If Elon Musk had his way, humanity might be living on Mars in the future. But for now, Earth is our only home. And we’ve taken it for granted. Global demand for energy is expected to rise by 47% in the next 30 years , driven by population and economic growth. This would further increase energy-related carbon emissions, threatening to worsen climate change beyond manageable levels.
It has never been more important to use energy more wisely. Without urgent improvements, every unit of economic output will be using more energy than it would otherwise. And yet, energy efficiency improvements are a low-hanging fruit, promising to deliver over 40% of the reduction in carbon emissions needed over the next two decades to achieve global net-zero targets by 2050.
As such, simple changes to our behaviour and habits to consume less energy in our daily activities can have an outsized impact towards reducing our environmental footprint. Fortunately, digital technologies have afforded a new generation of efficiency solutions that makes it easier for everyone to save energy and contribute to a greener, more sustainable future.
If you’d like to get started, Energy Watch recommends these five remarkable smartphone apps in Malaysia to help you live a more energy-efficient lifestyle, one small step at a time.
Eco Life Hacks (Available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store )
Eco Life Hacks is an insightful app that helps you identify and address environmental shortcomings in your daily life. By answering a few simple questions about your lifestyle on the app, you can generate personalised insights about your environmental impact across areas like household energy use, transportation, diet, and consumption habits.
The app also provides a wealth of practical, easy-to-implement tips and advice to guide you towards adopting a more eco-friendly, sustainable, and conscious way of living. Whether it’s strategies for reducing food waste, plastic usage, or exploring zero-waste and organic beauty/cleaning products, Eco Life Hacks empowers you with actionable knowledge to make a positive difference.
JouleBug Google Play Store and Apple App Store )
JouleBug makes the process of reducing your carbon footprint an enjoyable and rewarding journey. It focuses on gradually incorporating simple yet highly impactful habits into your daily lifestyle and routine – from switching off standby power for appliances, walking instead of driving for nearby errands, eating locally sourced foods, and adjusting your thermostat to optimize heating and cooling.
Each action you complete earns you points while also providing real-time feedback on the amount of money saved on your electricity bills, as well as the quantified reduction achieved in your carbon footprint. If you’re a social bug, you can also connect with friends and family via the app for a fun and competitive challenge that motivates everyone to reduce their environmental impact.
Energy Efficiency Calculator Google Play Store and Apple App Store )
Geared towards all ages – from students to parents to teachers – this app delivers fun, interactive learning on energy efficiency. Simulating a game environment, players can choose a room in a house, select an appliance, the amount of time that appliance is used, and then see the estimated cost of running the equipment.
This energy efficiency tool is helpful for learning which appliances tend to use more energy, as well as the cumulative impact of one’s energy choices. The app helps you learn that by modifying behaviour throughout the home, you can impact the amount of electricity used and money spent on bills. Even little changes can make a big difference in terms of saving electricity and money.
Wiser by SE Google Play Store and Apple App Store )
The Wiser by SE app transforms your Android or iOS smartphone/tablet into a powerful smart home control centre. The app enables you to seamlessly monitor smart devices and control various aspects of your home environment and electricity usage, from operating smart blinds and curtains to adjusting smart lighting, thermostats, and small home appliances.
You can also personalise “Moments” that are tailored to match your specific comfort preferences for different times of day or activities. Whether you’re creating the perfect evening dining ambience, setting up a cozy movie night mode, or saving energy by setting an efficient vacation mode, Wiser by SE enhances home automation convenience while also optimising energy efficiency.
myTNB App Google Play Store and Apple App Store ):
For Malaysians looking to take control of their home energy use, the myTNB app is a game changer. This free mobile app simplifies and businesses by bringing all your TNB accounts together in one platform. You can be paperless and start viewing or paying your electricity bills anytime, anywhere, and on the go!
The app features a sleek modern look with handy features including an interactive usage dashboard, bill notifications, payment reminders, and easy access to customer support. What’s more, if you have a Smart Meter installed at home, you can also enjoy the app’s energy consumption tracking feature and gain insights to manage your daily energy usage more efficiently.
With these energy-efficiency apps, sustainability in everyday life doesn’t have to be complicated. With real-time usage data, personalised insights, and energy-saving guidance at our fingertips, we can identify areas for improvement and make informed decisions to reduce energy use, all without compromising on comfort and lifestyle. It’s a great way to save on electricity bills too.
More significantly, we can each do our part to help save our planet. Even small actions can add up to have a big impact on the planet. Which is why it’s time for us to stop looking at ourselves as consumers, but more as citizens – and start taking control of our energy use. Learn more ways to save energy at home by visiting TNB’s website .