• Question: do you think a engineer could make homes use the same amount of electricity but pay less on there electricity bill

    Asked by olivia10 on 17 Nov 2017.
    • Photo: Rhys Phillips

      Rhys Phillips answered on 17 Nov 2017:


      I think a better option is to make things more efficient so that we use LESS electricity but without it having a negative effect on our lives.

    • Photo: Eleanor Sherwen

      Eleanor Sherwen answered on 17 Nov 2017:


      Yes, I put solar panels on the roof of my house when I was in York and that meant I didn’t have an electricity bill any more. You have to pay for the panels but they save more than they cost over their lifetime.

      But also, I agree with Rhys that it’s even better if engineers can help with having the same level of comfort in your home but using less electricity for it.

    • Photo: Kayleigh Messer

      Kayleigh Messer answered on 19 Nov 2017:


      I agree with Rhys and Eleanor – I think engineers can make things use less electricity, and also better, cleaner, cheaper ways of making electricity in the first place.

    • Photo: Andy Woods

      Andy Woods answered on 20 Nov 2017:


      We are already using less electricity. In the UK the home electricity demand is falling as people move to efficient LED lighting and more efficient home appliances. I think the cost of electricity needs to increase to show the cost of the CO2 emissions which aren’t always accurately captured in the price but do have a cost to us all.

    • Photo: Emma Grayshon

      Emma Grayshon answered on 20 Nov 2017:


      I think the others have answered this. It is possible, but engineers are obliged by their profession to make best use of resources and find the most sustainable solution.

Comments