Electricity and gas prices are getting more expensive – Expert: This is how households can save 25 percent of their heating energy

Lamia Messari-Becher is a civil engineer and professor of building technology and building physics at the University of Siegen. In the past, she was both a member of the German government’s Advisory Council on Environmental Issues and a member of the German Building Ministry’s Future Building Science Committee. “Germany has made serious mistakes in energy policy. What we need is a diversified energy transition, storage technology, storage infrastructure and a real heating transition,” she comments on the current situation in an interview with manager magazin.

Messari cup: Heating systems are often not set correctly

The goal must be to produce electricity, heat and fuel in a climate-neutral manner and to think bigger – not just looking at individual buildings, but entire districts as units. But households are now dealing with high energy prices and are expecting high electricity and gas bills this fall and winter. Many people buy electric fan heaters to pay the slightly low (but also high) electricity prices instead of skyrocketing gas prices.

Messari-Becher says very clearly: Electricity cannot replace all forms of energy. She recommends that private households go into the boiler room at short notice. “Around 25 percent of the thermal energy could be saved just by going into the boiler room. Many systems are not optimally adjusted – which a craftsman could easily fix,” says the expert.

From resource consumption to resource use

In the medium term, increasing the recycling rate is the best solution. Regarding the heat transition itself, she says: “We don’t have to completely rethink the world, but correct our way of doing business: Away from resource consumption towards resource use. That means using materials as sparingly as possible and always returning them to the cycle.”

Messari Beaker isn’t the only energy expert with tips for this fall and winter. According to the North Rhine-Westphalia consumer advice center, it is relatively easy to reduce the power consumption of computers and laptops, and similar to the boiler room, there is also the perfect setting for the refrigerator. The consumer center of Rhineland-Palatinate recommends to the daily news that the refrigerator should be kept at seven degrees and the freezer at -18 degrees. Temperatures that are just one degree Celsius lower could consume around six percent more electricity. ADAC spokesman Jürgen Grieving also recommends driving more slowly to the Tagesschau: “You can save fuel by driving as evenly as possible. Frequent acceleration processes increase fuel consumption, as does high speed. In general, the faster I drive, the higher will the consumption.” With the right driving style you can save up to 20 percent fuel.

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