Table of Contents · Garage or Basement 20 Laundry Room 22 Part 3 – Total Your Savings . . . . . . . . . . . 23 ... Energy auditors inspect buildings to make them more energy efficient

1To learn more, visit thinkenergy.org/XcelEnergy© 2020 National Energy Foundation

Table of Contents

Part 1 – Getting Started at School . . . . . . . . . 2What Is Energy? 4

Think! Energy Activity 4

Where Does Energy Come From? 5

Think! Energy Discussion 6

How Do We Produce Electricity? 7

How Do We Use Energy? 8

How Can We Be More Energy Efficient? 8

Part 2 – Complete at Home with Your Family . . . . . 9Heating and Cooling 10

Lighting 11

Bathroom 13

Kitchen 16

Living Room or Media/Office 18

Bedrooms 19

Garage or Basement 20

Laundry Room 22

Part 3 – Total Your Savings . . . . . . . . . . . 23See the Light 23

Go with the Flow 25

Take Action! Pledge 27

Notes 28

2 To learn more, visit thinkenergy.org/XcelEnergy © 2020 National Energy Foundation

Part 1 – Getting Started at SchoolYou, your classmates and teacher are beginning a fun and exciting program where you will Think! about energy, Talk! about energy and most importantly, Take Action! to reduce energy and water use You will learn how every individual can take an active role in saving energy As part of this program, you will be receiving a Take Action Kit with energy-efficient products to install at home

You will be completing Part 1 of this guide at school with your teacher and Parts 2 and 3 at home with your family In Part 1 you will learn about energy topics and in Parts 2 and 3 you will Take Action! with your kit at home Now let’s get started by following the steps listed below

1 Your teacher may give you the Pre-survey before you begin

2 Enjoy watching the Introductory Presentation with your class As you watch, listen for the answers to the following questions and write them below • What kind of energy is energy of motion?

chemical potential kinetic • Name an example of a nonrenewable resource • What is the primary source of all energy?• What kind of light bulb lasts up to 25 times longer than

a traditional bulb?


3 Your teacher will now read through Part 1 of the guide with you Answer the activity questions and discuss energy careers described in the shaded boxes throughout the guide Which career best matches your interests for a job?

4 Take this guide, the Home Energy Worksheet and your Take Action Kit home Complete Parts 2 and 3 of the guide with your family You will install products that can save energy and money

Look for this icon where information from the guide will need to be recorded on your Home Energy Worksheet .

5 Complete the Home Energy Worksheet in one of two ways:

• Visit thinkenergy .org/XcelEnergy to fill out an online worksheet You will need to enter the teacher ID found on your paper worksheet

• Fill out the paper worksheet and return it to your teacher

Careers in Energy – Mechanical EngineerMechanical engineers have a vast knowledge of machines and tools, including design, use, repair and maintenance They make sure machines are installed, operated and maintained properly Mechanical engineers also explore why equipment fails and give advice to the maintenance crew Their average salary is $78,500 per year

(Source: payscale .com, accessed October 2019)


What Is Energy?

Energy is the ability to do work or cause a change Your body uses energy to walk, talk and run We also use energy in our homes to heat and cool the air, heat the water, run lights and power televisions, refrigerators and video games

Energy comes in many forms, including light, heat, electrical, mechanical and chemical energy Chemical energy is stored in the bonds between atoms

What has atoms? Everything! The food you eat contains chemical energy that is released when your body breaks down the bonds between the atoms in food Coal releases chemical energy in a power plant when it is burned, breaking bonds between its atoms

The two main types of energy are kinetic energy and potential energy Kinetic energy is energy of motion, like a turbine in a power plant or you riding a bike Potential energy is energy waiting to be released, like the chemical energy in your lunch or in a lump of coal

Let’s go on an energy scavenger hunt! Search for different forms of energy in your classroom Can you find:

• two things that give off light energy

• three things that use electricity

• an example of kinetic energy• one thing that has potential

energy

What do you notice about the things that give off light? Do they also use electricity or give off heat?

