Energy Star

Energy Star, a government program jointly implemented by the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, aims to better protect the living environment and save energy. 1992 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the earliest promotion in computer products. Now the products included in the scope of this certification have reached more than 30 categories, such as household appliances, heating/cooling equipment, electronic products, lighting products, etc. Currently, the most done in the Chinese market is lighting products, including energy saving lamps (CFL), lamps (RLF), traffic signals and exit signs.

What is Energy Star?

Energy Star (ENERGY STAR) is a U.S. government-led energy conservation program focused on consumer electronics. The Energy Star program was launched in 1992 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The program has since been adopted by Australia, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, New Zealand and the European Union. The program is voluntary and ENERGY STAR standards are typically 20-30% more energy efficient than U.S. federal standards. The first products to go along with this program were mainly information appliances such as computers, and then gradually extended to motors, office equipment, lighting, appliances, and so on. The EPA has been actively promoting the ENERGY STAR buildings program since 1996. The EPA assists voluntary participants in assessing the energy use of their buildings (including lighting, air conditioning, office equipment, etc.), planning the building's energy efficiency improvement action plan, and following up on the operation, so some homes or industrial and commercial buildings that have introduced the new concept of environmental protection can also be found with the ENERGY STAR logo. The Energy Star logo can also be found in some homes or commercial buildings that have introduced new environmental concepts.

Test Components

Energy Star tests include: safety, EMI, surge, noise (non-Energy Star energy efficiency test items) Light performance and energy efficiency test items: 1, luminous efficiency, luminous flux 2, color temperature, color deviation, color rendering index 3, light intensity distribution, regional luminous flux distribution 4, chromaticity spatial inhomogeneity 5, switching cycle 6, luminous flux maintenance rate 7, chromaticity maintenance rate 8, size 9, electrical parameters

Certified Product Range

As of November 2008, ENERGY STAR now covers more than 50 products, mainly focusing on

Computer and office equipment: such as monitors, printers, fax machines, copiers, all-in-one machines, etc.

Household appliances and household-like products: such as refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines, televisions, VCRs, etc.

Heating and cooling equipment: heat pumps, boilers, central air conditioners, etc.

Large commercial buildings and new housing, windows and doors, etc.

Industrial and commercial products, such as transformers, power supplies, etc.

Lighting: such as household lamps, etc.

Commercial food equipment: e.g. commercial ice cream machines, commercial dishwashers, etc.

Other commercial products: vending machines, channel signs, etc.

The products currently targeted are: fluorescent lamps, decorative light strings, LED lamps and lanterns, power adapters, switching power supplies, ceiling fan lights, consumer audio-visual products, battery charging equipment, printers, household appliances and various other products.

Carry out the status

There are seven countries and regions in the world participating in the Energy Star program promoted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, namely the United States, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, and the European Union, and an international Energy Star program meeting has been held annually since 2001. Now the products included in the scope of this certification have reached more than 30 categories, such as household appliances, heating/cooling equipment, electronic products, lighting products, etc. Currently, the most done in the Chinese market are lighting products, including energy saving lamps (CFL), lamps and lanterns (RLF), traffic signals and exit signs.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) jointly announced on April 14, 2010, adjustments to the ENERGY STAR product certification process to ensure that only products that meet the requirements are approved for the ENERGY STAR label. In this adjustment, the immediately effective terms are: To obtain the ENERGY STAR label, manufacturers must submit a complete test report and evaluation results, certified by EPA, before EPA reviews and approves the product as an ENERGY STAR qualified product. The manufacturer will not be able to obtain the ENERGY STAR certification mark until the EPA reviews and approves the product as an ENERGY STAR qualified product. At the same time, EPA has enhanced its approval system during the ENERGY STAR qualification review process by no longer relying on an automated approval process, but rather checking and approving all new qualification applications.

EPA and DOE will further strengthen the ENERGY STAR certification process by the end of 2010 by requiring all manufacturers to submit test results from an accredited, approved laboratory to ensure that products meet ENERGY STAR requirements. The current products involved are windows, doors, skylights and fluorescent bulbs, and the new testing process will expand the ENERGY STAR program to more than 60 product categories, including freezers, refrigerated freezers, washing machines, dishwashers, water heaters and room air conditioners.

Energy Star Homes Program

The EPA's Energy Star Homes program is a national voluntary program designed to build a new type of home that is 30 percent more energy efficient. Qualified ENERGY STAR homes are subject to third-party verification that the builder has properly implemented energy efficiency measures. As long as the ENERGY STAR logo is visible, home buyers who are not experts can make a confident purchase decision. In general, ENERGY STAR homes are 30% more energy efficient than homes built to common energy codes, while protecting the environment and saving occupants money on their energy bills. The construction of ENERGY STAR homes benefits not only buyers, but also builders, mortgage companies and other organizations in the housing industry, so home builders across the United States support the ENERGY STAR homes program.

Homes are usually new construction because it is much easier to build a home that meets energy efficiency rules than to renovate an existing home. Although it is expensive to upgrade a home to earn the ENERGY STAR label, it can significantly reduce energy use expenses, so retrofitting an existing home is still a good idea. When replacing air conditioning, electrical, or lighting equipment, you should also consider purchasing products that carry the ENERGY STAR label, which can further improve the energy efficiency of your home.

