Energy Consumption and Efficiency in Australian Homes Report

This report analyzes energy consumption within a residential setting, focusing on various energy sources and appliances. It begins by listing different energy means used in a room, including electricity, sound energy, and LPG gas, and identifies the air conditioner and electric hot water heater as the two highest energy-consuming appliances. The report then examines the sources, costs, and environmental impacts of these appliances, comparing their energy usage, alternatives, efficiency, and associated costs. It delves into the environmental consequences of air conditioners and electric water heaters, considering factors like ozone layer depletion and greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, it discusses different types of water heaters (standard, high efficiency, solar, and point-of-use) and their respective costs and environmental impacts. The report also highlights organizations in Australia that promote energy efficiency and suggests ways to improve energy usage and reduce environmental impacts. Finally, the report includes a cost-benefit analysis for one improvement option and concludes with the best suitable option and its rationale.

MASTERS OF
ENGINEERING

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ASSIGNMENT 3.......................................................................................................................1
QUESTION 1.............................................................................................................................1
a) List all means of energy used in a room.............................................................................1
b) Identify two appliances which consume the most energy..................................................2
c) Determine the sources of energy, cost and environmental impact.....................................4
d) What organizations in Australia promote energy efficiency in general and illustrate the
ways for the use of different products in a room....................................................................9
e) Identify soft tools used in reducing the energy consumption or environmental impacts.11
f) Identify ways to improve the higher energy usage...........................................................12
g) Perform the cost benefit analysis for the one improvement option.................................12
h) Conclude the best suitable option along with the reasons................................................14
QUESTION 2...........................................................................................................................14
Executive summary..................................................................................................................14
INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................14
BACKGROUND......................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES.........................................................................................................................15

ASSIGNMENT 3
QUESTION 1
Energy plays an important role in the lives of an individual without which the survival
of an individual on the earth is not possible. In physics terminology, it is a kind of property
that converts an object to perform work activity. SI unit of energy is Joule as its frequency is
measured in Joule. Different forms of energy includes kinetic energy that helps in moving
object from place to another Common examples of kinetic energy includes automobile such
as car, scooter used for transporting an individual from place to place (Knoop and
Lechtenböhmer, 2017). Common sources of energy are electric energy, mechanical energy,
elastic energy, chemical energy, radiant energy and thermal energy.
a) List all means of energy used in a room
Electricity is the basic energy used in a room as this is the basic requirement of every
individual to live in a rook without this a person can die due to suffocation (Park and et.al.,
2017). Different ways of electric energy includes Fan, Air conditioner, Washing machine,
Watching television, Tube light, Mobile and laptop charger, Electrical appliances, Kitchen
induction.
Sound energy is also common source of energy that gives space to move the sound
from one place to another as sound can move in the longitudinal distance waves. Music
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systems used in a room for entertainment purpose creates high or low frequency that pass the
sound from one place to another. A person can hear high volume as it creates difficulty for
another in concentrating on its work (Ge, 2017). Sound can travel from wooden door or glass
up to 50 metres. High volume of the music systems creates heavy air pressure and low
volume of sound have less air pressure which controls the movement of the sound to the
longer distance.
Basic requirement of an individual is food shelter and cloth out of which food is
regarded as the basic needs of a person which can be fulfilled by cooking food. LPG gas is
used for cooking food is one of the important form of energy (Padhi and et. al., 2017). Liquid
purified gas used in cooking food is one of the kinds of propane as flammable mixtures. LPG
cylinders are used for domestic purpose which is a mixture of propane and butane whose
atom formula is C3H8 and C4H10.
b) Identify two appliances which consume the most energy
Two appliances of the electrical energy has used in a room utilizes the most energy
whose alternatives needs to identify by an individual too save the energy (Peskin and Powell,
Dominion Resources, Inc., 2017). Reduction of higher energy consumption is essential to
procure the energy for the future generations. In the current world, the concept of
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sustainability has increases in which people has aware about the excessive consumptions of
energy in its daily routine by replacing the same with the highly efficient energy resource that
fulfils all the requirements of the person (Trianni, Cagno, Marchesani and Spallina, 2017).
