The all-new tech features that’ll shrink your heating and cooling bill

The energy star rating

The iconic red, black and yellow energy star label you see on appliances isn’t exactly new, but is one of the best tools to use when you’re looking to cut down on your heating and cooling bills and shrink your carbon footprint. The system is regulated by the government, and has been around for more than 30 years.

The stars are all about energy efficiency, so they make it easy to compare how much energy an appliance uses in comparison to other makes and models of the same size. The more stars you see, the more efficient the appliance will be according to standardised testing in both Australia and New Zealand. Ratings usually vary between one and six, though with advancing technology making appliances more efficient than ever, sometimes they’ll go up to 10.

But how does all this help you? When you’re in the market for a new heater, fan or air conditioner, using the energy rating to make your choice will help give you a good indication of how much money you’ll spend running it. Start by choosing the style of the appliance (portable, radiant, fan), then the size you’ll need to regulate the temperature of the space you’re using it in.

Calculate your costs before buying

Once you’ve determined exactly which style of appliance you need to get the job done, you can compare the rough running costs of the different makes and models available with some easy maths. Simply divide the appliance’s energy consumption figure (displayed on the Energy Rating Label) by four – so if your machine had a figure of 480kWh, you’d expect to spend around $120 to run per year. With energy prices on the rise, it’s always safer to round up as the equation is based on average energy rates across Australia sitting at 25c per kwH, as according to Energy Rating.

And if you’re based in Victoria and looking to upgrade to a new, energy-efficient reverse cycle split system, check your eligibility for a rebate through The Good Guys here.

Wi-Fi connectivity

That’s right, even air conditioners and heaters are on the internet these days. Whether you’re shopping for a whole new split system or just a little panel heater for the home office, appliances such as the Panasonic C5.0kW H6.0kW Reverse Cycle Split System & Air Purifier and the Goldair 1000W Inverter Panel Heater with Wi-Fi can be controlled from your smartphone. This means you’ll never have to worry about whether or not you left the heater on as you rushed out the door, and there’s no need to leave the air conditioner running all day long, even on the most scorching of summer days. Simply use your phone to switch it on as you make your way home.

Timers & sensors

Whether it’s a freezing winter night or a sweltering summer evening, sometimes there is no other option but to leave the heater or fan running all night long for the sake of sleep. Enter the timer feature. By setting a timer on the run time of your appliance, you’ll save yourself hours of running time each night and notice a reduction in your energy usage. There’s a wide range of smart plugs and sensors you can use with just about any heater or fan to control it remotely, set a timer and even monitor the energy usage, but these days the most modern and energy-efficient appliances have it built-in. On larger units like split systems, look for a time setting feature that will allow you to set a switch-on time as well as switch-off, so you can wake up to a toasty warm home even in the depths of winter. Some models, such as the Fujitsu C5.0kW H6.0kW Reverse Cycle Split System, are equipped with human sensor technology that detects whether there are people in the room and adjusts the temperature accordingly to limit energy consumption where possible.

Eco mode

Many of the latest heaters and air conditioners to hit the market come complete with a clever “eco mode” functionality – and while it sounds great, many of us avoid using it because we're not sure what it actually means. For heaters such as the DeLonghi 2200W Panel Heater with Timer, the Eco Plus function works to automatically control the power level according to your set target temperature to optimise energy consumption, so it’s never working harder than it has to to keep you warm. Similarly, split system air conditioning units such as the Fujitsu C5.0kW H6.0kW Reverse Cycle Split System offer an eco or “economy” mode program, which runs the machine at a reduced power consumption and output.