European Energy Conservation

             With Europeans on some of the forefronts of waste conservation and eco-car manufacturing, there are also major differences in the European housing system. With homes that can be over 300 years old, they are not only well built, but also built without the modern commodities of indoor electricity, water and heating. So what do the Europeans do in this scenario?

            The add-ons to the normal European house include a water heater equipped with a timer and a “boost.” This timer determines when the heater is active. Instead of constantly heating unused water, this energy-saver only heats water either during a certain pre-set hour of the day, or when the boost is set. This boost, however, is only temporary, heating water immediately, but only for a two-hour time span, at max.

            In the same fashion of energy-conservation, many outlets, especially in the kitchen, use switches to turn the power to the outlet on or off. Instead of “vampire” appliances like the stove or microwave, which don’t run all the time but still use energy when off, these switches turn the energy from the switch off, preventing the drain on energy these appliances can cause. As a byproduct both of electricity being installed in the building long after it was first built, and as a necessity when living in a city with a heavy power grid. But in the end this novelty is a ingenious way to save on unnecessary energy usage.

            Other features of the houses are smaller rooms. Originally part of the reason for this was more compact building, but in the long run smaller rooms help conserve heat. In addition, each room has its own heating unit, helping each person to control their own personal climate without having to heat or cool the entire building.