There are two appliances used in a home that consumer’s higher energy needs to be identified
by an individual to contribute in safeguarding all the resources for all the future generations
are given as below:
Air conditioning uses the most energy as rich class people uses this appliance the
most to show its status in front o the society. Air conditioner counts in the category of luxury
items in which AC placed in a home fulfils the requirements of an individual (Farret and
Simões, 2017). The appliance has compared with different parameters such as energy use,
alternatives, efficiency, frequency and costs incurred in using the air condition in a home.
On the contrary, geyser also consumes the most of the energy used in a room. In
winter an individual uses this appliance to reduce the cold as without using electric hot water
device they can’t live properly (Masekoameng, Simalenga and Saidi, 2017). Comparison has
drawn between air conditioning and electric hot water using its usage, alternatives and costs
incurred by a person to fulfil its requirements. The impact of environmental is also
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considered as an important factor while evaluating different sources of energy and its higher
or lower energy consumption.
Type of
appliances
Energy
use
Alternatives Efficiency Frequency Cost
Air
conditioner
3000 to
5000
watts per
hour
Air fan and
Cooler
Energy
efficiency
ratio (EER).
The higher
rating of this
ratio shows
highly
efficient air
conditioner
9 hours in a
day
0.134 per
Kwh and
$120.60
per month
Electric Hot
water(Geyser)
4500 Watt Solar water
Heaters
Minimum
Efficiency
electric heater
has 50 gallons
storage
volume,
Highly
efficient
heater with
more than 50
gallon storage
volume.
2-3 hours in a
day
Installation
costs $889
for 40-50
gallon
tank.
c) Determine the sources of energy, cost and environmental impact
Above two appliances that use the most energy consumption are air conditioner and
electric water heater (Agarwala and et. al., 2017). Efficiency of these two appliances has
compared on different parameters such as energy usage, alternatives, efficiency, frequency
and cost of utilizing and installation. Cost is that factor that changes the perspective of an
individual in buying one stuff from another on the basis of cost incurred by them while
purchasing the appliances (Mutkule and et. al., 2017).
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These two appliances utilized in a house of an individual belong to the category of
electrical energy. Different forms of the energy are gas, coal, electricity and solar from which
different energy kinds use by a person according to their tastes and preferences (Shad and et.
al., 2017). A person shift from one source to another in terms of costs incurred in using a
particular energy source. Higher costs of electricity in using these two appliances can be
compensating by shifting from electrical appliances to solar energy source. A solar energy
resource is far better than the electric source regarding cost incurred on it.
Appliances Cost Environmental impact
Air conditioner 2.5kW unit costs around $86,
5kW unit will costs around
$179 and max to max its
costs around $445.
Apart from maintenance
costs of air conditioner by an
individual it’s purchasing and
installation costs is also
considered while evaluating
the best suitable option
(Rezvani, Bahri, Urmee,
Baverstock and Moore,
2017).
Purchasing costs air
conditioner ranges from
$3716 to $7180 out of which
an individual prefers
different ranges of Air
conditioning systems
according to its budget,
features available in the AC.
Cost of installing Ac will
costs an individual around
$150-$300 according to the
total size of the Air
Apart from giving coolness
to a person during summers,
it is very harmful for the
whole environment as it
affects the ozone layer of the
earth. Chlorofluorocarbons
released by the Air
conditioning systems
increases the global warming
as it reduces protective ozone
layer which increases skin
diseases due to direct
emission of sun rays on the
body of a person. The gas
released from AC helps in
depleting the ozone layers
which increases the sun
temperature and arouses the
need of purchasing large
number of Air conditioning
systems to increase the
global warming in the
environment. Other than
CFC gas realised by this
system, it also promotes the
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conditioning systems. emissions of the green house
gases which is the common
factor to increase the global
warming in the external
environment in inducing the
risks of various diseases.
Electric hot water Cost of electric water heater
has categorized into four
segments whose costs differ
from each other such as
standard, high efficiency,
solar and point of use is
mention as below from
which an individual can use
according to their choice
(Zeigler, Elias and Barreau,
Bergstrom, Inc., 2017).
Standard water heater can
costs around $250-$500 as a
purchasing costs and its
installation will costs around
$700-$2000 depending on
the overall size of the heater.
Size of the standard water
heater will around 20-80
gallon of water capacity
whose total life span will be
1 year which is great deal for
an individual.
