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Energy Star: Endorsing Power Saving Devices

by: sahil | last updated: May 05, 2010
Category: Green Savings | Tags: Energy star, energy star products, energy star devices, saving energy, utilities, bills, save money on energy, energy consumption

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Energy Star: Endorsing Power Saving Devices

Energy Star is an international standard for products which are energy efficient and it was first created in the United States under the Clinton administration in the year 1992. Although created in the United Sates, many other countries such as Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Taiwan and the European Union have also adopted the program. Devices that carry the Energy Star logo are more efficient compared to similar products or devices. The standard can be applied to devices such as computers, buildings, kitchen appliances and heating and cooling appliances.

The Energy Star program was first created in 1992 by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) so as to mitigate the emission of greenhouse gases by power plants and to reduce energy consumption. Although initially the program was limited to labeling energy efficient computers, as of 2006, there are over 40,000 energy star endorsed or labeled products. The expansion of the program took place in 1995 when it introduced labeling for residential heating and cooling systems and new homes.

In the year 2006 almost 12 percent of new housing in the United States was labeled Energy Star and EPA claims it saved almost $14 billion in 2006 alone as far as energy costs were concerned. It achieved this by promoting the use of efficient fluorescent lighting, use of LED (Light Emitting Diodes), low standby energy use, and power management systems for office equipment.

In the year 2008 USEPA announced its Green Power Partnership program which encouraged the use of renewable energy by giving tax credits. However, the tax credits are only available after the energy has been consumed in order to avoid hypothetical claims based on future consumption and plans. Energy Star products include home electronics, computers, heating and cooling systems, lighting, appliances, and servers.

Energy Star boilers, air conditioning systems, heat pumps, and furnaces are available in the market and come under appliances. Energy Star labeling is also given to LED lighting since it decreases the consumption of energy by approximately 20 percent, helps in cooling (lesser heat), cuts costs related to maintenance, offers convenient features, and provides durability. This in turn means that there are considerable savings in the long run in the form of lesser electricity and lighting costs.

Refrigerators need at least 20 percent more efficiency compared to similar products and dishwashers need 41 percent in order to get an Energy Star label. However in numerous cases, paradoxically, some products in the market that are not Energy Star labeled can prove to be more energy efficient. Critics have pointed out that even if the product is new and energy efficient it should provide customer satisfaction and should be durable, otherwise the purpose of such labeling is defeated. This is because if the product has to be replaced twice as much compared to the older one or does not provide similar of better quality and consumer satisfaction, then it would not be financially prudent.

The US EPA’s Energy Star program also provides ratings to industrial units which can range from 1 to 100. These ratings are a benchmark for determining if the industrial unit is energy efficient compared to similar units. If the industrial units meet the criteria then energy managers evaluate and give them an Energy Star label. Buildings are also rated and include Bank/Financial Institutions, Courthouses, Hospitals (acute care and children’s), Hotels and Motels, House of Worship, K-12 Schools, Medical Offices, Offices, Residence Halls/Dormitories, Retail Stores, Supermarkets, and Warehouses (refrigerated and non-refrigerated).

Even though Energy Star products are efficient, the EPA has come under criticism for many reasons. Some of the inadequacies and errors in calculating energy efficiency have led to controversies that question the method of calculating these efficiency ratings. Moreover the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, Consumer Reports, and the trade website ApplianceAdvisor.com have released reports that there are many loopholes in the system that allow inefficient products to get an Energy Star rating. More information can be found on the official website of Energy Star energystar.gov.