Think! Energy Activity


Where Does Energy Come From?

We get energy from natural resources A natural resource is anything we use that comes from the earth or sun Natural resources are classified into two main types: renewable and nonrenewable Renewable resources are naturally replaced, so they go on and on Nonrenewable resources are replaced very slowly or are not replaced at all, so once they are gone, they are gone

Renewable resources include solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy, hydropower and biomass Light and heat energy from the sun are solar energy Wind energy can make electricity with a wind turbine Electricity generated using water is called hydropower or hydroelectricity Wood is an example of biomass, energy from living things Geothermal energy is generated from the earth’s heat

Wind and hydropower are energy in motion, kinetic energy Biomass is energy waiting to be used, an example of chemical potential energy

Careers in Energy – Energy AuditorEnergy auditors inspect buildings to make them more energy efficient They look at how a building is built and the ways it uses energy They look at the lights, the heating and cooling systems, etc They write reports with results of an energy audit and make suggestions for energy cost savings Their average salary is $41,500 per year



Nonrenewable resources used for energy include uranium and fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas These resources come from underground and must be mined or pumped out of the earth

Uranium is the fuel for a nuclear power plant It gives off heat used to produce electricity Coal and natural gas are also used to make electricity and are the most common fuels for power plants in the United States

Natural gas may be used to cook or heat your home and heat water Oil, also called petroleum, is used to make gasoline Coal, natural gas and oil are important resources which contain chemical potential energy

The electricity we use in our homes is man-made It is not a natural resource but a secondary resource It is generated from all of the renewable and nonrenewable resources we have talked about in this guide So when we use less electricity, we use less of the resources needed to produce the electricity

This graph shows the energy resources used by Xcel Energy to supply electricity in 2018 The U S Energy Information Administration reports that about 17% of our nation’s electricity comes from renewable resources How does the Xcel Energy resource mix compare?

Other Renewables - 4%Solar - 2%

Coal33%

Natural gas29%

Wind19%

Nuclear13%

Renewables6%

Visit xcelenergy .com/energy_portfolio/electricity/power_generation to see if your community makes more electricity from renewable or nonrenewable resources? Why do you think your community uses those resources?

Think! Energy Discussion

(Sources: xcelenergy .com/energy_portfolio/electricity/power_generation, accessed October 2019)


Electricity Sent to Distribution Lines

Steam Spins Turbine

Turbine Spins Generator

Electricity Travels to Substation

Burn Fuel

Most of our electricity is made in a power plant, often using fossil fuels Remember that coal, natural gas and oil contain chemical potential energy The chemical energy turns into heat and light when the fuel is burned The heat turns water to steam, which turns a turbine (that is mechanical energy) The turbine is connected to a generator that produces electricity whenever the turbine is spinning Electricity is transported from where it is generated to your community through power lines

Careers in Energy – Power Plant OperatorPower plant operators are in charge of operating and controlling equipment to produce electricity in a power plant Their average salary is $61,400 per year

How Do We Produce Electricity?



How Do We Use Energy?

Most families in the United States useabout half of their energy for lightingand to power appliances like the ovenand electronics such as computersand televisions Over one-third of theaverage family’s energy is used to heat and cool their homes About one-seventh of their energy use is to heat water for showers, washing clothes, etc We use a large amount of energy every day, so it is important to use energy wisely

How Can We Be More Energy Efficient?

Energy efficiency is controlling how much energy we use with more efficient technologies When we are efficient with energy, we use less energy to accomplish the same amount of work To be more energy efficient, use the three Ts – Think! about how energy is used, Talk! to your family about ways to use energy wisely and Take Action! by changing behaviors and installing the items in your Take Action Kit

Lighting, Appliances and Electronics

Water Heating

Heating and Cooling

Careers in Energy – Line WorkerLine workers install and repair cables, wires and other critical transmission and distribution equipment that helps power homes, businesses, hospitals, schools and other buildings Their average salary is $35,000 per year


(Source: energy .gov/articles/infographic-how-ap-pliance-standards-help-consumers-save-big, accessed October 2019)


Part 2 – Complete at Home with Your Family

Welcome to the Xcel Energy School Education program The goal of this program is to help families learn about energy and how to use it wisely!