High efficiency water heater
is another important option
that is versatile that comes in
two different option that run
In terms of emissions and
waste reduction the water
heaters are regarded as the
best’s suitable alternative as
compared to the air
conditioners that meet all the
expectations of the external
environment (Environment
impact of solar water heater,
2012). Apart from higher
costs of purchasing and
installing the solar water
heaters, it is best option to
increases the sustainability
concept awareness among
people by safeguarding the
electricity in the environment
by utilizing the sun energy as
the main component of using
the water heaters.
Environmental performance
has measured of solar water
heater with the help of life
cycle assessment study
conducted by an individual to
tests the efficiencies of all the
water heaters available in the
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for gas as well as electric
heaters helpful in energy
savings. It is start certified
product with energy
efficiency of 0.62 which uses
10-20% of the overall energy
used by other water heaters.
Apart from energy efficiency
as one of the important
feature of this product, the
cost of this product ranges
from $620-$1500 along with
installation expenses of
$700-$2000 depends on the
location of an individual as
maintenance personnel
charges higher costs for far
way locations in the
Australia. Life span of the
water heater is 15 years
which is similar with the
standard water heaters.
Solar water heater is the best
suitable option in saving all
the energy of an individual as
sun is the major source of
energy for running this
appliances as it is depended
on the common source of
energy in the for o electricity
which other appliances
depended on.
Solar water heater is energy
efficient but it is not costs
market to promote the best
suitable heaters in the
markets.
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efficient as the total
equipment costs of
purchasing this appliance
ranges from $8000-$10000
which is not affordable by all
the individuals whose life
span is double the life span
of the standard water heater.
Last option of using the
water heater is point of use
water heaters which is
available for meeting specific
requirements in a house for
temporary purpose. This kind
of appliances is used for
kitchen faucet. Professional
plumber is not required for
installing these appliances as
normal individual with basic
skill can install this
equipment which saves the
installation expenses of an
individual. The water storing
capacities of these appliances
comes in various categories
such as 2.5 gallon, 6,10,15,20
and 30 gallons of water
which suits the needs of all
the individuals’ ranges from
small and neutral family to
joint family type.
Cost of this water heater
based on the water capacity
measured in gallons as costs
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of 2.5 gallons of water is
$200 and $ 400 for 30 gallon
heater. The size of water
heater is less as compared to
all the heaters such as solar,
standard and high efficient
water heater.
d) What organizations in Australia promote energy efficiency in general and illustrate the
ways for the use of different products in a room
Energy efficiency council in Australia works especially for the betterment of the
people of the country in safeguarding various sources of energy equally for present as well as
future generations (Mittal, Kasana and Thakur, 2017). The concept of sustainability has
promoted by this council to aware the citizens about the optimum utilization of the energy in
their homes without depleting the source from its roots. This association come into existence
to take care about the energy resources available in the environment to regulate its usage by
an individual’s by keeping the needs and expectations of its future generations (Energy
efficiency council, 2017). It is non-governmental organization whose motive is to perform
social welfare activities to meet the social needs of the society without emphasises on earning
of higher profit. This organization set up in 2009 with the support of 70 members from
corporate and government sector to offer quality oriented advice on the usage of energy after
meeting quality initiatives set up by this panel.
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The mission of this council helps in achieving all the aims and targets develops by the
council to be achieved within a given span of time. The focus of this council lies on
protecting the interest of the society in using all the energy sources optimally without using
any energy resources excessively (Acerbi, Eand et. al., 2017). Stability of the government
policies helps an individual in focusing one of the policies appropriately as they know about
the changes in the policies to govern the energy efficiency resources available in the market.
Another association developed in the Australia is related to the renewable energy
industry associations whose target is to rejuvenate all the energy sources by reusing the
energy in increasing the storage capacity of all the source of energy (Australian renewable
energy industry associations, 2017). Different variants of this association includes Australian
geothermal energy associations, Photovoltaic institute, Solar council, Solar Thermal energy
association, bio energy Australian, Bio fuels associations of the country, Bureau of resources
and energy economics, Clean energy council, energy efficiency councils (Allouche, Varga,
Bouden and Oliveira, 2017). These sub parts of the renewable energy association is to
achieve all the targets framed by these separate associations and bodies whose major motive
is to increase the overall quality of all the resources used in the environment.
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