Making your home more energy efficient can:
There are many ways you can save energy – from keeping your thermostat set at 24°C, or higher, to washing your clothes at a lower temperature. But as well as changing your habits, you can also make changes to your home to make it more energy efficient.
From water heaters to washing machines, more and more household products and appliances are becoming energy efficient.
These products can be a great way to save money on your energy bills. For example, if your air conditioning unit is over 10 years old, consider replacing it with a new energy-efficient one, with a high ESMA rating (4 or 5 stars). This will help you save up to 25% of cooling consumption.[@dubai-electricity-water-authority]
LED lights are also 85% more energy efficient than traditional bulbs. Each LED lamp you use instead, can save you up to 1,000 AED over its lifetime.[@supreme-council-of-energy]
You can reduce cooling consumption by:
You can save water by:
Solar energy is a form of renewable energy – it produces no emissions and reduces our reliance on fossil fuels. By installing solar panels, you can use sunlight to generate your own electricity or provide hot water.
You could benefit from Dubai's Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) initiative to connect solar energy to buildings. Any surplus electricity you don't use, can be exported to DEWA's network.
If you have cash available, using your savings can be a good option to fund home improvements, especially smaller projects. You can also avoid paying possible interest that may come with borrowing. However, it's important to consider whether there are any charges for withdrawing your savings and whether you'll have enough money left over for an emergency fund.
HSBC Energy-efficiency Loans are available exclusively to buy and install solar PV panels to help reduce your electricity bills.
They offer a discounted rate of 6.99% per annum, with no processing fee. This rate is subject to change and eligibility criteria apply.