Science in the City: Stephanie Maclellan interviews Barna Szabados

Barna Szabados

John Waye

Mark Loeb

Christine Wilson

Sarah Dickson

Barna Szabados

Arya Sharma

Miroslav Lovric

Science in the CIty
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Past Lectures
January 2003-June 2003

Barna Szabados

(Photo by Barry Gray, The Hamilton Spectator)

The following article is reprinted courtesy of the Hamilton Spectator, McMaster University’s partner in the Science in the City Lecture Series.

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Stephanie Maclellan
Special to The Spectator

News, Monday, January 12, 2004

Barna Szabados spends his working hours developing technologies to conserve energy.

The head of McMaster University's Power Research Laboratory is best known for helping develop a dimming device for fluorescent lights that could slash energy bills for office buildings.

But his power-saving work doesn't stop when he goes home.

"I run around the house switching lights off when my children leave them on," he says with a laugh.

As the latest instalment of McMaster's Science in the City lecture series tomorrow night, Szabados will explain how it's these little things that people do in their homes that make a big difference.

"Everybody's always pushing the blame somewhere else," he says, mentioning that many people blamed the Ontario government for the province's recent energy woes.

"Sure, the government made its share of mistakes ... but people don't realize they're the origin. If we didn't use as much energy as we do, there wouldn't be a problem."

Szabados says there are many things homeowners can do to keep costs down.

It can be as simple as running appliances later at night, when demand is lower, rather than at peak times.

"Instead of running the dishwasher after dinner, load it up and start it at 11 o'clock, right before you go to bed," Szabados suggests.

He also recommends buying new appliances built to stricter energy-efficiency standards.

"Would you keep a car for 10 or 12 years if it was only getting five miles a gallon?" he asks. "People use their furnaces for that long, which does the exact same thing."

Szabados says the energy savings from a new pulse-mode furnace will pay for the purchase in two years.

Even something as small as heating water for tea or coffee in the microwave instead of boiling a full pot can save, he says.

The difference from each household isn't overwhelming, "but if you multiply that by a million people, that's a lot of savings."

Since last summer's blackout, Szabados has noticed more people becoming aware of energy conservation.

"I think people are talking about conservation more, but they're not doing anything about it," he says.

He said a recent report showed Canadians spent more than $40 million on electronics this Christmas season.

The 7 p.m. lecture will be held at The Hamilton Spectator auditorium, 44 Frid St. It's free and open to the public. To register, call 905-525-9140, ext. 24934, or e-mail sciencecity@mcmaster.ca.