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Save smart!

Gas and electricity prices have already risen significantly since last year – and will probably skyrocket when the expected gas shortage hits in autumn. But it’s not all bad news… You can save quite a lot of energy by changing your habits and adjusting some settings in your home. While landlords are responsible for major upgrades, tenants can also make numerous adjustments themselves. In view of the current situation, that’s not only good for your own wallet, but also a win for the climate.

Heating

Around two-thirds of the energy consumed in German households is used for heating, so there is a lot of savings potential there. Studies have shown that, in extreme cases, a wasteful household needs twice as much energy to heat the same living space as an economical one. Two of the most important factors are room temperature and ventilation – and both can be directly influenced by residents.

How to heat and ventilate your home

  • Set the room temperature according to room use
  • Turn off your radiators when airing out your home!
  • Briefly open your windows fully to let in fresh air, opening them on opposite sides of the room where possible (don’t keep your windows tilted open for a long time)
  • Do not cover radiators and thermostatic valves with furniture or curtains; remove any dust deposits
  • Bleed your radiators on a regular basis
  • Check the seals on your windows and doors and repair if necessary
  • Set a lower temperature at night
  • If you are absent during the day, lower your heating settings until just before you get home; use the holiday setting if you are going to be away for several days
  • Close your curtains, blinds and shutters at night
  • If you have a gas or oil boiler at home, have the heating curve optimally adjusted by a professional
  • Remember to schedule regular servicing for your heating system
  • Electrical heaters are the most expensive form of heating

Upgrade your heat pump

  • Opt for high-efficiency pumps with an EEI value of ≤ 0.23
  • Make sure that your pumps are not oversized
  • Reduce your pump operating times
  • You may choose to turn off the hot water circulation or set a timer for the times when hot water is absolutely necessary; this will not be a problem in your own home, and the circulation pump may be operated at intervals in rental properties
  • Have your heating system upgraded by a specialist company and request hydraulic balancing
  • Replace your heat pump – more information on costs, instructions and subsidies for replacing your heat pump is available here: co2online.de

Electricity

Your ability to save electricity will vary depending on the type of building you live in, the facilities installed in your home and your own consumption habits. You can significantly reduce your energy consumption by consciously using your devices in an economical manner, and especially by opting for a more efficient alternative if a replacement is due. We have put together a few tips for saving energy:

Working from home or after work

  • Switch your computer and other devices to eco / energy-saving mode
  • If you take a short break, switch your devices to stand-by mode
  • If you take a longer break, switch off your devices completely at the socket
  • When buying new devices, only choose the technical features you actually need
  • Disable any features that you don’t use
  • Unplug chargers when your mobile devices are fully charged
  • In case of doubt, use an instrument to check whether a device’s power switch actually disconnects it from the mains or merely puts it in an apparent “OFF” state

Refrigerators and freezers

  • Make sure the size of your refrigerator is right for your household – cooling an empty space uses up an unnecessary amount of electricity
  • If you have a free-standing appliance, remove dust from behind the refrigerator grille every two years
  • Leave hot food to cool before putting it in the refrigerator
  • Open your refrigerator and freezer doors as briefly and infrequently as possible; check whether the door seals are clean and intact from time to time
  • Use a thermometer to check the temperature inside your refrigerator: 7°C is sufficient and requires less electricity than 5°C; the ideal freezer temperature is -18°C
  • Defrost your appliances as soon as a clear layer of ice has formed
  • If you spend an extended period away from home, you should unplug your refrigerator (defrost and leave the door open)

Laundry

  • If it makes sense from an energy perspective, you can connect your washing machine to the hot water supply
  • Wash your clothes on the lowest temperature setting – 30°C is usually sufficient for slightly dirty laundry
  • Make good use of your washing machine’s capacity
  • Avoid the pre-wash and 90°C settings
  • Run as few gentle cycles as possible due to the small load and increased water levels
  • It should be possible to completely switch off your appliances or disconnect them from the mains using a switchable plug

Drying

  • If possible, hang your laundry outdoors or in an unheated drying room (preferably not in your heated home due to the release of moisture)
  • After washing your clothes, use the washing machine’s highest spin speed to remove any excess moisture from your laundry; this shortens the drying time and will save energy if your laundry is then put in a dryer or in heated rooms
  • Always dry similar fabrics together where possible
  • Fully load your appliance without overloading it; otherwise, you will end up with more creases in your laundry
  • Do not “over-dry” your laundry (this is automatically prevented in appliances with a moisture sensor)
  • It should be possible to completely switch off your appliance (not just on stand-by mode)