This guide includes information on energy-efficient products found in your Take Action Kit If you need help with an item, call the toll-free number 800 616 8326 ext 151 or visit thinkenergy .org/XcelEnergy to see installation videos As you use this guide, you will gather information needed to complete the Home Energy Worksheet, a survey for you and your family to discover ways to save energy in your home

Look for this icon where information from this guide will need to be recorded on your Home Energy Worksheet

Complete the Home Energy Worksheet in one of two ways:

• Visit thinkenergy .org/XcelEnergy to fill out an online worksheet You will need to enter the teacher ID found on you paper worksheet

• Fill out the paper worksheet and return it to your teacher

Let’s get started we will Think! about energy, Talk! about energy, and most importantly, Take Action! to reduce energy and water use


Heating and Cooling

Think! – What does your family do to make sure the heating and cooling bills are not too high?

Talk! – Ask your parents what energy sources are used to heat your home Do you have a natural gas furnace, an electric heater or some other energy source?

Take Action!– Complete the following:• Keep doors and windows closed

Check for light around windows or door frames (which means there is an air leak)

• Adjust your thermostat for the season Your family can see savings on your energy bills if your thermostat is set to

78 F or higher in the summer and 68 F or lower in the winter

• Use window coverings to keep your house the temperature you want In summer, close shades on the sunny side of the house during the day In winter, be sure shades are open to the sun during the day but are closed at night

Take Action! Activities1 What is the main source of

energy used to heat your home?

natural gas, electricity, other/unknown

2 At what temperature does your family set the thermostat in winter? ___________ In summer? ___________

Adjusting the settings even one degree can make a difference

When you see this icon remember to use the information

you just recorded on your Home Energy Worksheet


How much will you turn down your thermostat in the winter? degrees F

How much will you turn up your thermostat in summer? degrees F

LightingThink! – What types of light bulbs do you use in your home? Which lights are on most often?

Talk! – Discuss the advantages of changing your light bulbs to high-efficiency bulbs like LED bulbs They can last up to 25,000 hours,

can reduce energy for lighting in your home and do not give off much heat The inefficient lights your family uses most often are the best ones to change to LED bulbs

Take Action! – Do the following with your family:Visit earth911 .com to locate nearby recycling locations for CFL bulbs and other household items

Take Action! ActivityBe a lighting detective Complete the chart to record how many incandescent, CFL and LED bulbs you have in your home


Location Incandescent bulbs

CFL bulbs

LED bulbs

Bedroom 1

Bedroom 2

Kitchen

Dining Room

Living Room

Hallway

Laundry Room/Basement

Family/Media Room

Outside Lighting

Other

Total

Total light bulbs

Pick six inefficient bulbs that are used often, check your kitchen, family room, living room or outside lights first Make a note of their wattage for an activity in Part 3 of this guide (Wattage is found at the top or near the base of the bulbs ) Then, change those bulbs for LEDs from your Take Action Kit Do not wait until inefficient bulbs burn out – start saving now! Write on the boxes below the six places where you installed your new LED bulbs .


BathroomThink! – The bathroom is the place where the most water is used in your home Every time you leave water running, you also waste the energy used to heat that water Which do you think uses more water, taking a shower or a bath? Hint: rubber duckies like to waste water

Talk! – Ask your parents to estimate how many minutes each day the shower is used in your home

Take Action! – Encourage your family to:• Take short showers, not baths • Turn off the water while you brush your teeth • Report water leaks in sinks, tubs and toilets to an

adult so they can stop drips! A leaky faucet can waste a gallon of water per day

• Unplug phantom loads in the bathroom, such as electric razors and toothbrushes that use chargers

Take Action! Activities

1 Ask your family to take the 5 minute shower challenge

2 Use the flow test bag from your Take Action Kit to measure how much water comes out of your existing showerhead Here is how:

