Energy Challenge ends with varied success
Montgomery’s Energy Challenge has concluded, with participants experiencing a range of outcomes in their quest for energy conservation.
Participants discovered many factors that affect household energy consumption, such as the number of occupants, insulation, efficiency of heating/cooling systems and appliances, not to mention weather conditions. Each participant compared energy consumption for 2007 to 2008 after making a number of energy efficiency improvements.
The biggest consumer of household energy consumption is heating/cooling of the living space. One of the measures of conservation efforts in this area is to use Heating and Cooling Degree Days. Degree Days are determined by the average outside temperature for the day above or below 65 degrees Fahrenheit. According to the National Weather Service, Cincinnati was cooler in 2008 than in 2007 with a 9.1% increase in Heating Degree Days and a 32.8% decrease in Cooling Degree Days. These are fairly significant changes
and, unfortunately, cannot be quantitatively separated from the effects of the energy improvements made by the participants.
In the Energy Challenge, a wide range of results was reported by participants who experienced an average decrease of 11.7% in kilo watt hours of electricity used. Individual ranges were from +4.1% to -31.8%, and an average increase of 4.9% in CCF (CCF is one hundred cubit feet) of gas consumed with a range from +27.9% to -32.6%. The overall change in energy consumption was a decrease of 0.1% with a range from +14.65% to -32.33%.
As reported in a previous Montgomery Bulletin, the participants made many energy efficient changes to their homes and living habits during the Challenge time period. Those who had already made changes prior to 2007 may have been at a disadvantage if they had already made the easiest and most effective changes prior to participating in the Challenge.
One family with significant decreases in both electric and gas consumption worked with an energy consultant and a lighting designer to layout a lighting system. They added six inches of insulation to their attic and also insulated their garage. The Energy Challenge was sponsored by Montgomery's Environmental Advisory Commission with contest prizes donated by Kroger, PNC Bank, Montgomery Woman's Club and McCabe Do It Center.