riches through energy savings
DESCRIPTION
Finding energy savings for fun and profit! Created for NREL's Visitors Center.TRANSCRIPT
RICHES throughENERGY EFFICIENCY
a family game
1. Brainstorm some rewards your kids will want.
(For example: Trip to the ice cream
store, family game night, etc.)
2. Cut out achievement cards (see inside this sheet) and write rewards on them.
ACHIEVEMENT
Sleuth
Find 3 appliances that sti
ll use
power, even when they’re
turned off.
REWARD: __________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Awarded to: ________________________
ACHIEVEMENT
Sensor Sweep
Figure out the yearly energy
draw of five (5) appliances in
your home.
REWARD: __________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Awarded to: ________________________
3. Explain to the kids that you’re sending them on a scavenger hunt for opportunities to save en-ergy. However much money they can save the family over the next year, you’ll buy them something worth that much. Show them the achievements, too.
$
4. Help out with the scavenger hunt. They may need help with math and electrical safety.
5. Add up the savings!
The number you want to figure out
for each appliance is how many
kilowatt-hours it uses per year. Use
this formula:
(Wattage × Hours Used Per Day) ÷
1000 × Days Used Per Year = Yearly
Kilowatt-hour (kWh) consumption
If your appliance lists amps instead
of watts, multiply the amps by 120 to
get the watts.
6. Award achievements. (Put them up on the fridge.) Help the kids decide how to spend their windfall, and make the purchase with them.
7. Decide how you’ll spend the same amount of money on yourself next year…
ACHIEVEMENT
Sensor Sweep
Figure out the yearly energy draw of five (5) appliances in your home.
REWARD: __________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Awarded to: ________________________
ACHIEVEMENT
Sleuth
Find 3 appliances that still use power, even when they’re turned off.
REWARD: __________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Awarded to: ________________________
ACHIEVEMENT
Energy Hacker
Change the settings on your com-puter so it uses less energy.
REWARD: __________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Awarded to: ________________________
ACHIEVEMENT
Thermal Engineer
Find your hot water heater and lower the thermostat to 120° F.
REWARD: __________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Awarded to: ________________________
ACHIEVEMENT
Junior Electrician
Replace a traditional (incan-descent) bulb with a CFL bulb.
REWARD: __________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Awarded to: ________________________
ACHIEVEMENT
Senior Electrician
Replace five (5) traditional bulbs with CFL bulbs.
REWARD: __________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Awarded to: ________________________
ACHIEVEMENT
Photon Scavenger
Get rid of a lamp you can replace with sunlight.
REWARD: __________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Awarded to: ________________________
ACHIEVEMENT
Toasty
Buy a space heater for your room and use it instead of centralized heating.
REWARD: __________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Awarded to: ________________________