The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy today outlined a series of steps to further strengthen the trusted ENERGY STAR® program. This action comes at a critical time for American consumers, many of whom struggle to keep up with their monthly energy bills. In addition to third-party testing already underway, EPA and DOE have launched a new two-step process to expand testing of ENERGY STAR qualified products. This week, DOE began testing of some of the most commonly used appliances, which account for more than 25% of a household’s energy bill, and both agencies are now developing a system to test all products that earn the ENERGY STAR label. The steps are part of an overall effort by the Obama Administration to improve the energy efficiency of homes and appliances to save families money.
“Energy efficiency is more important than ever to American families,” Gina McCarthy, EPA Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation said. “As our economy gets back on its feet, ENERGY STAR is an easy way for consumers to save money and help fight climate change.”
http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/progress_alerts.cfm/pa_id=309
The program will spur economic growth, save energy, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by encouraging appliance replacements. This program will create jobs in retailing and manufacturing and Michigan companies make many of the products included in this program. The Michigan strategy will have the following objectives:
- Complement existing utility energy optimization programs by providing rebates for appliances not covered by utility programs.
- Reach rural areas not served by utility natural gas programs.
- Push the marketplace by providing rebates for appliances that exceed the ENERGY STAR standards.
The program will start on February 10, 2010 and end when funds run out. Rebates are not retroactive. Only Michigan residents will be eligible to participate and rebates are limited to one per product per household. Appliances have to be replaced. Customers can go online or call a toll-free number to reserve a rebate. Participants will be required to mail in a rebate application and valid receipt for proof of purchase.
| Products to be Rebated |
Rebate Level ($) |
Targeted Quantity |
Total Cost |
| Clothes Washers Tier 3* |
$50 |
30,764 |
$1,538,200 |
| Refrigerators ENERGY STAR |
$50 |
30,000 |
$1,500,000 |
| Refrigerators Tier 3 |
$100 |
28,073 |
$2,807,300 |
| Dishwashers ENERGY STAR |
$25 |
10,601 |
$265,025 |
| Dishwashers Tier 2 |
$50 |
10,600 |
$530,000 |
| Propane Furnaces –AFUE 95% |
$300 |
4,280 |
$1,284,000 |
| Propane Storage Water Heaters EF>=.67 |
$100 |
1,280 |
$128,000 |
| Propane Tankless Water Heaters EF>=.82 |
$100 |
3,000 |
$300,000 |
| Oil Furnaces ENERGY STAR |
$300 |
770 |
$231,000 |
| Solar Water Heaters ENERGY STAR |
20%, max $1200 |
200 |
$240,000 |
| Total Rebates |
|
119,568 |
$8,823,525 |
* Tiers refer to Consortium for Energy Efficiency standards.
Websites to reserve rebates:
http://www.MIrebates.com/ – Refrigerators, dishwashers, & clothes washers
http://www.michrebate.com/ – Furnaces & hot water heaters
Call-In Numbers for additional information or to reserve a rebate:
1-866-621-8782 – Refrigerators, dishwashers, & clothes washers
1-888-MICHNRG (1-888-642-4674) – Furnaces & hot water heaters
(by Chris Stewart of NREL) – For the past few weeks, my forced-air gas furnace has been on the fritz. I blame this on the fact that I haven’t been as diligent as I should have been with regular furnace maintenance, which includes:
- Checking the condition of the vent connection pipe and chimney
- Checking the physical integrity of the heat exchanger
- Adjusting the controls to provide optimum water and air temperature settings for both efficiency and comfort
- Having a technician perform a combustion-efficiency test
- Checking the combustion chamber for cracks.
- Testing for carbon monoxide
- Adjusting blower control and supply-air temperature
- Cleaning and oiling the blower
- Removing dirt, soot, or corrosion
- Checking fuel input and flame characteristics
- Sealing connections between the furnace and main ducts.
The situation came to a head on New Year’s Eve, when the furnace quit producing heat altogether. Before calling a technician, I removed the flame sensor and cleaned it and used compressed air to blow out the dirt from the air chamber.
Since then, the furnace has resumed working correctly and regulating the temperature according to my programmable thermostat. Its efficiency has improved, too.
This experience has reinforced the idea that keeping on top of maintenance saves energy and money at home. This experience also has caused me to resolve that in 2010 I’ll have a technician come out and perform a more comprehensive review of my furnace and complete other maintenance activities.
P.S. If you’re considering shopping for a new furnace, be sure to check out:
Chris Stewart is a senior communicator at DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which assists EERE in providing technical content for many of its Web sites.