Step 1 - Gather the flow test bag and a timer or clock that shows seconds

Step 2 - Place the bag around the existing showerhead and hold on tight

Step 3 - Turn on the water full blast for 5 seconds, then turn it off quickly


Step 4 - Read the water level in the bag to find out the water flow in gallons per minute (gpm) You may have to estimate if the water is not right on a line

Flow rate with the original existing showerhead? gpm

Have an adult help you install the high-efficiency showerhead from your Take Action Kit For help, visit thinkenergy .org/XcelEnergy to see a video about how to install the showerhead or see the Installation Instructions in your kit

Step 1 - Using pliers/wrench, remove old showerhead from the shower arm by turning to the left Use cloth to protect finish

Step 2 - Clean shower arm threads, then turn on the water to wash out the pipe

Step 3 - Turn off water Apply plumber’s tape to the threads for a tight seal

Step 4 - Screw on the new showerhead and hand-tighten Make no more than a quarter turn with pliers/wrench Use cloth to protect the finish while adjusting with pliers/wrench Do not overtighten

Repeat the flow test bag experiment to see how many gallons per minute your new showerhead uses

Flow rate with your new showerhead? gpm

Did you install the showerhead from your kit? Yes/No

Use the flow test bag to measure how fast the water comes out of your bathroom faucet, just like you did with the showerhead Mark the reading here: ________ gpm


Now, install the new bathroom faucet aerator from your Take Action Kit and get ready to cut your water use by 30% or more

Step 1 - Remove the old aerator from the faucet Use adjustable wrench or pliers, if needed Use cloth to protect the finish under the pliers

Step 2 - Turn on water to wash out the faucet Turn water off

Step 3 - Screw on the new aerator, using the washer(s) provided and hand-tighten For inside-threaded faucets: place both washers in top of aerator (thinner washer first) and screw aerator into inside threads of faucet For outside-threaded faucets: discard upper washer With thinner washer in top of aerator, screw aerator onto outside threads

Step 4 - Turn on water If aerator leaks, tighten by using a wrench Use cloth to protect the finish Tighten until snug Do not overtighten

Repeat the flow test bag experiment with your new aerator Mark the reading here: ________ gpm

Did you install the new bathroom faucet aerator from your kit? Yes/No


KitchenThink! – What does your family do to save water and energy in the kitchen?

Talk! – How many loads of dishes does your family do each week? Do you have ENERGY STAR® certified appliances? Take Action! – Do the following with your family:

• Adjust your refrigerator temperature so that it is set between 37 and 40 F Freezers should be at 0 F

• Keep the refrigerator door closed Choose what you want to eat quickly

• Use the exhaust fan in your kitchen to remove heat from cooking on warm days

• Use lids on pots to boil water and cook food faster

• Wash full loads in the dishwasher • Use the dishwasher’s air dry or energy saver settings • If hand washing dishes, do not let the water run Fill one side

of the sink with soapy water and the other side with clear water to rinse

• When shopping for new appliances, look for the EnergyGuide label and ENERGY STAR® certified appliances

• Recycle plastic, paper and other items to save natural resources and the energy used to turn them into products for your home


Take Action! Activities

1 Use the flow test bag from your Take Action Kit to measure how fast water comes out of your existing kitchen faucet Mark the reading here: ________ gpm

2 Have an adult help you install the kitchen aerator from your Take Action Kit with the same steps you used to install your bathroom faucet aerator For help, visit thinkenergy .org/XcelEnergy to see a video of how to install the aerator or see the Installation Instructions in your kit

Use the flow test bag again to see how much water you can save every minute the faucet is on Mark the reading here: ________ gpm

Did you install the new kitchen faucet aerator from your kit? Yes/No


Living Room or Media/OfficeThink! – Phantom loads, devices that use power even when they are turned off, are often responsible for adding up to 10% to your monthly utility bill (Source: energy .gov/articles/4-ways-slay-energy-vampires-Halloween, accessed October 2019)

Chargers, items with remote controls and electronics with clocks or indicator lights are often phantom loads

Talk! – Ask your parents to help you make a list of the phantom loads in your home Talk about using a smart power strip to reduce phantom loads A smart power strip will turn off your computer monitor, printer and speakers when the main computer is shut down

Take Action! – Do the following with your family:• Turn off game consoles, TVs and computers when not

in use • Use your computer’s energy saver

settings instead of a screen saver • Keep fireplace damper and doors

shut to keep air from leaking through


BedroomsThink! – Do lights, fans and electronics get left on or plugged in when they are not actively being used in your room?

