How Do Products Earn an Energy Star Rating?
Most of our readers are aware of the ENERGY STAR label, but how is it qualified? ENERGY STAR is a trusted, internationally recognized, government-backed symbol representing energy efficiency, environmental protection and cost-savings for energy-efficient products and practices. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) establishes criteria for evaluation purposes and determines whether or not the ENERGY STAR rating has been earned.
“The ENERGY STAR label was established to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants caused by the inefficient use of energy; and, make it easy for consumers to identify and purchase energy-efficient products that offer savings on energy bills without sacrificing performance, features, and comfort.”
How Does EPA Choose which Products Earn the Label?
“Products can earn the ENERGY STAR label by meeting the energy efficiency requirements set forth in ENERGY STAR product specifications. EPA establishes these specifications based on the following set of key guiding principles:
• Product categories must contribute significant energy savings nationwide.
• Qualified products must deliver the features and performance demanded by consumers, in addition to increased energy efficiency.
• If the qualified product costs more than a conventional, less-efficient counterpart, purchasers will recover their investment in increased energy efficiency through utility bill savings, within a reasonable period of time.
• Energy efficiency can be achieved through broadly available, non-proprietary technologies offered by more than one manufacturer.
• Product energy consumption and performance can be measured and verified with testing.
• Labelling would effectively differentiate products and be visible for purchasers.”
Fortunately, there is an abundance of ENERGY STAR products available for your home. So if you’re currently shopping for your greener lifestyle, click here to find the options available for numerous types of ENERGY STAR rated products including:
Building Products
• Seal and Insulate
• Roof Products
• Windows, Doors and Skylights
There’s no doubt that ENERGY STAR rated products not only provide energy efficiency, but they assist with our collective plight to reduce energy consumption and live a greener lifestyle. Furthermore, it’s been effectively demonstrated that purchasing products with the ENERGY STAR label will help reduce costs on your energy bills. I’m sure most people have at least one (if not more) ENERGY STAR products in their homes, but the list of available energy efficient products is vast and can satisfy most household needs without paying a fortune. Operating with energy efficiency helps us truly value our energy resources, mitigates the impact of high energy prices, reduces the need for new fossil fuel burning power plants, and diminishes our reliance on energy imports. Ultimately, the result is what we all should be endorsing and moving towards: decreased greenhouse gas emissions and less air pollutants.