Cooking and baking

  • You can save energy by making sure that the lids for your pots and pans close tightly; glass lids don’t have to be lifted as often (make sure they have good handles)
  • Keep your pots, pans and electrical hobs clean; sandwich bottoms (aluminium on the inside, stainless steel on the outside) improve thermal conductivity from stove to pot and save energy (not with induction stoves)
  • Use the right-sized pot for each hob and the amount of food you want to cook
  • If you have automatic hobs, set them at the right level throughout the cooking process (read appliance instructions); this will not delay the heating process
  • You can make use of residual heat by switching off your appliance before the end of the planned cooking or baking time (not with induction or gas)
  • Keep your food and drink warm without using energy (e.g. with a thermos flask or haybox)
  • Defrosting food in a refrigerator can save energy in two ways: The frozen food cools the inside of the refrigerator and can then be heated up more quickly on the stove
  • Vegetables, potatoes and eggs do not have to be covered by water when cooked in a closed pot
  • Pressure cookers can reduce cooking times and energy consumption by up to 60% for long recipes and by 30 to 40% for quick recipes
  • You can prevent heat loss by using thermally insulated cooking pots
  • Pre-heating your oven is often unnecessary
  • You can save energy by using other appliances for certain tasks (e.g. kettle, coffee machine with thermos flask, egg cooker)

Lighting

  • If you are looking for new bulbs, LEDs are the best option because they consume less power than energy-saving light bulbs and can be switched on and off more frequently; however, you shouldn’t throw away any energy-saving bulbs that still work just for the sake of replacing them with LEDs
  • Leave your lights off when you are not at home (unless a light is switched on by a timer to deter burglars while you are on holiday)
  • Use general light sparingly and bright light where needed
  • Adjust the brightness according to use
  • Use motion sensors and twilight switches for outdoor lighting
  • If you have halogen bulbs and can’t replace them with LEDs or energy-saving bulbs, choose IRC light bulbs

Dishwasher

  • Have your dishwasher moved from the cold to hot water connection if your hot water is heated centrally via a solar installation
  • Load your dishwasher as fully as possible
  • Select programmes that run at a low temperature (eco programme)
  • Do not pre-rinse by hand

Water

It takes a lot of energy to heat water, but you can reduce your water and electricity consumption every day with a few little tricks.

Everyday savings

  • You can use around 50% less water – and save lots of energy – by taking a shower instead of a bath
  • Minimise the time you spend in the shower and make sure the water isn’t too hot
  • Wash your hands and clean your teeth with cold water
  • Always fully load your washing machine and dishwasher and run them on eco mode; this may take a little longer, but it saves water and energy

Smart installations

  • Installing economical fittings (e.g. shower head or aerator) makes it really easy to save water and energy
  • You can heat water with the power of the sun by installing a solar thermal system on your roof

Sound advice

If you have any questions about saving energy, you can get more information from the Consumer Advice Centre in Bremen, regional energy suppliers and other municipal and independent organisations. Their advice is usually provided free of charge or for a small fee. The following summary shows which services are suitable for you.

Please note that some advice may only be offered in German.

Offer For all tenants Personal consultation Home visit Free of charge
Energy savings check Aimed at all low-income households
Basic check: Bremen Consumer Advice Centre
Energy advice from swb Aimed at swb customers swb customer service centre
Zappenduster Aimed at households at risk of having their utilities cut off (electricity, heating, water) At an advice centre
GEWOBA energy savings check Aimed at GEWOBA tenants
BUB: energy and environmental advice By phone or at an advice centre
Heating check: energiekonsens and Bremen Consumer Advice Centre Aimed at homeowners Fee: € 30
Insulation check: energiekonsens Aimed at homeowners Fee: € 30

Energy savings check

This check is aimed at low-income households in rented properties.

  • Devices are installed free of charge to provide immediate assistance and a follow-up report is prepared (two home visits)
  • Topics: electricity, heating, water, consumption habits, device efficiency, subsidised refrigerator replacements (in Bremerhaven)
  • The check is carried out by energy saving experts
  • It is a free service

Contact details and registration for Bremen
Tel.: +49 421 / 69 49 73-10 or stromspar-check@wabeq.de
WaBeQ GmbH gemeinnützig + BEKS Energieeffizienz GmbH
wabeq.de/wohnen/stromsparen

Contact details and registration for Bremerhaven
Tel.: +49 471 / 30 93 406 or +49 471 / 30 942 658
umweltscouts@foerderwerk-bremerhaven.de
BEKS EnergieEffizienz GmbH + Förderwerk Bremerhaven GmbH
stromspar-check.de

Basic check: Bremen Consumer Advice Centre

This check is aimed at all tenants in rented properties.