Talk! – Ask your parents if you have ENERGY STAR® windows that will keep hot or cold air from entering your home

Take Action! – Do the following with your family:• Keep windows closed when the furnace or air

conditioner is on • Unplug phantom loads like chargers and use smart

power strips for electronics • Turn off fans and lights when nobody is in the room • Install the LED night light from your Take Action Kit

and use only pennies worth of electricity per year

Did you install the night light from your kit? Yes/No

Take Action! Activity

Remind your family to turn off lights, electronics and other items


Garage or BasementThink! – Heating and cooling equipment is usually located in the garage or basement Keeping the furnace filter clean is important so that air can move through the filter easily A filter whistle can alert you when it is time to change your filter

Talk! – Your water heater should be set to 120 F Do you know the temperature setting of your water heater?

Take Action! – Do the following with your family:• Your furnace and air conditioner will run more

efficiently when your furnace filter is clean Have an adult check the furnace and/or air conditioner filters to see if they need replacing

Have an adult find out what fuel your water heater uses: natural gas, electricity or some other fuel

Take Action! Activity Be a water detective with an adult Fill a cup with hot water Drop in a thermometer After the temperature on the thermometer stops changing, record it here ________

Is the water heater set correctly? If not, have an adult adjust it so the water temperature is set to 120 F

How much did you lower your water heater setting? degrees F

Install the furnace filter whistle from your Take Action Kit It will remind you when the filter needs to be changed

Step 1 - A parent should install your whistle on a clean filter The


whistle is designed for 1 inch filters and can not be used with electronic or HEPA filtration systems

Step 2 - Pull the whistle apart so you have two pieces, the flat base and the hat The filter will go between these two parts The base must face the direction of the airflow

Step 3 - Press the two parts together, pushing through the filter until you hear them click into place

Step 4 - Install the filter in your furnace

Visit thinkenergy .org/XcelEnergy to view an installation video or see the Installation Instructions in your kit

Did you install the filter whistle from your kit? Yes/No


Laundry RoomThink! – Washing and drying laundry uses a lot of energy to run the machines and heat water

Talk! – Could more laundry be done with cold water? Could some of your laundry be air dried on a rack or clothesline?

Take Action! – Do the following with your family:

• Wash only full loads of laundry • Wash clothes in cold water when possible • Clean the filter in the dryer before every use • Air dry clothes on a rack or clothesline


Part 3 – Total Your SavingsYou have seen how the Xcel Energy School Education program helps families learn about energy and how to use it wisely The purpose of this part of your guide is to show your family how much water and energy can be saved over time You will also receive additional information to help you be wise energy consumers

Information in this portion of the guide is not used to complete the Home Energy Worksheet Instead, you will be amazed as you go the extra mile to total your savings!

See the Light

The LED bulbs in your Take Action Kit will increase your ability to be energy efficient Your family is off to a good start! Here is more helpful information on lighting

You will notice a lighting facts label like this one on the packaging of any bulb When shopping for efficient lighting, this label gives you valuable information

Lumens are a measure of the brightness of your bulb To save energy, find bulbs with the lumens you need, then choose the one with the lowest wattage

Lighting Facts per bulb

Brightness 800 lumens

Estimated Yearly Energy Cost $1 .08Based on 3 hrs/day, 11¢/kWhCost depends on rates and use

