Credit: Scott Ableman

Thanks to the work of Energy Star we are already saving literally billions of dollars each year through energy efficiency practices. Through these practices both environmentally dangerous greenhouse gases as well as operational costs have been reduced without any tradeoffs in performance or quality.

Who is Energy Star?

Energy Star was originally created in 1992 by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It started as a voluntary labeling program but has grown into the successful organization it is today. Energy Star helps consumers identify and purchase over 40,000 energy efficient products.

A largely successful program to date, in 2006 alone Energy Star saved consumers over $14 billion on their utility bills. The savings were equivalent to the emissions from 25 million cars. While this may seem remarkable there is still much more work to be done.

The Energy Star Challenge

A new project from Energy Star is called the Energy Star Challenge. This challenge consists of "a national call-to-action to improve the energy efficiency of America's commercial and industrial buildings by 10 percent or more."

Anyone who works in commercial or industrial buildings can participate in the Energy Star Challenge. According to the Energy Star website, the challenge encourages participants to:

• Design commercial buildings to be energy efficient.
• Meter your energy usage over long periods
• Create a plan for energy efficiency improvements
• Implement energy efficiency upgrades
• Inform others about efficiency

Take the Energy Star Challenge

If you are ready to participate in the Energy Star Challenge you can sign-up using the following web based form:

• Energy Star Challenge
  

The Energy Star Challenge Toolkit

Energy Star offers a free toolkit to help you in the challenge:

• Energy Star Challenge Toolkit
  

Within the web based toolkit you can find useful resources, energy efficiency facts, figures, key points and more. They even offer press release templates, printable posters and co-brandable print advertisements.

You have already taken the first step by taking the time to read this article, now help the planet by participating in the Energy Star Challenege and "Build a Better World 10% at a Time."

Labels: article, challenge, consumer, electricity, energy, energy efficiency, energy star, money, savings

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Credit: Jeff Kubina

Each day more and more forward thinking people are worrying about their personal carbon footprint. The understanding that we all share a single planet has motivated many people to consciously change patterns in their lives for the better of the planet. If you are trying to reduce your carbon footprint, then it's important you understand the impact of generating electricity on our environment.

Residential Electricity Generated by Fossil Fuels is the Third Largest Contributor of Carbon Dioxide Emissions in the US

Electricity is a basic part of nature, and it is one of our most widely used forms of energy. While it's possible to generate electricity in many "green" ways, the number one source of US electricity is coal. In 2006, nearly half (49%) of the country's 4.1 trillion kilowatt hours of electricity used coal as its source of energy.

Many power companies don't even offer consumers the option of using 100% renewable energy - even when consumers are willing to pay a higher rate. Why? If one ignores the pollution, generating electricity from fossil fuels such as coal is inexpensive and for many people willing to exploit our planet that is enough.

Credit: Irish Typepad

Fighting Against Big Coal

While Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas recently vetoed a bill to allow two more coal based power plants from being built in Kansas. It only took three days for a "new" proposal bill to come from the House committee which would allow for the coal fired plants construction. Why would the Governor of Kansas fight against the installation of the new power plants when it could mean more jobs for her constituents? Last October, Rod Bremby, the state secretary of health and environment stated the plants could potentially produce 11 million tons of CO2 a year.

4.1 Trillion Kilowatt Hours of Electricity

A number as large as 4.1 trillion is staggering, so what does that translate into for the average American household? The average US home uses 9,000 kilowatt hours a year. 9,000 kilowatt hours a year has the same environmental impact as:

• Driving a Car 13,392 miles
• Chopping Down 50 Trees

What You Can Do

While some of us fight to save our planet others look to exploit it that's why it is important for everyone to firmly understand the environmental cost of generating electricity from fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas. The key to stopping this exploitation is knowledge. If people understand the hard costs of the resources they use, they can make informed decisions. They can choose to be more energy efficient and conserve electricity.

Conserving Energy through Energy Efficiency

All of the small changes made individually can combine together to make a major impact. What can you do? The answer is simple - reduce the amount of energy you use. An easy way to do this is to use more energy efficient appliances, electronics and lighting. Energy efficient devices offer you the same quality of service but at a lower energy cost. Energy Star rated devices are a perfect example of energy efficiency, they can offer between 15-75% savings over comparable devices.

