Home Energy Audit: Electricity Use
Supplement

Introduction

1. What do you plan to do in this lab?
2. Why is this lab relevant to you?
3. Why is this lab relevant to U.S. and world energy issues?

Background

1. Who is the energy producer for this community?
2. What are the methods of generating electricity for this community?
3. How will you determine how much energy is used by each of your appliances (include formulas for figuring wattage)?
4. How will you determine how much electrical energy is used by your household?
5. How does your electrical energy use affect the environment?

Data/Observations/Analysis

1. Analyze your electric bill for your household.
   1. what was your bill for one month?
   2. what is your yearly cost?
   3. what are you being charged for electricity?
   4. is your charge the same at all times of the day?
2. Analyze your electrical appliance use using your spreadsheet.
   1. Include your spreadsheet of appliances in your home
   2. Which appliances were your "energy hogs"?
   3. Which appliances were a surprise to you on their energy use? Why?
   4. What was your CO2 output because of electrical use?
3. Analyze what you could do to make a difference and reduce environmental impact.
   1. What would be choices that you could make with use of appliances that could make a difference?
   2. What would be choices that you could make with purchase of appliances that could make a difference?
   3. What choices could your family make to improve the energy efficiency of your home or future home other than appliance use?
   4. What would be choices that you could make in urging our community leaders, legislature, and power companies to make a difference in environmental impact and having a sustainable future?
4. What were the 3 most important things you learned from this activity?