Life Based on 3 hrs/day 23 years

Light Appearance

Warm CoolEnergy Used 9 Watts

2700 K


A Watt is a unit of measurement of electrical power You can also find wattage by looking at the top or near the base of the bulbs you replaced as pictured below

The chart below will help you determine the energy saved by your new LED bulbs in one year You may need to refer to the lighting section in Part 2 of this guide to remember the wattage of your old bulbs which you will list in the empty cells in the first row of the chart An example of the savings you would receive if you replaced a 60 Watt incandescent bulb has been done for you in column one

wattage

Wattage of current bulb (printed on the top or base of the bulb)

60 W

Wattage of LED bulbs from your kit - 9 W -___ -___ -___ -___ -___ -___

Difference in wattage (subtract previous rows) = 51 W = = = = = =

Difference in kilowatt (divide difference in wattage by 1000)

0 051 kW

Number of hours bulb is lit a day 4 hours

Energy saved with new bulb each day (multiply kilowatt difference by hours bulb is lit)

0 204 kWh

Energy saved by new bulb in a year (multiply previous row by 365)

74 46 kWh TOTAL++ + + + =

Add numbers that you recorded in the last row for the total kWh saved by your new LED bulbs


Go with the FlowYou will be surprised to see how much water and energy you will save with the water devices in your Take Action Kit Time to do some math! In three simple steps you can find the total amount of water your new devices will save in one year

Step 1 - Discover water savings with your new showerhead and faucet aerators You may need to go back to the bathroom and kitchen sections in Part 2 of this guide to find gallons per minute (gpm) readings that you determined with your flow test bag

gpm from your original showerhead

gpm from your new showerhead

total gpm saved

gpm from your original bathroom aerator

gpm from your new bathroom aerator

total gpm saved

gpm from your original kitchen aerator

gpm from your new kitchen aerator

total gpm saved

Kitchen Faucet Aerator

Bathroom Faucet AeratorShowerhead

Step 2 - Ask an adult to help you estimate how many minutes your new devices run each day Multiply those numbers by the total gallons per minute saved to see how many gallons of water can be saved every day

minutes per day new showerhead is running

total gpm saved

gallons saved each day

minutes per day new bathroom aerator is running

total gpm saved


minutes per day new kitchen aerator is running

total gpm saved


x x x

Kitchen Faucet Aerator

Bathroom Faucet AeratorShowerhead


Step 3 – Add the three “gallons saved each day” boxes from Step 2 and multiply the total by 365 to see how much you will save in a year

Using these energy-efficient devices will reduce your water bill and also save the energy used to treat, pump and heat that water Energy to heat one gallon of water costs about $0 01 Multiply the total gallons saved in a year by all three devices by 0 01 to determine an approximate amount of money saved by using less energy for water heating

Your family will save even more energy when an adult adjusts the temperature settings on your thermostat, refrigerator and water heater

total gallons saved in a year by all three devices

approximate amount of money saved

x 0 01

gallons saved each day with newshowerhead

gallons saved each day with new bathroom faucet aerator

gallons saved each day with newkitchen faucet aerator

total gallons saved each day by all three devices

total gallons saved each year by all three devices

+

x 365


Take Action! Pledge

I pledge to Think!, Talk! and Take Action! to help my family and friends be more energy efficient I will be energy smart by taking the following actions:

• Shut off the lights when I leave the room • Close windows and doors when the furnace or air

conditioner is being used in my home • Unplug my chargers when I am finished using them • Turn off electronics, like the computer and the TV,

when I am finished using them • Take shorter showers and turn off the water when

brushing my teeth • Shut the refrigerator door as quickly as possible

Thank you for completing the Home Energy Worksheet to see how your family has changed their energy use If there is anything your family cannot use from the Take Action Kit, please give it to a neighbor who can use it Complete the Home Energy Worksheet questions for the user of that item

Thank you for your participation in the Xcel Energy School Education program .


Notes

Documents

Table of Contents · Garage or Basement 20 Laundry Room 22 Part 3 – Total Your Savings . . . . . . . . . . . 23 ... Energy auditors inspect buildings to make them more energy efficient