Malaysian Households Release Substantial Amounts Of Green House Gas.

The average Malaysian household releases 600 kg of CO2 in approx 3.5  months. CO2 release is mainly due to the electricity usage in our homes – Source: Bernama.

For the same 600 kg of CO2 that an average tropical tree will absorb back, it will take 20 years (estimated life span) – Source: Naturefund

When you multiply the number of households in Malaysia with the estimated C02 release, wouldn’t you say that we are lucky to have so many trees in our country?

Armed with this information, do you think we should plant more trees or reduce our CO2 emissions per household?

Having both solutions implemented by as many concerned people in Malaysia, would be ideal. In this article, we won’t be talking about planting trees but instead, highlight some solutions in reducing energy consumption in households. If you are a property investor, this could potentially raise your rental revenue or property value.

Photo: Penang island (night time).

Household Energy Consumption

94% of Malaysia’s energy mix is from coal and gas. The byproduct is green house gases which cause global warming (Source: The Star Newspaper)

For those of us who want a better future for our family, friends and community – you could lament that many things out of our control or “There is nothing much I can do”.

Ever heard of the saying “It’s better to light 1 candle than to curse the darkness?”. In today’s article, we can’t cover all the solutions. However there are steps we can take to begin our journey in implementing solutions.

What if I said that we could lower our electricity usage by using some clever planning and new technology?  We will focus on how we can reduce electricity usage, maintain a comfortable temperature in a property and improve the property’s aesthetic look.

Solutions For Your Existing Property

A typical household uses electricity for activities such as “cooling” a.k.a. air conditioning, entertainment (digital televisions, laptops, tablets, etc), storing food (fridges & freezers), washing clothes and lighting.

Since Malaysia is a tropical country, this makes most of us “lovers of air conditioning”. So here is the question – how can we reduce the heat in our property so that we use less electricity to cool down our residence?

Here are some effective steps:

Insulation
Especially useful in landed properties, installing  insulation in your roof keeps heat entering your rooms from the ceiling.

Lighting
Use LED lighting (which are now very affordable) compared to using CLF bulbs. LEDs are more energy efficient and last longer – hence saving you money. LEDs also produce very much less heat (you can basically hold a LED bulb comfortably even though it’s been turned on for awhile).

Windows
Applying UV tinting (similar to those used in cars) and thermal curtains, will significantly cut down the sunshine rays coming into your property.

Appliances with inverters
Inverter technology has come along way. Look for appliances with the word “inverter” in air conditioners, washing machines and fridges. Such technology helps you save electricity.

Improved air circulation
When air is properly circulated in a premises, a more comfortable temperature is maintained. One could even increase the temperature on your aircond  (hence saving energy) when a good air circulator is used. Vornado fans are easily available in the Klang Valley and act as a good air circulator.

These are just a few ideas and there are more solutions out there. Do you now see the link between using good planning & new technology to reduce electricity use plus maintain a comfortable temperature?

Now we’ve come to the part where the above solutions can potentially be used to increase your property rental price or value.   We can have an impact investor who wants to invest in a property’s renovation with the above solutions. This will help the property owner to increase the monthly rental. Here is how it works:

Should any of you have a landed property/condominium unit and wish to connect with me to improve your rental revenues or property value using eco solutions, please write to me: sf350ppm@gmail.com

Dom is a resident of Petaling Jaya & currently resides in Damansara Kim. In my spare time, I hang out with folks from environmental and sustainability groups. The issues we face require urgent solutions via system change.

More Info About Me at http://www.about.me/wdominic