Energy Star

If you are looking to reduce your personal energy consumption then look for the Energy Star label. In 2006 alone Energy Star saved consumers over $14 billion on their utility bills. Translated into greenhouse gas emissions, in 2006 Energy Star prevented greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 25 million cars.

Remember fighting global climate change starts at home. Stopping global warming won't come from the single step of one individual, but rather through many small steps by many different people.

Labels: article, coal, electricity, energy, energy consumption, energy efficiency, energy star, gas, natural gas, power

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Credit: deadling

Are you in the market for a new air conditioner? Have you been considering a room air conditioner instead of a central air conditioner but aren't sure what you should be looking for? Purchasing an air conditioner of any type should be researched before hand simply due to the amount of electricity your air conditioner could potentially use. If you purchase the wrong unit you may end up with extremely large monthly electric bills and inefficient cooling.

As a consumer you definitely want to find the best performing unit for you. You want to find a unit which is very energy efficient because not only will it save you money in the long run, it's better for the environment as well. Energy efficiency is about making the best or most efficient use of energy in order to achieve a given level of comfort and convenience.

What is a Room Air Conditioner?

A room air conditioner is an air conditioning system designed to cool a room or rooms instead of the entire house. Do you live in a smaller home, townhouse, condo or even apartment? Would you prefer or do you require a non-permaneant air conditioning installation? If you answered yes then a room air conditioner may be a good matched for you. In comparison to central air conditioners, room air conditioners are dramatically less expensive to operate - even though they are often less efficient.

While central air conditioners often need higher voltage connections a room air conditioner can often be plugged into any 15- or 20-amp, 115-volt household circuit. If you have a larger room air conditioner you may need a dedicated 115 volt-circuit. In only the most extreme cases will you ever need a dedicated 230-volt circuit.

Room air conditioners are often vented or window mounted so they can effectively expel hot air out. Be wary of any room air conditioner that does not offer proper ventilation.

How are Room Air Conditioners Rated?

If you are familiar with central air conditioners you may be already familiar with the SEER or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. Room air conditioners are rated not on in SEER but rather in EER or Energy Efficiency Ratio. The EER of a given room air conditioner is calculated by dividing the cooling capacity in British Thermal Units (BTU) per hour by the power input in watts. You can find room air conditioners offering a range of cooling powers from 5,500 BTU per hour to 14,000 BTU per hour.

While the national appliance standard requires that any room air conditioner built after 1990 to have an EER of 8.0 or greater, and the latest Energy Star standards require in some cases an EER of 10.7 or greater I support the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy's (ACEEE) recommendations. The ACEEE recommends at least an EER of 11.6. Why? This will guarantee your unit is energy efficient throughout the year and when it is needed most - the hottest summer months.

Selecting a Room Air Conditioner

Once you've decided to purchase a room air conditioner make sure you look for the Energy Star label. If every room air conditioner sold in the U.S. were Energy Star qualified, we could prevent 1.2 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions to put that into perspective that is equivalent to the emissions from 100,000 cars. Energy Star room air conditioners use at least 10% less energy than conventional models.

In the room air conditioner game Energy Star isn't the only certification to be looking for. You should also look for Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers or AHAM Certified units. Why? AHAM Certified room air conditioners have their EER ratings verified by an independent laboratory.

Getting the Right Size

Room air conditioners like all air conditioning units are rated by the number of British Thermal Units (BTU) of heat they can remove per hour. Another common way of rating air conditioners is by the "ton," some example are 5,500 BTU per hour or 14,000 BTU per hour.

Getting the right size room air conditioner for your application is crucial. If you get the wrong size you can easily waste large volumes of electricity. The size of your air conditioner depends upon:

• How large is your home and how many do you have?
• How much shade do you have? Do you have shade on your home's windows, walls, and roof?
• Are the ceilings and walls of your home insulated properly?
• Do you have air leaks?
• How much heat do you, the occupants, and appliances generate?

Remember the key to any air conditioners efficiency and performance depend on you properly matching the size of the AC unit to your specific application.

If you find this a bit confusing then you can always use the free AHAM tool. AHAM offers a handy online tool which can help you calculate your air conditioner (or evaporative cooler) needs.

