Energy Efficiency Solutions for Home and Business Savings

2. Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars. Earning the Government's ENERGY STAR ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs: ENERGY STAR qualified bulbs use about 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. Save about $30 or more in electricity costs over each bulb's lifetime. Produce about 75 percent less heat, so they're safer to operate and can cut energy costs associated with home cooling. Are available in different sizes and shapes to fit in almost any fixture, for indoors and outdoors.

4. EXIT Signs • If all U.S. companies switched to ENERGY STAR qualified exit signs, they would save $75 million in electricity costs. • Earning the ENERGY STAR • Exit signs that have earned the ENERGY STAR operate on five watts or less per sign, compared to standard signs, which use as much as 40 watts per sign. • When installed throughout a building, qualified exit signs can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars in energy and maintenance costs. One sign alone can save about $10 annually on electricity costs and can last up to 10 years without a lamp replacement, compared to less than one year for an incandescent. • Signs that have earned the ENERGY STAR are tested for visibility factors, and come with a five-year manufacturer warranty. • Remember, saving energy prevents pollution.There are more than 100 million exit signs in use throughout the U.S. Typically lit by incandescent bulbs, these signs consume 30-35 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) hours of energy each year.

5. Changing the world starts with simple actions. When you replace light bulbs or entire light fixtures in your home with ones that have earned the government’s ENERGY STAR, you help preserve energy resources and reduce the risks of global warming while saving money and time buying and changing lights in your home. ENERGY STAR qualified lighting provides bright, warm light but uses about 75% less energy than standard lighting, produce 75 percent less heat, and lasts up to 10 times longer. To save the most energy and money, replace your highest used fixtures or the light bulbs in them with energy-efficient models. The five highest use fixtures in a home are typically the kitchen ceiling lights, the living or family room table and floor lamps, and outdoor porch or post lamp. ENERGY STAR qualified lighting fixtures and replacement bulbs can be found at home improvement and hardware stores, lighting showrooms, and other retail stores, including on-line outlets. The smallest things can add up to a real difference. We encourage you to change out the light fixtures or bulbs at home that you use most with ENERGY STAR qualified models. If every American home replaced their 5 most frequently used light fixtures or the bulbs in them with ones that have earned the ENERGY STAR, we would save close to $8 billion each year in energy costs, and together we would prevent the greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions from nearly 10 million cars. FACT: The energy used in the average home can be responsible for more than twice the greenhouse gas emissions of the average car. When you use less energy at home, you reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and help protect our environment from the risks of global climate change.

8. Geothermal heat pumps Geothermal heat pumps are similar to ordinary heat pumps, but use the ground instead of outside air to provide heating, air conditioning and, in most cases, hot water. Because they use the earth's natural heat, they are among the most efficient and comfortable heating and cooling technologies currently available. Earning the ENERGY STAR means products meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy. ENERGY STAR qualified geothermal heat pumps use about 30% less energy than a standard heat pump. They are quieter than conventional systems. Remember, saving energy prevents pollution. By choosing ENERGY STAR and taking steps to optimize the performance of your heating and cooling equipment, you are helping to prevent global warming and promoting cleaner air while enhancing the comfort of your home. You may also be interested to know: Though these products can be more expensive to purchase up front, the cost difference will be paid back over time through lower energy bills. When buying new equipment, sizing and installation are as important as product quality. You can get better heating and cooling performance at home with ENERGY STAR home sealing (insulation and air sealing) and duct sealing. Consider regular maintenance to maintain your heating and cooling system performance.

9. Programmable thermostats automatically adjust your home's temperature settings, allowing you to save energy while you're away or sleeping. They: are more convenient and accurate than manual thermostats and improve your home’s comfort contain no mercury save energy and save money on utility bills — when used properly, about $150/year are better for the environment, since using less energy helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with energy production Programmable thermostats earn the ENERGY STAR by meeting strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the government. These units save energy by offering 4 convenient, pre-programmed temperature settings — settings that try to anticipate when it's convenient for you to scale back on heating or cooling. If you are like many homeowners and work outside the home during the day and have a different schedule on the weekend, a programmable thermostat can offer many benefits, and the return on your investment is usually within 1 year. On the other hand, if you are home throughout the day, seven days a week, then a programmable thermostat will offer more limited benefits.

10. Office Equipment — from computers and monitors to imaging equipment, such as printers and copiers — that has earned the ENERGY STAR helps eliminate wasted energy through special energy-efficient designs. They use less energy to perform regular tasks, and when not in use, automatically enter a low-power mode. New Specifications for Many Office Products in 2007 2007 brings new ENERGY STAR specifications for office and imaging equipment. This means it will be more difficult for computers, copiers, fax machines, mailing machines, multifunction devices (MFDs), printers, and scanners to earn the ENERGY STAR The new ENERGY STAR specifications promise significant energy savings. In addition to reducing power use for the products themselves, the new specifications also set additional requirements for accessories. If an imaging product is sold with an external power adapter, cordless handset, or digital front-end, the accessories must meet current ENERGY STAR External Power Supply (EPS), Telephony, or Computer specifications. These requirements ensure that the ENERGY STAR represents only the market's most energy-efficient products ENERGY STAR qualified office and imaging products use as much as 60% less electricity than standard equipment. And using less energy keeps utility costs down. Over the next five years, these products will save Americans more than 5 billion dollars. Remember, saving energy prevents pollution. By taking a “whole system” approach and looking at the computer, its use, and components, these new specs will reduce the greenhouse gas emissions equal to about 7 million cars.

