Barcelona’s residential consumption accounts for 30% of the total energy consumed in the city. As for household consumption, roughly 28% comes from domestic hot water; 25% from central heating; 39% from appliances (electrical household appliances and others); 7% from lighting and 1% from refrigeration.
Consumption in the commercial sector represents 34% of the total consumption in Barcelona. This consumption, by the commercial sector and the services sector (without taking into account large facilities), is distributed in the following way: 5% comes from domestic hot water; 27% from heating; 17% from air-conditioning, and 51% from machinery and electric equipment (except air-conditioning).
These data correspond to the figures from Barcelona’s latest energy assessment, published in 2018.
That is why it is vital to work to save energy both in the home and in the workplace, not only to contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but also to reducing your electricity bill.
At home and in buildings
- Raise your blinds and open your curtains to make the most of daylight.
- Don’t leave lights on in unoccupied rooms or areas.
- Turn off conventional fluorescent lights when you leave a room for more than 10 minutes.
- Use LED light bulbs: they are brighter than conventional bulbs but use a lower voltage.
- Make a rational use of your computer and electrical devices; don’t forget to switch them off when you are not using them and do not leave them on standby.
- Make sure you have good thermal insulation to keep the sunshine at bay during the summer (blinds, awning) and prevent the loss of heat in the winter (good insulation in walls and roofs, double glazing, curtains etc.).
- Adjust your thermostat to a suitable temperature (21ºC in the winter and a maximum at 26ºC in the summer). Relative humidity must be between 30% and 70%, in both cases. Many meteorological stations currently collect this information.
- Use A-rated electrical household appliances (the most efficient in water and electricity saving).
- Do not use the oven or microwave to defrost. Take food out of the freezer in time and defrost it in the fridge.
- If you would like to find out more about energy-saving measures, you can download this practical guide here: Saving Guide
- Workshops and activities to learn how to save energy: Saving workshops Link to the Sun Factory and the ‘Get Some Energy’ programme
- Turn off lights and electrical appliances that are not being used. You can install motion sensors to activate lights only when they are needed.
- If a building has more than one lift, don’t call them at the same time and, if possible, prioritise using the stairs.
In shops
15% of energy consumption in the city comes from shops. That is why it is important to take an energy inventory of commercial establishments, know how to choose the best tariffs, the necessary power for each particular case and measures to optimise facilities.
These tips and materials can also be useful to Improve energy performance of shops
- Improve lighting
- Improve appliances
- Improve air-conditioning
- Improve industrial refrigeration equipment
There are also workshops as part of the ‘Get some Energy’ programme specifically for shops
Calculadora energètica
Per poder estalviar millor és recomanable, en la mesura del possible, fer una auditoria energètica que permeti plantejar una sèrie de millores en matèria d'eficiència energètica per reduir els consums d'electricitat, gas i aigua. A la llar, es pot dur a terme una auditoria simplificada o utilitzar eines com la calculadora energètica.
Rehabilitar per estalviar
L'Ajuntament de Barcelona impulsa anualment ajuts a la rehabilitació d'habitatges orientats a la generació i estalvi d'energia.
Promoting electric vehicles
Barcelona has a wide range of shared electric vehicle services (mopeds and cars) to solve journeys that cannot be made by public transport, on foot or by bike.