(U.S. EPA Press Release) – In 1999, for the first time, the Environmental Protection Agency awarded the ENERGY STAR to a building. Now, a decade later, EPA is celebrating this landmark anniversary with a press release and a historical retrospective of the ENERGY STAR buildings program.
The 20-page retrospective shares the story of how it all began, where we are today, and a glimpse of the exciting future that lies ahead for the ENERGY STAR buildings program. The report also features interesting case studies, and highlights some of the more notable buildings that have earned the label over the years, including:
- The oldest building to earn the Energy Star: Cambridge Savings Bank in Cambridge, Mass.
- The tallest building to earn the Energy Star: Aon Center in Chicago, Illinois
- The largest building to earn the Energy Star: USAA McDermott Building in San Antonio, Texas
- The first building to earn the Energy Star: Ridgehaven Green Building in San Diego, Calif.
To read the press release and download a copy of the retrospective, visit www.energystar.gov/decade.
(From Earth911) – From your home to your car to school or work, we love to provide you with a variety of ways in which your daily actions can have a larger impact on the world around you.
Though we always seem to rustle up some out-of-the-ordinary suggestions, we do have those staples that we have come to rely on because, hey… they really do work! So in the spirit of retuning to one’s roots, we present you with a summary of the eight lifestyle choices that make up the foundation to being eco-friendly, environmentally aware and resource savvy.
http://tinyurl.com/ygar5ys
A couple of weeks ago, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy announced a new appliance rebate program. Starting later this year and in early 2010, consumers will be able to receive rebates to purchase new ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances when they replace their used appliances.
More than 70% of the energy used in our homes is for appliances, refrigeration, space heating, cooling, and water heating. Replacing old appliances and equipment with those that are ENERGY STAR® labeled can help American families save significantly on their utility bills.
Energy savings will depend on the specific appliance and model being replaced, but new ENERGY STAR appliances save significantly more energy than those manufactured years ago. For example, replacing a clothes washer made before 2000 with a new ENERGY STAR model can save up to $135 per year. Replacing a refrigerator made before 1993 with a new ENERGY STAR model can save up to $65 per year.
Each state and territory may select its own set of ENERGY STAR-qualified products to rebate. The U.S. Department of Energy has recommended the following appliances:
- Boilers
- Central air conditioners
- Clothes washers
- Dishwashers
- Freezers
- Furnaces (oil and gas)
- Heat pumps (air source and geothermal)
- Refrigerators
- Room air conditioners
- Water heaters
State energy offices will administer the rebate program. Some states may offer the rebate at the point of purchase—when consumers are actually purchasing the appliances. Other states may require consumers to mail in a paper form to request a check. There may be other ways, too, since each state will set up its own processing system.
The rebates will help consumers save energy and money at home in more ways than one. Federal tax credits also are available now for many home energy efficiency improvements, including windows, doors, water heaters, and HVAC equipment for existing homes. For more information, see the Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency Web page.
Some local utility companies offer additional rebates and other incentives.
Post by Chris Stewart, a senior communicator at DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which assists EERE in providing technical content for many of its Web sites.
You may have already heard about the Living Zero Home Tour, which is a traveling and interactive exhibit featuring ENERGY STAR products, eco-friendly construction methods, and innovative technologies that drastically reduce energy consumption—while at the same time saving on energy bills.
Last week, Good Morning America aired a short video clip about the tour and how compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) can help save money and energy at home. With lighting comprising 11%-20% of annual household energy consumption, CFLs are important component of net-zero energy buildings and provide a return on their purchase within two years.
Zero-Energy Homes combine state-of-the-art, energy-efficient construction and appliances with commercially available renewable energy systems, such as solar water heating and solar electricity. The combination results in a home that produces its own energy—as much or more than it needs. Even though the home might be connected to a utility grid, it has net-zero energy consumption from the utility provider.
The U.S. Department of Energy has partnered with building professionals and organizations to further develop the Zero Energy Homes concept. The Living Zero Home Tour is an example of these partnerships. To learn more and see a Zero Energy Home, check out the Living Zero Home Tour when it’s in a city near you.
Article by Chris Stewart, a senior communicator at DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which assists EERE in providing technical content for many of its Web sites.
By Allison Casey of NREL – Over the past few weeks, my husband and I have been shopping for a new patio door. We currently have a sliding glass door that we have always hated—full exposure to winds from the west and to open fields behind our house mean that we always have dirt and dust getting in through that door, not to mention cold air in the winter and heat in the summer. The final straw was a warped and squeaky track, no doubt aggravated by our dog’s constant indecision over whether he wants to be inside or outside (oh, the dilemma!).