• http://www.cooloff.org/sub_cool.html

Installing your Room Air Conditioner

When you install a new room air conditioner you should try to locate the air conditioner in a window or wall area near the center of the room. It is also beneficial to install your air conditioner on the shadiest side of your house. Try not to let your installation increase air leakage - you can minimize this by fitting the either the room air conditioner or its ventilation snugly into its opening and sealing gaps with a foam weather stripping material.

Are Room Air Conditioners my only non-permeneant cooling option?

If you live in a drier climate, somewhere with a relatively humidity level below 50%, then you may be well matched for an "Evaporative Cooler" sometimes referred to as a "Swamp Cooler." An evaporative cooler cools by using a fan to force air through moistened pads. As the hot air passes through the pads, the pads absorb the heat and cool the air in some cases as much as 15-20 degrees.

Evaporative coolers are not for everyone. In the wrong climate, in the wrong conditions an evaporative cooler can create conditions of high humidity in the air which in turn can cause condensation and even corrosion.

In the right conditions and climate, evaporative coolers, can provide cost very effective cooling. When compared to air conditioners, evaporative coolers use an average of 75% less electricity. Evaporative coolers are very energy efficient.

If you think you are a good candidate for an evaporate cooler you can use the free AHAM tool referenced earlier to calculate the proper size for your specific application too.

In many parts of the world air conditioning can seem like a life saver, but it comes at a cost - first in dollars spent for electricity, and second in carbon dioxide pollution from the generation of electricity. According to the the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) we create an astounding 140 million tons of CO2 cooling our homes. You can easily save electricity by purchasing a correctly sized Energy Star rated room air conditioner. By saving electricity you are doing your part to fight global climate change.

Labels: ac, air conditioner, air conditioning, article, diy, electricity, energy, energy efficiency, hvac, renovation

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Credit: aine d

Did you know that 14% of the energy produced in the United States is used to air condition buildings and 10% of the energy produced is used to air condition homes? What is the total cost to consumers? Over 15 billion dollars a year. To put that into perspective the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) equates that to an astounding 140 million tons of CO2.

Energy efficiency refers to the reduction of energy used by specific end-use devices and systems, such as air conditioners, typically without affecting the quality of the services provided. Energy efficiency can be achieved many ways. In the case of your air conditioning one simple way to achieve this efficiency is by reducing your air conditioning needs.

Reducing Your Air Conditioning Needs

Depending upon where you live you may feel very dependent on your air conditioner. You may even be thinking about upgrading to a newer air conditioner with higher improved SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) but before you do consider the following - the easiest way to save money and energy on cooling is to reduce your air conditioning needs in the first place.

While some of my solutions may seem initially costly - in the long run you will enjoy a monthly energy savings, in some cases you may appreciate the value of your home, and you will always feel good knowing that you are doing your part to fight global warming.

