What Does Energy Star Mean?
One logo. Big impact. Have you ever seen this sky blue logo on an appliance or device?
Most people know that it means something good and is probably related to energy efficiency.
You’ve seen this logo on everything from dishwashers to light fixtures, housing project signs and even utility company bills. While you may have heard of this establishment, the facts about their impact on our world are quite compelling. This government backed agency has been a trusted symbol for energy efficiency since 1992 by providing products and solutions to not only save Americans money, but also to protect our precious environment.
Since then, Energy Star has saved Americans $450 billion in energy use reduction. In 2016, there were over 300 million ENERGY STAR products in circulation, and 800,000 of these products are sold every day! What makes ENERGY STAR special is that this little logo has made energy efficiency something expected by consumers. Energy efficiency is now listed as a top 5 criteria for equipment purchases.
ENERGY STAR has also had to look to the future for trends in style and technology in order to provide energy saving solutions. For example, manufacturers have looked at the popular trend of “vintage looking” everything from appliances to themed restaurants. They have embraced this trend by endorsing vintage lightbulbs. According to the agency, “Some call them ‘Edison’ bulbs, since they are designed to show the filament like the original light bulb invented by Thomas Edison.” Manufacturers who created these bulbs had to go through the rigorous process of becoming ENERGY STAR certified.
Similarly, the agency has recently tackled the rising trend of electric vehicles. There will be an increase in charging stations needed both at home and for public use. According to ENERGY STAR, 122,000 chargers were shipped in the United States in 2015 with projections to grow to 1.2 million by 2020. While most chargers use low amounts of energy, only manufacturers who create chargers that conserve energy even after the car is charged will be labeled ENERGY STAR certified. The agency states, “If everyone used an ENERGY STAR electric vehicle charger, savings would grow to more than $17 million each year, offsetting more than 280 million pounds of annual greenhouse gas emissions, which is equal to the emissions from more than 26,000 vehicles.”
You have most likely seen ENERGY STAR products, but did you know they even assist in helping your actual home become more energy efficient?
103,000 homeowners built strictly ENERGY STAR certified homes in 2017, and 91,000 homeowners improved energy efficiency to their existing homes through the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program the same year. The Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program relies on local branches to help their fellow neighbor. This detailed driven process begins with an initial assessment of your home by a local sponsor, who helps you find local contractors to perform the inspection.
In an ever changing world, it does the soul good knowing all the options available to us to help ourselves and this planet. Happy conserving!