Since sliding glass doors are known to be inefficient (and ours was already driving us crazy), we decided that a door that swings, rather than slides, is our best bet. Here are the other features we want in a door:
- Glass, so we can enjoy our gorgeous view of the mountains. Because glass doors are less efficient, we are looking for energy-efficient features such as low-e coatings and gas fills to help control heat transfer through the glass
- Can be tightly weatherstripped to keep air and dirt from blowing through the house
- Can handle the wear-and-tear of frequent use
- Meets the efficiency requirements for a federal tax credit—the U-factor and solar heat gain coefficient both need to be equal to or less than 0.30.
We also decided that we wanted both sides of the door to swing open. Our hope is that the extra-wide opening will allow even more breeze to blow through in the evening, keeping our cooling costs down.
We familiarized ourselves with ENERGY STAR’s purchasing tips, checked for rebates and state, local, and utility incentives that we might be eligible for, and started shopping with our list of requirements in hand.
After a bit of looking, we narrowed our choice to two doors. Oddly, the manufacturer of one of the doors couldn’t confirm for certain that we could upgrade the door so it would meet the requirements for a federal tax credit.
Lesson learned: before you buy anything, make sure that the manufacturer can give you a certification statement stating that the product qualifies for the federal tax credits for energy efficiency. In the case of windows and doors, not all ENERGY STAR products will qualify; and with an available credit of 30% of the cost (up to $1,500), you don’t want to find out too late that your purchase isn’t eligible for the credit!
We are still doing some research and making our final decisions, but this has definitely been a learning process. And once we decide on a door, we aren’t done yet. We then have to find some energy-efficient (and nice looking) window treatments. The fun never stops at our house!
By Allison Casey, a senior communicator at DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which assists EERE in providing technical content for many of its Web sites.
Secretary Chu Announces Nearly $300 Million Rebate Program to Encourage Purchases of Energy Efficient Appliances
Program Benefits Every U.S. State and Territory
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced the availability of nearly $300 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for state-run rebate programs for consumer purchases of new ENERGY STAR® qualified home appliances. The new program underscores the Obama Administration’s commitment to make American homes more energy efficient, while helping to support the nation’s economic recovery. For the entire article, please see http://www.energy.gov/news2009/7634.htm
When temperatures rise, people instinctively resort to air conditioning. But that comfort comes at a price: in 2005, for example, 91.4 million U.S. households consumed 258 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity running air conditioners, according to the Energy Information Administration. That translates to about $24 billion in energy costs and 171 million tons of global warming emissions.
To keep both you and the planet cooler, consider these energy-efficient alternatives:
Evaporative coolers, also known as “swamp” coolers, use a fan to draw outside air through water-saturated pads, making the incoming air 15ºF to 40ºF cooler. They work best in dry or desert climates with little humidity. Two-stage coolers, which first pass the air through a heat exchanger, are effective in areas where temperatures reach or exceed 100ºF. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), evaporative coolers use about 75 percent less energy than a central air conditioner and cost half as much to install, but because they can consume up to 15 gallons of water per day, their use might be restricted during water shortages.
Whole-house fans installed in the ceiling pull cool evening and morning air into the house, while forcing hot air out through the attic. They use just one-tenth the electricity of a comparably sized air conditioner. Because of the heavy volume of air flow, you may need to install additional attic vents.
Ceiling fans help circulate the air, making it feel cooler. You can even run a ceiling fan in conjunction with an air conditioner set 4ºF higher than you otherwise would, with no change in comfort and less energy use overall (especially when using an Energy Star-rated fan, which is up to 20 percent more efficient than a standard model). To move air effectively, fan blades should be 10 to 12 inches from the ceiling.
Passive cooling strategies are electricity-free ways to reduce the amount of heat entering your home. For example:
- Trees—Planting deciduous trees on the south side of your home can help block sunlight in the summer but allow it through in the winter. According to the DOE, trees can reduce the surrounding air temperature as much as 9ºF, and the air within their shade as much as 25ºF. Keeping an air conditioner in full shade can increase its efficiency up to 10 percent.
- Solar screens—This window-covering fabric blocks up to 90 percent of incoming solar heat without obscuring your view.
- Awnings—These can reduce solar heat gain by 77 percent on west-facing windows, according to the DOE.
If you do decide an air conditioner is necessary, buy an Energy Star-rated model sized for your needs. Switching every room air conditioner sold in the United States to Energy Star models would avoid 650,000 tons of global warming emissions—the equivalent of taking 115,000 cars off the road.
***article from Greentips, published by the Union of Concerned Scientists
