1. Energy Star 101 What you always wanted to know about Energy Star...
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3. It was first created as a United States government program by the Clinton Administration in 1992, but Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Taiwan and the European Union have also adopted the program.
4. Devices carrying the Energy Star logo, generally use 20%–30% less energy than required by federal standards.
7. Computers New Energy Star 5.0 specifications for computers became effective on July 1 2009. They require the use of 80 PLUS Bronze level or higher power supplies. 5
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9. A second tier to the specification covering servers with more than four processor sockets, as well as blade servers and fault-tolerant machines is expected in late 2010.6
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11. ENERGY STAR qualified appliances incorporate advanced technologies that use 10–50% less energy and water than standard models.
12. The money you save on your utility bills can more than make up for the cost of a more expensive but more efficient ENERGY STAR model.7
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14. In addition, cooling and heating bills can be significantly lowered with air sealing and duct sealing. Air sealing reduces the outdoor air that penetrates a building, and duct sealing prevents attic or basement air from entering ducts and lessening the heating/cooling system’s efficiency.
15. Energy Star qualified room air conditioners are at least 10% more energy efficient than the minimum U.S. federal government standards.8
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17. In November 2008, television specifications will be improved to limit on-mode power use, in addition to standby power which is limited by the current specifications. A wider range of Energy Star qualified televisions will be available.
18. Other qualified home electronics include cordless phones, battery chargers, VCRs and external power adapters, most of which use 90% less energy.9
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20. Energy Star qualified fluorescent lighting uses 75% less energy and lasts up to ten times longer than normal incandescent lights.
23. The requirements are more stringent than the previous specification and existing equipment designs can no longer use the logo unless re-qualified.
24. The power requirements are for 80% or greater AC power supply efficiency using the standards defined by 80 Plus Program.11
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26. An Energy Star qualified home uses at least 15% less energy than standard homes.
27. They usually include properly installed insulation, high performance windows, tight construction and ducts, energy efficient cooling and heating systems, and Energy Star qualified appliances, lighting, and water heaters.12
41. Industrial Facilities Energy performance ratings have been released for the following industrial facilities: Automobile assembly plants, Cement Plants, Corn Refineries(Wet Corn Mills 15
Energy Star specifications differ with each item, and are set by either the Environmental Protection Agency or the Department of Energy. The following highlights product and specification information available on the Energy Star website.
The EPA released Version 1.0 of the Computer Server specifications on May 15, 2009. It covers standalone servers with one to four processor sockets. A second tier to the specification covering servers with more than four processor sockets, as well as blade servers and fault-tolerant machines is expected in late 2010
The Energy Star is awarded to only certain bulbs that meet strict efficiency, quality, and lifetime criteria.Energy Star qualified fluorescent lighting uses 75% less energy and lasts up to ten times longer than normal incandescent lights.Energy Star Qualified Light Emitting Diode (LED) Lighting:Reduces energy costs — uses at least 75% less energy than incandescent lighting, saving on operating expenses.Reduces maintenance costs — lasts 35 to 50 times longer than incandescent lighting and about 2 to 5 times longer than fluorescent lighting. No bulb-replacements, no ladders, no ongoing disposal program.Reduces cooling costs — LEDs produce very little heat.Is guaranteed — comes with a minimum three-year warranty — far beyond the industry standard.Offers convenient features — available with dimming on some indoor models and automatic daylight shut-off and motion sensors on some outdoor models.Is durable — won’t break like a bulb.To qualify for Energy Star certification, LED lighting products must pass a variety of tests to prove that the products will display the following characteristics:Brightness is equal to or greater than existing lighting technologies (incandescent or fluorescent) and light is well distributed over the area lighted by the fixture.Light output remains constant over time, only decreasing towards the end of the rated lifetime (at least 35,000 hours or 12 years based on use of 8 hours per day).Excellent color quality. The shade of white light appears clear and consistent over time.Efficiency is as good as or better than fluorescent lighting.Light comes on instantly when turned on.No flicker when dimmed.No off-state power draw. The fixture does not use power when it is turned off, with the exception of external controls, whose power should not exceed 0.5 watts in the off state.