The ENERGY STAR Homes program uses the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) to determine a home's energy efficiency score. Both new and existing homes must meet the same energy efficiency standards to earn the ENERGY STAR label. In order to obtain a HERS rating, or to seek a way to earn the ENERGY STAR label, it is also necessary to consult with a local qualified home energy assessor to compare a model home (which is the same size and shape as the home being assessed and meets the minimum requirements of the energy code), and the HERS rating system provides an objective, standardized evaluation of the home's energy efficiency. The HERS assessment score ranges from 0 to 100. The sample home has a score of 80. Every 5% reduction in energy consumption relative to the model home equals a one point increase in HERS. The lowest HERS rating for an ENERGY STAR home is 86. The HERS evaluation includes an on-site inspection of the home. This testing includes a blower door test and a duct leakage test. The results of these tests, along with other information about the home, are entered into a simulated computer program to calculate the HERS score and estimate the annual energy costs.

Energy Efficient Window Use

ENERGY STAR homes are fitted with high-performance energy-efficient windows to improve the energy efficiency of the home. Quieter interiors - multiple panes of glass and sealed window frames block outside noise; prevent fading of curtains, furniture and floors - energy-efficient windows are covered with a low-reflectivity coating, which blocks 98% of UV rays; reduce cost of use --Energy-efficient windows allow homes to reduce heat loss in the winter and block heat absorption in the summer; Improved quality --Energy-efficient windows are made with high-quality materials, are easy to use, and provide additional security for the user. Windows take up roughly 10-25% of a home's exterior wall area, and depending on the climate of each location, they consume 25-50% of the energy needed to heat and cool a room. Therefore, when building a new home, it is critical to consider using energy efficient windows.

Heating and cooling equipment

ENERGY STAR homes are equipped with properly powered, efficient heating and cooling equipment. By paying proper attention to air duct sealing, home insulation and the installation of energy efficient windows during the construction of a home, the power of heating and cooling equipment in ENERGY STAR homes is typically less than in homes built to common energy codes. 

Reduced cost of use - heating and cooling equipment does not need to be overloaded.

Reduced maintenance problems - heating and cooling equipment always operates at optimal levels.

Quieter home environment - no need to constantly and frequently turn on and off overpowered equipment.

Poor air and ventilation ducts mean that the average home's heating and cooling equipment needs to be increased in power to quickly meet its heat and cooling requirements. But such high-powered equipment has major drawbacks ① it cannot run for long periods of time to reach its most efficient operating level; ② when the system cannot run long enough to remove moisture from the air, it leads to the problem of dampness in the house; and ③ high-powered equipment tends to shut down quickly because it starts up frequently. Tight air and ventilation ducts reduce the need for air conditioning gas to heat and cool the home, thus allowing the use of high-powered equipment to be avoided.

Improved insulation performance

ENERGY STAR homes are significantly better insulated than those built to common energy codes. The improved insulation not only prevents excessive heat and cold spillage, but also maintains a constant temperature between rooms.

Increased comfort - constant temperatures are maintained throughout the home and between rooms.

Reduced cost of use - HAVC equipment compensates for the small amount of heat and cold exchange that occurs in the home during the winter and summer.

To effectively maintain the temperature of the home, a continuous layer of interior and exterior insulation is necessary. The insulation must be laid without cracks, curling or compression. Energy Star homes must also pay attention to insulation around obstructions such as pipes, wires and outlets.

Sealed

Sealed conduits Energy Star homes require much higher requirements for conduit sealing than homes built to common energy codes. Sealed conduits are critical to saving energy and keeping homes comfortable.

More consistent comfort - distributed for every room.

Significantly better indoor air quality - reducing the amount of dust and other pollutants a room draws in from the outside.

Lower cost of use - reduce the need for air-conditioning gas in rooms. In a typical U.S. home, 20-30% of air leaks from ducts, which means a lot of unnecessary money is spent to make rooms warmer or cooler. Ductwork should be kept sealed and tested locally to reduce air conditioning gas leakage.

Energy efficient retrofits

Owners of established homes can use the Energy Star Home Benchmark, an international Internet-based assessment tool, to compare annual energy consumption with similar homes in their own countries. This tool helps owners of established homes understand whether their homes meet energy efficiency requirements and whether they should upgrade their homes' energy efficiency measures to improve energy use. On the ENERGY STAR website, this tool also helps owners of existing homes quickly decide which home retrofit to choose to improve energy efficiency.

The ENERGY STAR Homes program also offers a Home Retrofit Toolkit to help retrofit existing homes. With the help of the Home Retrofit Toolkit, the average household can reduce its annual energy use costs by up to 1,400 percent, or almost 400 percent when repairing, rebuilding or improving an existing home. The energy efficiency measures in the Home Retrofit Toolkit can help homeowners improve the energy efficiency, value and comfort of their homes, and protect the ecosystem by reducing energy consumption. For homeowners, the Home Remodeling Toolkit makes home remodeling and renovation projects easier.