Saudi Arabia: 4 steps to reduce energy consumption in buildings
“SEEC” Recommends Periodic Maintenance of Household Appliances The campaign has also pointed out that washing the external cooling pipes of the air conditioner helps remove the dust. Maintenance of electrical appliances, including refrigerators, washing machines, and freezers extends their lifespans and maintains good energy consumption rates.
SEEC stressed the importance of considering 4 steps upon developing a design for buildings to reduce energy consumption.
SEEC declared, through its (#To_Last) awareness campaign, that buildings’ designs and thermal insulation play a significant role in saving energy consumption. SEEC also highlighted the importance of thermal insulation in buildings, urging architects to take benefit, when designing buildings, from the natural conditions and lighting as much as possible.
SEEC has also mentioned (4) steps that help to improve the climate within buildings under design. These steps include giving much consideration to buildings’ general appearance and orientation, as the perfect general appearance enables the building to receive the least amount of sunlight. Therefore, a rectangular shape is the perfect building outline, and the longitudinal side faces the sun.
Moreover, SEEC emphasized the importance of window design, which represent a weakness point of the building. Windows allow heat to enter into the house easier than walls. Therefore, window space should be reduced to the extent that neither extorts the beauty of the building nor prevents natural lighting from getting into the building. Windows should not also directly face the sun. Architects can design geometrical shapes of the protrusions that can be utilized as a canopy for the window openings. This can reduce the sunlight entering the building. In addition, double-paned windows should be used to reduce the heat transfer to the building.
Furthermore, SEEC mentioned that appropriate green landscapes give a sense of relaxation and save energy in winter and summer. It is preferred to plant on the southern side of the building deciduous trees in winter to shade the building in summer and allow sunlight to pass through. On the northward, westward, and eastward, it is preferred to plant evergreen trees to prevent sunlight from accessing the house in summer and act as windbreaks.
#To_Last campaign urged using light colors to reflect the rays whether it is sunlight or any indoor lighting, and the used paints for the external walls, marble or stone shall be of a light color to reflect the sunlight and reduce absorption and heat transfer into the building. This means the low energy consumption of the AC. The campaign explained further that indoor paintings reflect sunlight, and reduces the absorption and transfer of heat into the building. This means the low energy consumption of air conditioners.
On the other hand, the campaign advised those who desire to buy a new vehicle to search for the “fuel economy label” as it tells how efficiently the vehicle consumes fuel and helps the buyer compare different models and vehicles to choose the best fuel-saving one.
The campaign also noted that it is necessary to pay attention to several matters, including the engine technology, such as the turbocharger and the supercharger, the technologies of the gearbox, airflow, and the other technologies affecting the vehicle’s performance. Small engines can give a performance equivalent to that of larger engines thanks to the aforementioned technologies.
The campaign stressed that keeping the vehicle in good technical condition, through periodic maintenance, helps maintain good fuel consumption rates. This is because periodic maintenance of vehicles is an extremely important matter for extending the lifespan of the vehicle and maintaining fuel consumption within the normal limits for which the vehicle is designed.
The campaign has also pointed out that using the navigation system to specify destination, whether in the vehicle or the mobile phone, helps save the vehicle’s fuel. This is because it shortens the trip time and distance.
(#To_Last) campaign urged citizens and residents to perform periodic maintenance to their household electrical appliances to extend their lifespans and maintain energy efficiency.
The campaign has also recommended maintaining air conditioners in particular, as being the most used domestic electrical appliances. This can be easily done by cleaning the internal filters and external radiator. This can help extend its lifespan, raise its efficiency and improve air quality.
