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VANCOUVER: New BC Hydro data¹ shows most British Columbians care a lot about conservation and saving energy, but many are not taking as much action as they would like to and want to take their efforts to the next level.

BC Hydro’s most recent Residential End Use Survey shows most (70 per cent) of BC Hydro customers actively think about saving energy, and about 59 per cent even ‘feel guilty’ if they do not make, or forget to make, an effort to conserve electricity. This is up six per cent over the past three years.

At the same time, there has also been an increase in the number who think saving energy can be difficult. About 44 per cent of BC Hydro customers said saving electricity requires ‘a lot’ of effort, and a quarter feel that they ‘have to give up something’ to conserve energy at home.

“There’s a misconception that saving energy can be difficult, especially during the colder darker winter months when customers turn up their heating and use lighting and appliances more often,” said Susie Rieder, BC Hydro spokesperson. “Saving electricity does not have to mean making sacrifices, it just takes a bit of planning, and BC Hydro has tools and incentives to help.”

BC Hydro offers a free program called Team Power Smart to help make managing and reducing electricity easier. On November 1, BC Hydro doubled its Team Power Smart Reduction Challenge reward from $50 to $100 for a second year. Customers who sign up for the challenge from Nov.1, 2024 to Jan. 15, 2025 will be eligible for the reward if they reduce their usage by 10 per cent over the course of a year. Last year, nearly 72,000 British Columbians activated the $100 reward, resulting in energy savings of 20 gigawatt hours per year.

Cutting back household energy use by 10 per cent is easier than it sounds. Team Power Smart challengers will receive energy saving tips and advice, as well as access to member-exclusive events, contests, and deals. BC Hydro also recommends the following ways to get to that 10 per cent reduction this year:

• Heat smart: Heating is the biggest use of energy in B.C. homes during the fall and winter months. Heating costs rise about five per cent for every degree above 20 degrees Celsius. Keeping the temperature at 16 degrees when away from the home and sleeping, 18 degrees when doing housework and 21 degrees when relaxing can help avoid wasted heat (and higher costs).
• Invest in a smart thermostat: A smart thermostat will automatically adjust the temperature, depending on the time of day and your home’s activity. Using it to control electric space heating, can help reduce electricity used for heating by nearly 10 per cent.
• Heat in zones: Only turn on baseboard heaters in rooms that are occupied. Close doors to bedrooms and offices when baseboard heaters are turned on to keep the heat in.
• Seal gaps and cracks: One of the simplest, lowest-cost ways to improve the efficiency of your home is by applying draft-proofing around windows and doors to keep the cold air out, and warm air in. Draft-proofing can reduce heat loss by up to 10 per cent.
• Watch the water: Showers can be the largest single contributor to a home’s hot water use, accounting for up to 15 per cent of a household’s total electricity use. Low-flow showerheads could cut a shower’s energy costs by more than half.
• Change up your laundry routine: Around 80 per cent of a clothes washer's energy use goes towards heating the water. Washing clothes in cold water is a simple way to reduce a washing machine's energy use. Using a clothesline or drying rack for wet laundry when you can, is another simple way to reduce energy use as dryers use up to 12 per cent of a household’s total energy.
• Use the tools: Use BC Hydro’s electricity tracking tools to see how adjusting the thermostat can impact a household’s electricity use and costs.

Join the thousands of British Columbians who have successfully completed a Team Power Smart Reduction Challenge and sign up today at bchydro.com/jointheteam.

Contact:
BC Hydro Media Relations
e. media@bchydro.com
p. 604 928 64698

^{[1] BC Hydro Residential End Use Survey 2023}