Utility Units

How to Measure: Weatherization

Insulation, Air Sealing, Duct Insulation, Window and Door replacement

How to Measure: Lighting

Lumen, Candela, Foot-candle, Lux, Watts

How to Measure: Heating

BTU (British Thermal Units), Degrees Celsius, Watts (W)

How to Measure: Air Conditioning

BTU, SEER, Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio-measures efficiency of an A/C system

Watt

Unit of measure that the dept uses to bill customers on electric consumption

TOU

Time of use: electrical rate plan that varies depending on the time of day

kWh

Kilowatt hour: 1000 watts of electricity used for one hour

Volt

Pressure or force that pushes electrons through an electrical circuit.

Power

Frequency expressed in horsepower.

1 horsepower (hp) = 746 watts

Megawatt

1 million watts

Gigawatt

1 billion watts

HCF

Hundred Cubic Foot: 1 HCF = 748 gallons of water.

This is the unit the dept used to bill customers on their water consumption.

1 acre-foot

= 43,560 cu. Ft.

= 325,850 gallons

Volume of water required to cover one acre of land with one foot of water (~ size of a football field). Supply a family for 18 months.

Aquifer

Underground zones of sand and gravel that contain groundwater.

Aqueduct

A pipeline used to transport large quantities of water from one location to another.

Groundwater

Water that has seeped down below the earth’s surface and is caught in sand, clay, or gravel deposits.

Water Table

The surface of saturated material in an aquifer

Hydrogeology

The study of water flow in aquifers and the characterization of aquifers.

Aquitard

An impermeable layer along an aquifer

Aquiclude

aka aquifuge - solid, impermeable area underlying or overlying an aquifer.

Billing Unit

A measured quantity of water equivalent to 100 cubic feet (748 gallons).

Ampere

Unit used to measure the flow of electricity or “current.”

Demand

aka load - the amount of power delivered to customers measured in kW.

• One watt of power = one volt of pressure x one amp of current or equivalent

• Amps x Volts = Watts or equivalent

• P = E x I where P = Watts, E = Volts, I = Amps (Ohm’s Law)

Terawatt (TW)

One trillion Wats

Energy

The amount of power used over a period of time, measured in kWh.

• Energy kWh = Demand (kw) X Time

• e.g. A 100-watt light bulb burning for ten hours

  • 100 watts = 0.1 kW

  • 0.1 kW x 10 = 1 kWh of Energy

Meter

A device used for the measurement of water quantity (cu ft), energy (kWh), or demand for billing or other purposes.

Water Efficiency

• Toilets - 1.6 gallons/flush is standard but dept offers an incentive on 1.28 gallons/flush

• Water efficiency brochures

• Rebate programs

• mandatory water conservation