An efficient heating system can cut your costs and your carbon footprint.

When it comes to heaters, don’t be lured by low purchase prices alone. “Basically, the cheaper it is to buy, the more expensive it will be to run,” warns Mick Harris, technical advisor for the Alternative Technology Association.

So which heating options are energy-smart and eco-friendly (besides an extra jumper)?

Generally, space heaters are more economical than central heating. “To be efficient, it’s ideal to heat your main living areas rather than your whole house,” Harris says. “Put a super-efficient gas heater in your living area and keep little electric heaters in the bedrooms to turn on for twenty minutes at the start or end of the day.”

Among space heaters, high-efficiency natural gas models and slow-combustion wood heaters both score low ongoing costs and low greenhouse emissions. Top star-rating reverse-cycle air conditioners are energy efficient, but produce more CO₂ if they use coal-fired electricity from the grid.

Power-hungry portable electric heaters fare the worst, so use them sparingly. Oil-filled column heaters normally use less energy than comparable bar radiators or fan heaters (which cost about 40 cents per hour, according to Harris).

With central heating, ‘zoned’ systems are best, because they allow you to heat only the areas you need. For long-term frugality, go for high-efficiency, ducted natural gas, or a hydronic system powered by gas, solar or slow-combustion wood. Some existing central heaters can be retrofitted with zoning – ask a heating specialist.

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Efficient appliances will save energy and money.

When your old white goods conk out, it’s wise to buy efficient new ones, says Ian McNicol from Sustainability Victoria. “Energy prices are certain to rise over the life of the appliance – typically about 13 years – so the savings from buying high-efficiency products will get bigger and bigger.”

To help you choose well, government regulations require that key appliances carry labels detailing their energy and water use. From next year, governments also plan to take over the industry-run rating scheme for gas appliances, starting with water heaters.

For now, all the labels carry up to six stars – the more stars the better. They also include a standard consumption figure in the sticker’s central box to make it easy to compare like-products. You’ll find the labels on all white goods, as well as air conditioners, gas space and water heaters, toilets, urinals and fittings such as taps and showerheads.

Wide-screen televisions are our newest power-guzzlers. “The energy consumption some of the bigger TVs can be as large, if not larger, than a refrigerator,” says Mr McNicol. Last November, the federal government introduced voluntary television energy labelling and it’s slated to become mandatory from 1 October 2009. TVs will also be the first to be rated up to ten stars for the super efficient – other products will follow.

“With a one star improvement, the appliance can be from 10 to 30 per cent more efficient, depending on the appliance type,” Mr McNicol says, “and they’re not necessarily more expensive upfront.” 

Stopping draughts is cheap and extremely effective.

“If you seal a building, you can increase its energy efficiency by 30 to 40 per cent,” says environmental building consultant Jan Brandjes. “Whenever there’s a slight pressure difference between inside and outside, air will always travel through gaps. It’s like a pinhole in the bottom of an aquarium.”

Because of draughts, the air in an average Victorian house is replaced 1.5 times every hour on a calm day, according to Mr Brandjes. In strong winds, the exchange rate can be up to 20 times per hour. “Fixing air leakage is the cheapest and easiest way to save energy,” he says.

Common leaks include exhaust fans, wall vents, downlights, and chimneys and evaporative coolers (without dampers). There are usually cracks around doors, windows, skirting boards, cornices and floorboards. Also watch out for gaps around internal doors to heated areas and to ventilated rooms such as bathrooms or toilets.

Hardware stores sell a wide range of draught-excluders, weather-strips, caulking compounds and fillers. “Most people can seal the majority of leaks by themselves for very little money,” Mr Brandjes says. He estimates that gap-sealing materials for the average house will cost DIYers about $200.

To get the best results, however, Mr Brandjes suggests hiring professionals, such as Air Barrier Technologies, to test and draught-proof your home. An expert job on a difficult house can cost over $1000, including labour. “Even then, it’s a good investment with a short payback period,” he says.

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Eco-paints are good for your health and for the planet.

 It might signify a job well done, but that new paint smell can be bad for you. The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in conventional paint give off low-level toxic fumes that can worsen asthma and cause headaches, among other health problems. They also add to air pollution. “On exterior surfaces, the ‘off-gasing’ of VOCs produces smog,” says Daniel Wurm, from Green Painters. Happily, there are eco-friendly options.

Low VOC

Most brands offer low VOC coatings in the full range of colours, for about the same price as premium grade paints. To avoid greenwash, Mr Wurm recommends products bearing the Good Environmental Choice Australia tick. It certifies that the product is low VOC and that its manufacturing process met environmental performance standards.

Natural paints

“If you’re serious about making a difference to the environment you can’t beat natural paints,” Mr Wurm says. They’re made from renewable or highly abundant resources such as clay, linseed oil and citrus oil, and come in a wide range of colours. The only catch is cost: up to double the price of standard paints. “But in comparison to a house, it’s still a very small amount,” he says.

Heat reflective paints

Exterior paints are now available that are both insulating and low VOC. “They can cut your cooling costs by up to 40 per cent,” Mr Wurm says “They reflect solar radiation so they stop the heat from getting into your house in the first place.”

Scratch around with backyard bantams

“Chooks have personalities,” says poultry enthusiast Debra Maffescioni. “In a group, there’ll be a shy chook and there’ll be one that runs straight up to you. They’re sensational pets.”

Conveniently, they also produce food – if you treat them right, you’ll get fresh, organic, free-range eggs. And if you’re a gardener, chicken poo is free fertiliser.

Ms Maffescioni’s business, Book A Chook, supplies (either for hire or purchase) everything you need to keep hens. She recommends that city dwellers keep smaller bantam chickens, rather than full size birds, which need more space and can be destructive. Most bantams lay an egg every second day (weighing about 45 grams). They’re easy to care for, even if you’ve got other pets. “Cats don’t bother chooks,” Ms Maffescioni says, “and most dogs can be trained to accept them. Visiting dogs are the biggest threat.”

Regulations

Check with your local council – each one has different rules. Nearly all will let you keep at least a few chooks without a permit. Most don’t allow roosters, but be sure to find out. “Keeping a rooster is good for the hens,” Ms Maffescioni says. “If you can do it, I’d highly recommend you do.”

Expenses

Pure breed bantams cost between $25 and $40. September is hatching time, but hens are in demand, so it’s a good idea to put your request in early. Ask Poultry Stud Breeders and Exhibitors Victoria for a list of local poultry clubs and reputable breeders.

Ms Maffescioni estimates that it costs about 20 cents per day to feed a fowl. Serve up table scraps and chook pellets or seed mix, available from pet shops and stockfeed suppliers.

Essentials

Bantams don’t need a lot of space – so long as you provide dirt for dust bathing, even an inner city courtyard will be enough room for two. They’re social animals, so you need to keep more than one. Chooks need shade, shelter and water. The coop must be fox-proof, and have a roost for sleeping and a nesting box for laying.