There’s never been a more important time to crack down on our energy usage and source more ecofriendly ways of powering our homes. In 2015, the country’s peak electricity demand was 45% higher than the average demand in 2014. Our earth is precious and we all have a responsibility to try and mitigate the impacts of anthropogenic climate change. Despite being individuals we need to work as a collective to achieve sustainability as a nation.

At Schneider Electric, we’re passionate about encouraging everyone to do their bit to help the environment. That’s why we’ve developed a number of products and solutions that are among the highest quality in terms of energy efficiency, without sacrificing productivity, safety or reliability.

Here’s how you can take advantage of ecofriendly technology in your home:

1. Switch to LED downlights

Lighting can make your home come to life – so we understand the importance of getting this right. With energy saving performance, LED downlights provide the ideal energy efficient lighting solution. Whatever look you’re going for, they will provide a suitable solution for both indoor and outdoor spaces.

Utilise LED downlights that include innovations to not only ensure energy efficiency, but reliability and safety.  Most come with in-built dimming drivers, allowing you to smoothly control dimming performance and brightness. Having the ability to reduce light intensity further decreases energy consumption.

2. Adopt electric vehicles and chargers

New Zealand’s CEOs are highlighting electric cars as the easiest and quickest way to reduce carbon emissions, and with renewable electricity at the equivalent of 30 cents a litre, switching to an electric car is a very effective way to reduce emissions.

New Zealand is a great fit for electric vehicles due to a number of factors; our significant renewable electricity resources, the average distance driven per day is low (33km), and most people (85%) have ready access to a power source to charge their car.

Technology for charging vehicles has come a long way, and solutions such as Schneider Electric’s EVlink Wallbox offer a quicker and safer charge than with a domestic socket-outlet.

3. Opt for smarter switches and sensors

Keeping an eye out for simple energy-efficient products not only helps the environment, but can also help the budget! Using timer switches reduces your energy consumption rate by ensuring energy is only running at specific times throughout the day.

Indoor sensors are another great tool which helps you cut down on energy usage and expenditure. An indoor sensor will turn your light on only when required – meaning you can save by not having them on continuously. This simple technology could save you up to $204 per year!

4. Implement a sophisticated energy monitoring tool

This will allow you to monitor and analyse your electrical consumption. The only way you can improve energy efficiency in your home is by having a rough idea of how much energy you’re using in the first place.

PDL by Schneider Electric’s Ecomind is a user-friendly tool which allows you to achieve all of this and more. You’re able to set and track electricity consumption targets and manage and plan demand to save up to 10% on your electricity bill. You can also graphically display and monitor your electricity usage on your computer or digital device at home or remotely. Importantly, the Ecomind allows you to display your instant, average and historical electricity usage in dollars ($), kilowatts (kWh) and carbon tonnes (KgCO²).