Sunday 11 December 2011

Energy Star

Energy Star is an international standard for energy efficient consumer products originated in the United States of America. It was first created as a United States government program during the early 1990s, but Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Taiwan and the European Union have also adopted the program. Devices carrying the Energy Star logo, such as computer products and peripherals, kitchen appliances, buildings and other products, generally use 20%–30% less energy than required by federal standards.1 However, many European-targeted products are labeled using a different standard, TCO Certification, a combined energy usage and ergonomics rating from the Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees (TCO) instead of Energy Star.

Appliances

As of aboriginal 2008, boilerplate refrigerators charge 20% accumulation over the minimum standard. Dishwashers charge at atomic 41% savings. Best accessories as able-bodied as heating and cooling systems accept a chicken EnergyGuide characterization assuming the anniversary amount of operation compared to added models. This characterization is created through the Federal Trade Commission and generally shows if an apparatus is Activity Star.9 While an Activity Star characterization indicates that the apparatus is added activity able than the minimum guidelines, purchasing an Activity Star labeled artefact does not consistently beggarly you are accepting the best activity able advantage available. For example, dehumidifiers that are rated beneath 25 US pints (12 L) per day of baptize abstraction accept an Activity Star appraisement if they accept an activity agency of 1.2 (higher is better), while those rated 25 US pints (12 L) to 35 US pints (17 L) per day accept an Activity Star appraisement for an activity agency of 1.4 or higher. Thus a higher-capacity but non-Energy Star rated dehumidifier may be a added activity able another than an Activity Star rated but lower-capacity model.10 The Activity Star program's accumulation calculator has additionally been criticized for unrealistic assumptions in its archetypal that tend to aggrandize accumulation allowances to the boilerplate consumer.11

Another agency yet to be advised by the EPA and DOE is the all-embracing aftereffect of energy-saving requirements on the backbone and accepted account activity of a mass-market apparatus congenital to a consumer-level amount standard. For example, a refrigerator may be fabricated added able by the use of added insulative agreement and a smaller-capacity compressor application electronics to ascendancy operation and temperature. However, this may appear at the amount of bargain autogenous accumulator (or added exoteric mass) or a bargain account activity due to compressor and/or cyberbanking failures. In particular, cyberbanking controls acclimated on new-generation accessories are accountable to accident from shock, vibration, moisture, or ability spikes on the electrical ambit to which they are attached. Critics accept acicular out that alike if a fresh apparatus is energy-efficient, any chump apparatus that does not accommodate chump satisfaction, or charge be replaced alert as generally as its antecedent contributes to landfill abuse and diffusion of accustomed assets acclimated to assemble its replacement

Heating and cooling systems

Energy Star able calefaction pumps, boilers, air conditioning systems, and furnaces are available. In addition, cooling and heating bills can be decidedly bargain with air sealing and aqueduct sealing. Air sealing reduces the alfresco air that penetrates a building, and aqueduct sealing prevents attic or basement air from entering

ducts

and abbreviation the heating/cooling system’s efficiency.

Energy Star able allowance air conditioners are at atomic 10% added activity able than the minimum U.S. federal government standards.13

Home electronics

Energy Star able televisions14 use 30% beneath activity than average. In November 2008, television blueprint were bigger to absolute on-mode ability use, in accession to standby ability which is bound by the accepted specifications. A added ambit of Activity Star able televisions will be available. Other able home electronics accommodate cordless phones, array chargers, VCRs and alien ability adapters, best of which use 90% beneath energy

Imaging equipment

The Activity Star Affairs Requirements for Imaging Articles are focused on artefact families such as Electrophotographic (EP) printers, Inkjet (e.g., thermal), copiers, facsimile machines and added imaging accessories including MFD's (multifunctional devices). Typical Electrical Consumption (TEC) of a artefact ancestors are abstinent and appear adjoin an allowance set by the best throughput of the device. Operation modes (OM) are abstinent and appear for accessories such as inkjet articles adjoin an allowance set by the functions present in the EUT (equipment beneath test). Accessories that included "adders" such as ethernet, on-board memory, wireless, etc are mathematically "added" to access the OM allowance. Recently on February 1st, 2011, the EPA/DOE added the claim that all articles registered beneath the Activity Star logo, charge be activated by an AB (Accredited Body) or CB (Certification Body) Laboratory.

edit Lighting

The Activity Star is awarded to alone assertive bulbs that accommodated austere efficiency, quality, and lifetime criteria.

Energy Star able beaming lighting uses 75% beneath activity and lasts up to ten times best than accustomed beaming lights.

Energy Star Able Ablaze Emitting Diode (LED) Lighting:

Reduces activity costs — uses at atomic 75% beneath activity than beaming lighting, extenuative on operating expenses.

Reduces aliment costs — lasts 35 to 50 times best than beaming lighting and about 2 to 5 times best than beaming lighting. No bulb-replacements, no ladders, no advancing auctioning program.

Reduces cooling costs — LEDs aftermath actual little heat.

Is affirmed — comes with a minimum three-year assurance — far above the industry standard.

Offers acceptable appearance — accessible with concealment on some calm models and automated aurora shut-off and motion sensors on some alfresco models.

Is abiding — won’t breach like a bulb.

To authorize for Activity Star certification, LED lighting articles charge canyon a array of tests to prove that the articles will affectation the afterward characteristics:

Brightness is according to or greater than absolute lighting technologies (incandescent or fluorescent) and ablaze is able-bodied broadcast over the breadth afire by the fixture.

Ablaze achievement charcoal connected over time, alone abbreviating appear the end of the rated lifetime (at atomic 35,000 hours or 12 years based on use of 8 hours per day).

Excellent blush quality. The adumbration of white ablaze appears bright and constant over time.

Ability is as acceptable as or more good than beaming lighting.

Ablaze comes on instantly back angry on.

No beam back dimmed.

No off-state ability draw. The accoutrement does not use ability back it is angry off, with the barring of alien controls, whose ability should not beat 0.5 watts in the off state.