Real estate electricity makes one third of the total energy consumption in a Finnish home. In electrically heated houses, warm water, too, is usually heated with electricity. As the structural energy efficiency of houses improves and the need of energy for heating is reduced, the respective share of electricity and warm water has increased.

The easiest way to save electricity is to switch off lamps and devices when they are not in use, including the stand-by mode.

The share of lighting (bulbs) is about one third of electricity consumption in a Finnish home; cooking and entertainment electronics both take less than a quarter; cooling appliances take less than one fifth and laundry about 5%. If an apartment has a sauna, its heating easily takes one fifth of electricity.

Although household appliances’ energy efficiency has improved, electricity consumption has been increasing because the amount of appliances is increasing. The easiest way to save electricity is to switch off lamps and devices when they are not in use, including the stand-by mode.

Means to reduce the carbon footprint of electricity

• Start using green electricity. You can tender out green electricity providers at www.ekoenergia.fi
• Study your own electricity consumption. Most electricity companies provide consumption tracking and statistics per hour on their website. Compare your consumption with other respective households and think what creates most of it and how to reduce it. Do you have devices that are continuously switched on?
• Change to LED lights when you need to change the bulbs. LED consumes 90% less electricity compared to bulbs and less than energy saving lamps. www.lampputieto.fi
• Choose appliances and devices with the best energy classification. However, use your existing items for as long as possible because their manufacture consumes energy and natural resources.
• Motion sensor lights and timer lights help save electricity, particularly outside.
• Use solar panels or wind to produce electricity.