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The Energy Saving Trust is concerned that efforts to reduce
power consumption in our homes will go into reverse as manufacturers
produce more energy-hungry ICE devices – (Information,
Communications and Entertainment devices). These new high
specification gadgets use more electricity than ever before and the
older products they replace tend to go to the kids’ bedroom. All of
them tend to be left on standby, using power 24 hours a day, as the
traditional on-off switch is less convenient to use.
So a homeowner will glow a self-righteous shade of green as they
load the laundry into their energy efficient washing machine. But
they don’t take into account that are now listening to the latest
episode of
The Archers on their power-sapping digital plasma TV and not
their old low-energy radio.
The Trust believes that eventually consumers will push
manufacturers and retailers into producing more energy efficient
goods. A recent step in the right direction is the drive to remove
the standby button and phase out high-energy light bulbs by 2011.
In order to accommodate all these new products in our homes,
The
National House Building Council now recommends that a new
three-bedroom house has a total of 38 electrical plug sockets.
Twenty years ago the recommendation was less than half this amount.
Hopefully though, the multi-plug extension lead will survive because
however many electrical plug sockets you have in a room, there’s
never one in the right place!
5th July 2007
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