliances.
-Reheat
or cook smaller portions of food.
-Reduce
background lighting in the dining room.
-Concentrate
lighting when and where it is needed.
-Buy
appropriate size of refrigerator and microwave for your household.
-Avoid
placing warm food inside the refrigerator as it uses more energy to cool it
down.
-Wash
in cold water if possible.
-Sort
your clothes and wash at full load.
-Iron
as many clothes as possible at one time.
Environmental lawn:
-Reserve
space for grassy area to reduce heat.
-Plant
trees and flower pots to improve air quality.
Alternative
approaches:
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| Double-glazed windows |
-Use
clay bricks because it absorbs heat better.
-Use
double-glazed windows to reflect heat and UV rays.
-Install
solar rooftops to generate free energy from the sun.
-Install
skylight at the rooftop to ensure outside air enters the house.
-Rainwater
harvesting to water the garden and wash your vehicles.
-Use
roof insulation to reduce heat entering and cold air escaping the house.
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| Source: interiorzine.com |
Alright that is all that I can
describe about “Sustainable Smart Living House” for now. I hope that all of you
are clear about the simple steps that can be taken and some beneficial
investment that can be made if you want to use your energy efficiently. I will
see you again in my next blog post, thank you for reading!
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