Winter warmth

Focus Questions

  1. Briefly summarise the Winter warmth story.
  2. A draught is…
  3. Why do draughts make a room harder to heat?
  4. How else can you stop heat escaping through windows?
  5. What is insulation?
  6. What are the benefits of insulating a building?
  7. What else can be done to heat a room efficiently?
  8. How much can you save by turning down your heating by a degree?
  9. What are the benefits of making a few energy saving changes to your home?
  10. What could you do to help heat your home more efficiently?

Winter warmth
Students will investigate how they can help reduce energy bills at home by conducting an energy audit/review. Using the tips in the BtN Winter warmth story check the following in your house:

  • Window coverings – curtains or blinds. Fitting effective coverings on your windows can cut your power bill substantially.
  • Insulation – how well is your home insulated? Insulation is the single most effective thing you can do to improve energy use.
  • Closing doors and only heating rooms that you are using. Turning off `zones’ if using central heating.
  • Draughts. In winter draughts can increase your heating costs by up to 25%. Sealing up gaps around windows and doors is simple and cheap.
  • Turning your heating down a few degrees can save money. What temperature is your heater usually set at?
  • Rug up! Do you wear extra clothes in winter?

What were you already doing at home to help save energy?

What improvements could you make to help save energy?

What was a surprising finding from your home heating/energy audit?

To find out how effective the changes have been, check your power bills and compare them with the same period last year.

Share your results with the class.

How can you educate the public about ways to save money and reduce pollution by making some changes around the home? Come up with a public awareness campaign to get the message out there.

Further Investigations

Write a statement about why you believe it is important to reduce household energy consumption.

Play the Energy Saving Game to find out more about how to reduce energy around the home

What does your school do to conserve energy? Use a mindmap to record energy saving devices, appliances or practices in your school. Suggest some ways your school could further reduce energy consumption.

Related Research Links

NSW Government Save Power – Save power on heating and cooling

Resource smart – How to heat your home more efficiently

SA Government – Designing an energy efficient home

© ABC 2012