  • The check is either carried out at home – with a brief report delivered in the post (one appointment) – or at an advice centre
  • Topics: electricity, heating, water, consumption habits, device efficiency, mould and humidity indoors
  • The check is carried out by energy consultants from the Consumer Advice Centre
  • It is a free service

Contact details for Bremen
Tel.: +49 421 / 16 07 77 or +49 800 / 80 98 02 400

Contact details for Bremerhaven
Tel.: +49 471 / 26 194 or +49 800 / 80 98 02 400

Verbraucherzentrale Bremen e.V.
verbraucherzentrale-bremen.de

Energy advice from swb

This check is aimed at swb customers.

  • Energy advice at swb’s customer service centres
  • Topics: electricity, heating, water, subsidy schemes
  • The check is carried out by swb’s energy consultants
  • It is a free service

Contact details for Bremen
Tel.: +49 421 / 35 93 590
swb Vertrieb Bremen GmbH
swb.de/service/energieberatung

Contact details for Bremerhaven
Tel.: +49 471 / 47 71 111
swb Vertrieb Bremenhaven GmbH und Co. KG
swb.de/service/energieberatung

Zappenduster

This advice is aimed at households at risk of having their utilities cut off (electricity, heating, water).

  • The services are provided at one of the partners’ advice centres; advice can be given in several languages
  • Topic: What can you do if you can’t pay your energy bill?
  • The services are provided by various advice centres: Social Services Office (AfSD), Jobcenter, Consumer Advice Centre, WaBeQ, Förderwerk Bremerhaven, swb
  • The advice is provided free of charge

Contact details for Bremen and Bremerhaven
Tel.: +49 800 / 87 65 430
Runder Tisch Energiesperren
zappenduster-bremen.de

Energy savings check for GEWOBA tenants

This check is aimed at all tenants in GEWOBA properties.

  • Devices are installed free of charge to provide immediate assistance, a follow-up report is prepared and information is provided in various languages (two home visits)
  • Topics: electricity, heating, water, consumption habits, mould prevention and device efficiency
  • The check is carried out by energy saving experts
  • It is a free service

Contact details for Bremen
Tel.: +49 421 / 69 49 73 22 (WaBeQ gGmbH) or
energiesparcheck@wabeq.de

Contact details for Bremerhaven
Tel.: +49 471 / 30 94 26 57 (raumwerkerei)

Project sponsors
GEWOBA Aktiengesellschaft Wohnen und Bauen + Bremer Energie-Konsens GmbH

BUB: energy and environmental advice

This advice is aimed at all tenants in rented properties.

  • Telephone advice or on-site support at an advice centre
  • Topics: electricity, heating, water, consumption habits and mould prevention
  • The advice is provided by BUB’s environmental consultants
  • It is a free service

Contact details for Bremen and Bremerhaven
Tel.: +49 421 / 70 70 100
Bremer Umwelt Beratung e.V.
bremer-umwelt-beratung.de

Heating check: Bremen Consumer Advice Centre and energiekonsens

These heating checks are aimed at homeowners who would like to upgrade or replace their heating system.

  • Subsidised home visit
  • Topics: upgrading old systems, planning new systems, reducing heating bills
  • The advice is provided by energy consultants from the Consumer Advice Centre
  • Fee: € 30

Contact details for Bremen
Tel.: +49 421 / 16 07 77
Bremen Consumer Advice Centre

Contact details for Bremerhaven
Tel.: +49 471 / 2 61 94
Bremerhaven Advice Centre

heizungsvisite@vz-hb.de
energiekonsens.de/hauseigentuemer-in/heizungsvisite

Insulation check: energiekonsens

These insulation checks are aimed at individuals who own residential properties with up to ten units.

  • On-site advice regarding insulation
  • Topics: insulation materials, suitable insulation thickness, building designs, subsidy schemes
  • The advice is provided by qualified energy consultants
  • Fee: € 30

Contact details
Bremen: Tel.: +49 421 / 37 66 710
Bremerhaven: Tel.: +49 471 / 30 94 73 71
daemmung@energiekonsens.de

You can get all the information you need and register for an insulation check here: energiekonsens.de/daemmvisite

Moin 2038