11. Choose an ENERGY STAR Commercial Kitchen Package According to Pacific Gas and Electric’s Food Service Technology Center, as much as 80 percent of the $10 billion annual energy bill for the commercial food service sector does no useful work. These lost energy dollars are often wasted in the form of excess heat and noise generated by inefficient appliances, heating ventilation and air conditioning systems, lighting and refrigeration. To help counter these costs, ENERGY STAR helps restaurant owners and operators improve the performance of their facilities and equipment while reducing energy costs. Restaurants that invest strategically can cut utility costs 10 to 30 percent without sacrificing service, quality, style or comfort — while making significant contributions to a cleaner environment. Restaurants, or facilities with commercial kitchens, feature the majority of this equipment. They are one of the highest energy consumers of buildings — using approximately 250,000 Btu/sq.ft. This is roughly 2.5 times more energy per square foot than other commercial buildings. ENERGY STAR qualified equipment can be an answer to mounting energy bills. Purchasing ENERGY STAR qualified commercial food service equipment as a package for new kitchen construction or as a replacement for aging equipment, can save significant amounts of money and energy on foodservice operators’ electric, gas, water and sewer bills. Commercial food service products in six categories may earn the ENERGY STAR: fryers, hot food holding cabinets, commercial solid door refrigerators and freezers, and commercial steam cookers, commercial dishwashers (specification effective October 2007), and commercial ice makers (effective January 2008). Qualified products can save up to as much as 50 percent over their conventional counterparts. Save Energy, Save Money Outfitting an entire kitchen with a suite of ENERGY STAR Qualified Commercial Food Service Equipment could save operators about 285 Mbtu/year annually, or the equivalent of approximately $2500. Besides saving energy, ENERGY STAR qualified steam cookers and commercial dishwashers save water. Steam cookers that have earned the ENERGY STAR are 90% more water efficient than non-qualified steam cookers; an ENERGY STAR qualified commercial dishwasher is 25% more water efficient than standard models. Looking for additional energy and water cost cutting measures? Link to the ENERGY STAR best practices tool here for quick service restaurants           or full service restaurants          , which shows additional energy efficient equipment not currently covered by ENERGY STAR that can be upgraded in the kitchen. Help Protect the Environment Simple actions can make a big difference. Based on projected shipments of ENERGY STAR qualified commercial food service equipment, it is expected that approximately 35 thousand metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions will be avoided, the equivalent of about 25,000 cars.

12. ENERGY STAR labeled commercial solid door refrigerators and freezers are designed to help save money on your utility bills and reduce energy waste. Where can I get one? Contact the manufacturers directly or speak to your food equipment supplier. What can ENERGY STAR labeled commercial solid door refrigerators and freezers save me? ENERGY STAR labeled commercial solid door refrigerators and freezers are more energy efficient because they are designed with components such as ECM evaporator and condenser fan motors, hot gas anti-sweat heaters, or high-efficiency compressors, which will significantly reduce energy consumption and utility bills. Compared to standard models, ENERGY STAR labeled commercial solid door refrigerators and freezers can lead to energy savings of as much as 45% with a 1.3 year payback. By buying commercial solid door refrigerators and freezers, purchasers can expect to save $140 annually per refrigerator and $100 per freezer. Replacing all existing commercial solid door refrigerators and freezers in the US with ENERGY STAR labeled models would result in savings of almost $250 million per year, or roughly 25% of the energy consumed by models currently on the market — the equivalent of eliminating the emissions from 475,000 cars.

13. Earning the ENERGY STAR Beginning on July 20, 2007, ENERGY STAR’s new specifications for computers go into effect. The new specification applies to a variety of products including desktop and notebook (or laptop) computers, game consoles, integrated computer systems, desktop-derived servers, and workstations. Only the market’s most energy-efficient computing products will qualify for the ENERGY STAR label. Since computers are in use many more hours per day than in the past, ENERGY STAR has strengthened its requirements to better save energy among computers and related equipment under today’s usage patterns. Qualified products must now meet energy use guidelines in three distinct operating modes: standby, sleep mode, and while computers are being used. This approach ensures energy savings when a computer is active and performing a range of tasks, as well as when standing by. Newly qualified computers must also include a more efficient internal power supply. 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. Initially, consumers can expect to see fewer computer models qualifying for ENERGY STAR, as manufacturers change over their product lines to meet the more challenging requirements. This means it is more important than ever to look for the ENERGY STAR label when purchasing a new computer. Manufacturers are required to use the label on products and packaging, in product literature and on websites, to clearly indicate which products qualify. Visit the qualified product list to make sure a computer is qualified under the new specification. Federal IT managers and procurement staff should visit Product Purchasing and Computer Power Management for Federal Agencies to learn about saving energy by purchasing ENERGY STAR and EPEAT-registered office equipment and complying with Executive Order 13423. Remember, saving energy helps prevent global warming. Choosing computer equipment that has earned the ENERGY STAR is an easy way to help save energy and prevent global warming. http://www.energystar.gov/ia/business/bulk_purchasing/bpsavings_calc/Calc_computers.xls

14. http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=home.index http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_tax_credits http://www.energystar.gov/ia/products/heat_cool/GUIDE_2COLOR.pdf http://www.energystar.gov/ia/products/windows_doors/images/EfficientWindows1000.jpg