Air conditioning changed both building design and people’s active management of home temperatures. A return to houses designed for our climate can keep us comfortable and cut energy use and emissions.
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Articles on Energy use
Displaying 41 - 60 of 67 articles
Bitcoin may have a large carbon footprint, but cleaner digital currencies aren’t going to prevent an environmental disaster.
Water and energy use are becoming more efficient, which is good news for both the economy and the environment. But Australia has yet to realise the value of national environmental accounting.
If the US were to stop dumping these valuable metals in landfills and to cease exporting them as cheap scrap, its imports could fall, and there would be less of these metals being made from scratch.
Our study found that office workers performed just the same, whether the air conditioning was set at 22°C or 25°C. But making that tweak can cut energy use by 18%.
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This episode is all about bitcoin. Will it be the currency of the future? Who’s trying to capitalise on the legal loopholes of cryptocurrencies? And is it possible to make mining them more green.
Advocates say daylight saving time saves energy and wins wars. But studies show that injuries and illnesses rise when the clocks change. Some states may end the practice; others could make it permanent.
Not everyone can afford to pay for solar panels up front, but local planners can help disadvantaged households overcome energy poverty in several ways.
The idea of a hot and sunny land is so baked into our thinking about Australia that we’ve failed to design and build houses that protect us from the cold.
Western Australia has huge amounts of sunshine and wind, yet only 7% of its energy comes from renewables. What’s more, most households in the poorest suburbs are still locked out of the solar panel boom.
Smart appliances, which let you control lights and power outlets via your phone, promise to cut energy bills. But research suggests these gadgets are confusing, and can just as easily raise power use.
Before you spend up on heating and cooling, here are a few simple retrofits to try first.
As the weather heats up, Australian households won’t just be cranking up the air conditioning for themselves. Some households will also be turning it on for their dogs or cats.
Urban greening programs need to consider the harmful impacts of artificial lighting on ecosystems. Fortunately, we can do a lot to create more biosensitive lighting.
Daylight saving time advocates say it conserves energy and wins wars. But studies show that injuries and illnesses rise when we switch the clocks. One solution: staying on DST year-round.
Most people say they want to save money and the environment, but their actions suggest otherwise.
Companies could improve their profits 2-10% each year by saving energy, according to a world-first attempt to assess energy performance.
Australia, like much of the rest of the world, is in the midst of an energy transition, driven by falling demand and uptake of renewables. Community energy is one way we can mange this transition to the benefit of all Australians.
Electricity forecasts just 4 years ago predicted strong, uninterrupted growth in electricity demand. In reality, demand has fallen for the past four years. Why?
The unveiling of Tesla’s Powerwall home battery has been hailed as a huge moment in renewable energy. But don’t forget the other innovations that can help you use that stored power more efficiently.
Top contributors
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Associate Professor, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University
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Associate Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research & Innovation, College of Design & Social Context, RMIT University
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Senior Industry Fellow, RMIT University
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Professor, Emerging Technologies Research Lab, Monash University, Monash University
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Research fellow, University of South Australia
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Associate Professor of Economics, University of Arizona
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Senior Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University
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Associate Professor in Property, The University of Melbourne
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Research Fellow, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University
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Professor of Housing Research, University of Adelaide
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Research Principal, University of Technology Sydney
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Assistant Professor of Economics, Claremont McKenna College
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Senior Lecturer in Urban and Environmental Planning, Griffith University
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Professor of IT, Southern Cross University
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Professor of FinTech History and Global Trade, Northumbria University, Newcastle