Strategies for Reducing Your Air Conditioning Needs

• Invest in alternate forms of in-house cooling such as ceiling fans or house fans. Unless you live in a very humid climate than ceiling fans, which can provide cooling by creating a low- level "wind chill" effect, are a good and relatively inexpensive choice. Ceiling fans are also rated by Energy Star so it's easy to find energy efficient models. House fans are usually large fans in your top-floor ceiling. They cool by expelling hot air out and in-turn creating a vacuum that sucks cooler air in. Unfortunately house fans are not covered by Energy Star. In either case fan use substantially less energy then air conditioning systems and can go a long way in reducing your dependence on your air conditioner.
• Replace older single pane windows with newer more energy efficient double pane or even triple pane windows. More energy efficiency windows can reduce your air conditioning needs but depending upon the number of windows involved it may get expensive. If expense becomes a concern you can always opt to use drapes or window coverings that block out the sunlight effectively. While drapes and window coverings will help, for the best results when justified, I recommend replacing the framing and glass. In some cases replacing your windows can improve their energy efficiency by up to 41% in the summer - when your air conditioning is used most.
• Consider shade gardening. If replacing your windows is expensive but you have room for gardening consider planting shade trees on the sunny side of your home. The less direct sunlight that gets into your house, the less heat. Shade trees also have the added benefits of reducing local area CO2 pollution. You can expect a full grown shade tree to gradually remove about 10 lbs of CO2 a year, native trees are always good choice because they are easier to maintain.
• Replace non-programmable thermostats with programmable versions. You can save as much as 10% a year on your cooling bills by using a programmable thermostat to adjust the temperature automatically while you regularly sleeping or out of the house. When you shop for a programmable thermostat, be sure to look for the Energy Star versions.
• Install energy efficient roofing. Energy Star offers a number of different Reflective Roof Products that can reduce your peak air conditioning demand by as much as 10-15%.
• Use light-colored or "cool" sidings or paints with a high Light Reflective Value (LRV). Most major paint manufacturers can tell you the LRV of any color paint chip. The higher the LRV the more the paint will reflect away heat instead of absorbing it. Keeping your house cooler by reflecting away heat will reduce your air conditioning needs.
• Replace your older/inefficient appliances such as old or secondary refrigerator or, replace incandescent light bulbs with LEDs. The less heat your appliances and inefficient lighting give off the less your air conditioner will have to compensate.
• Unplug large consumer electronics when you aren't using them. Lots of newer electronics have a "sleep mode" that keeps them ready for action. This "sleep mode" uses electricity and because the device is running at some level it will still be creating heat. When not in use,don't forget to unplug chargers for your smaller devices, too
• Properly insulate your home. If you have a home that isn't properly insulated you can waste a lot of electricity when the cool air created by your air conditioner escapes. Why? Your air conditioner will simply keep working harder to maintain a stable temperature regardless of continuous air leaks. The harder your air conditioner works the more electricity is uses and the more expensive it becomes. If your home has an attic it is very common for air leaks to occur between your living space and the attic space.

An easy way to save money on air conditioning which is often overlooked is through the simple reduction of its use. While enjoying the cool benefits of air conditioning it is easy to overlook its expensive nature, due to the electricity required one has to also consider it's environmental cost. While being green isn't always easy, in this case, being green will save you money - by reducing your energy usage.

Labels: ac, air conditioner, air conditioning, article, diy, electricity, energy, energy efficiency, hvac, renovation

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Credit: airgap

Computers have become seemingly ubiquitous in today's society. We use them for both business and for entertainment purposes. When one takes the global usage of computers today into consideration, its easy to understand why Energy Star revised their specifications for computers in July 2007.

What did they change?

In order to qualify for the new Energy Star rating products must first meet more stringent energy use guidelines in three unique operating modes:

• Standby
• Sleep Mode
• In Use/Active

According to Energy Star products must also include a "more efficient internal power supply." They claim by "requiring efficiency savings across operating modes, the new computer specification is expected to save consumers and businesses more than $1.8 billion in energy costs over the next 5 years and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equal to the annual emissions of 2.7 million vehicles."

Are computer manufacturers willing to meet these new standards?

As with any updated specification it will take time for computer manufacturers to revisit their product offerings. This means that it's more important than ever before to look for the Energy Star label when purchasing a new computer. If the machine isn't Energy Star rated then at least check the power supply rating. Some of the new "gaming" computers, like the HP Blackbird 002 with its 1.1 KiloWatt power supply should be pulled from the market.

How do I find Energy Star rated Computers?

Energy Star maintains an up to date list of computers that meet the latest specifications. When purchasing your next machine it is always a good printable reference:

• Energy Star Computer Products List (xls)
  

If you'd prefer more of an interactive tool they also offer a web based version of the same information to help you find Energy Star qualified computers:

• Energy Star Computer Product Tool
  

Currently Available Energy Star Desktops

A number of manufacturers have already moved forward and accepted their responsibilities by offering desktop PCs that are compliant with the latest Energy Star standards. Here is a short list of major manufacturers that you may wish to consider:

• Acer
• Apple
• Dell
• Gateway

Some of the new machines that are already on the market today boast standby power usage as low as 1 Watt, sleep usage as low as 1.95 Watts and 27.63 Watts while In Use/Active.

Always remember saving energy helps prevent climate change. Furthermore, computers are environmentally expensive items, it requires 530 lbs of fossil fuel, 58 lbs of chemicals and 1.5 tons of water to make a single desktop PC and monitor. By making sure your next computer purchase is green one you are doing your part to fight global warming.

Labels: article, computer, computers, electricity, energy, energy efficiency, green, green computer, green pc

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