Cooperative Living June 2020 - 23

MemberFYI | by Paul Wesslund, Contributing Writer
A Little Blue Logo Changed
Energy-Efficiency Standards
T
he little blue (and sometimes
black) logo with the star inside
that you see on all sorts of
appliances and electronics has changed
the way we view savings through
more efficient products.
The Department of Energy's Energy
Star program claims credit for reducing
pollution and greenhouse gas emissions,
and for saving Americans $30 billion
in energy costs. Analysts credit it with
innovating the energy industry, as
manufacturers set goals of making more
energy-efficient products than their
competitors.
Energy Star makes it easy to know
whether a product you're thinking
about buying is more energy efficient.
Essentially, it looks at the average
energy use of each type of product,
and awards the Energy Star rating to
top performers based on different
criteria. For instance, a refrigerator
needs to be 9% more efficient than the
minimum standard while a computer
needs to use 25% less electricity than
conventional models and include a
power-saving mode option.
So, if the appliance or electronic
device you're purchasing includes
the Energy Star logo, you know it's
among the most energy-efficient
products available.
Numbers show the Energy Star logo
is trusted. Americans bought more than
300 million Energy Star-rated
products in 2017, and an
Energy Star study found
that three-fourths of U.S.
households say the program's
label influences their
purchases.
Today, more than 500 certified
labs in 25 countries around the world
test more than 1,500 products a year,
along with surprise inspections, to
manage a list of 60,000 product models.
Energy Star runs seminars on how
to meet its standards. Those standards
require that TVs must use no more than
co-opliving.com
An Energy Star study found that
three-fourths of U.S. households
say the Energy Star label
influences their purchases.
3 watts when switched off, light bulbs
must use two-thirds less energy than
standard incandescent bulbs and Energy
Star home furnaces must be between
4% and 15% more efficient than
standard furnaces.
Energy Star tests also require quality
Americans bought
more than 300 million
Energy Star-rated
products in 2017.
standards in addition to just energy
efficiency. In general,
products must have
popular features, like
internet connectivity
for smart TVs. Light
bulbs must last up to
15 times longer and
produce 70% to 90% less heat than
conventional bulbs.
In 2018, Energy Star tested 1,792
models, disqualifying 59 of them.
Of the 858 different kinds of lighting
and fans tested that year, 51 were
disqualified. Of the 35 TVs tested,
two were disqualified.
Energy Star has caught on because
it has something for everybody -
ways for consumers to save money;
ways for businesses to promote their
efficient products; online calculators
for those wanting deep dives into
finding the ideal energy use; and for
the rest of us, a simple little logo that
tells us we're buying one of the most
energy-efficient products available.
It's certainly no secret that today's
appliances are becoming more energy
efficient, and newer models use a lot
less energy for the same amount of
work as their older counterparts. ■
For more on calculating potential savings,
visit energystar.gov/campaign/home.
Paul Wesslund writes on consumer and
cooperative affairs for the National Rural
Electric Cooperative Association.
June 2020 | Cooperative Living | 21
PHOTO COURTESY OF KITCHENAID
http://www.energystar.gov/campaign/home http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living June 2020

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