Energy Crisis Winter 2022/23 and frequently asked questions
Stuttgart military community members frequently asked questions about the current Energy crises.
Q. How do I set my temperature at home?
A. Check out the different heating systems below and find out how you can understand your heating system at home a little better. Also make sure that you do not set the temperature higher than 19ºC (66oF).
Radiator: Turn off heating or set thermostats to “snowflake” or “one” in hallways, stairwells and other typically unoccupied areas your home. Set thermostats to no more than “three” in occupied spaces. Set thermostats to “one” when you leave the house. It does not get warm faster by turning the radiator on a higher temperature, try increasing it by one step, should you find the temperature too low. Make sure your radiator is well ventilated. Do not cover radiators with heavy curtains or furniture, as this will prevent the hot air from circulating into the rest of the room.
Floor Heating: Setting the temperatures is very similar to radiators, however there are some differences when it comes to heating the living space. Please be aware that the floor heating does not heat up as fast as radiators so do not feel tempted to increase the temperature to the highest level.
Q. Do the temperatures in different areas of the house vary?
A. It is recommended that the temperature should be set at different levels in the house to prevent unnecessary heat loss. For example, the kitchen can be set at a lower temperature than the rest of the house due the heat that comes from cooking.
Q. How can I minimize energy and heat loss at home?
A. Please see list below of how you can save energy at home:
- Do not use space heaters as they tend to use a lot of electricity
- Close shutters/roladens at night; open them in the day (Use daylight when possible and turn off lights)
- Slightly reduce overall temperature and heat rooms uniformly
- Reduce heating of hallways and keep doors closed to reduce heat losses
- Keep windows closed while heating; minimal heat in unused rooms
- Turn off lights in all unoccupied rooms and use daylight
- Turn Christmas lights off during the night and whilst you are at work
- Don’t keep electrical appliances plugged in all night unless it is necessary, e.g. fridge
Q. How can I save energy at work?
A. The same principals apply at work as they do in your workspace. Please see attached photo to see the USAG Stuttgart Garrisons attempt to save energy.
Q. Where can I get more information on energy saving in Stuttgart?
A. Please visit the Baden-Württemberg https://um.baden-wuerttemberg.de/en/topics/energy-transition/energy-efficiency for more tips on saving energy.