Energy Star (Energy Star), is the U.S. department of Energy (doe) and the United States environmental protection agency (epa) to introduce a government program, designed to better protect environment, save Energy. In 1992 by the U.S. environmental protection agency (epa) to participate in, first on the computer products promotion. Now included in the scope of certification of products has reached more than 30 classes, such as household appliances, heating/cooling equipment, electronic products, lighting products, and so on, do it in the Chinese market at present most is lighting products, including LED light source, energy saving lamps (CFL), lamps and lanterns (RLF), traffic lights and export indicator light.
What is energy star?
Energy Star (Energy Star), is a dominated by the us government, mainly aimed at the consumer electronics product of Energy saving plan. Energy star program in 1992 by the environmental protection agency (EPA) and the U.S. department of energy (DOE) is started, the purpose is to reduce energy consumption and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The plan was later Australia, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, New Zealand and the European Union to adopt. The program is voluntary, energy star standards than the federal standard energy 20-30%. Cooperate with the main products of this plan is the earliest information appliances such as computer, then gradually extended to the electrical machinery, office equipment, lighting, electrical appliances, etc. Later extended to the building, the United States environmental protection agency (epa) to actively promote energy star buildings program since 1996, by the environmental protection agency (epa) to assist the voluntary providers to assess building energy usage (including lighting, air conditioning, office equipment, etc.), the planning of the building energy efficiency improvement action plan and follow-up tracking task, so some import environmental protection a new concept of residential or commercial building can also be found in the energy star logo.
Energy star provide online assessment tool, it can make the enterprise and the consumer to assess the efficiency of domestic and industrial facilities. Energy star rating has become consumers and enterprises is an important part of the purchase decision. More efficient buildings, applications, and hardware means greatly saves the time for heating or electricity costs.
The epa estimates that if every American households and businesses to use new energy star qualification model to replace the old computer, so can save more than $1.8 billion over five years of energy cost, avoid the amount of greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to more than 270 automobile exhaust gas. Also, to provide the same amount of light, the standard incandescent light bulb energy than the energy star certification of fluorescent light bulbs to more than 75%.
The test content
Energy star test content includes: safety, EMI, surge, noise (not energy star energy efficiency test project) optical performance and energy efficiency test projects: 1, photosynthetic efficiency, luminous flux 2 deviation, color rendering index, color temperature, color intensity distribution and light flux distribution 4, chroma space nonuniformity 5, 6, optical switch cycle maintenance ratio of 7, 8 chromaticity maintain rate, size 9, the electric parameters
Certification product range
As of November 2008, "energy star" now covers more than 50 products, [3] have focused on:
Computer and office equipment, such as monitors, printers, fax machines, photocopiers, machine, etc.;
Similar appliances and household products: such as refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines, TV sets, video recorders, etc.;
Heating and refrigeration equipment, heat pump, boiler, central air conditioning, etc.;
Large commercial buildings and new housing, doors and Windows, etc.;
Industrial and commercial products, such as transformers, power supply, etc.;
Lighting: such as household lamps and lanterns;
Commercial food equipment: such as commercial ice cream machine, commercial dishwashers, etc.;
Other commercial products: automatic vending machine, channel identification, etc.
At present in view of the products are: fluorescent lamp, decorative lights series, LED lamps and lanterns, power adapter, switching power supply, the ceiling fan lights, consumer audio and video products, battery charging equipment, printers, household appliances and other products. [3]
To carry out the status quo
A total of seven countries and regions in the world to participate in the environmental protection agency to promote the energy star program, respectively, the United States, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, the European Union, and since 2001 the annual international energy star plan meeting. Now included in the scope of certification of products has reached more than 30 classes, such as household appliances, heating/cooling equipment, electronic products, lighting products, and so on, do it in the Chinese market at present most is lighting products, including energy saving lamps (CFL), lamps and lanterns (RLF), traffic lights and export indicator light.
The environmental protection agency (EPA) and the U.S. department of energy (DOE), announced on April 14, 2010 to adjust the energy star product certification process, to ensure that only to be allowed to meet the requirements of product energy star label. In the adjustment, the terms of the immediate effect is: manufacturers to obtain the energy star certification label, must submit a complete test report and the evaluation results, and by the EPA certificate, the product in the EPA approval before for the energy star qualified products, manufacturers will not be able to get energy star certification marks. At the same time, the energy star certification review process, the EPA to strengthen the approval system, no longer rely on automatic approval process, but for all the new eligible to apply for examination and approval.
The EPA and DOE before the end of 2010
Energy star certification
To further strengthen the energy star certification procedure, regulations: all manufacturers must submit issued by recognised, approved by the laboratory test results, to ensure that products conform to the requirements of the "energy star". Currently involved in products such as Windows, doors and skylights and fluorescent light bulbs, in the new testing process, the product category under the "energy star" program will expand to more than 60, including freezer, cold storage refrigerator, washing machine, dishwasher, water heater, room air conditioner and so on.
Energy star house plan
The U.S. environmental protection agency (epa) energy star home plan is a national volunteer program, aims to build a new residential energy efficiency increased by 30%. Qualified energy star home must be made via third-party verification, to ensure that the builder has been properly adopted measures to improve energy efficiency. As long as you can see the energy star logo, home buyers, not an expert can confidently make buying decisions. In general, the energy star homes are built energy than according to the general specification of residential energy saving 30%, while protecting the environment and for household spending to save energy. Energy star residential construction is not only beneficial to buyers, but also to the builder, mortgage companies and other organizations in the housing industry, so the house builder to support energy star house plan.
Housing is usually a new house, this is because the build adaptable to the rules of the energy-saving house than renovation has built house is much more simple. Although the upgrading of the house and get the cost of the energy star logo is very high, but it can greatly reduce the energy use spending, so the retrofit of existing residential is still a good suggestion. When replacing air conditioning equipment, electrical equipment and lighting equipment, also should consider to buy those with energy star logo products, it can further improve the energy saving effect of residential energy star.
Energy star residential plans to use residential energy evaluation system (ehrs) to determine the energy efficiency of residential points. New and existing homes are required to meet the same energy efficiency standards to obtain energy star logo. For HERS assessment, or find way to get the energy star logo, also need to consult the local have an aptitude for assessment of residential energy evaluation institutions contrast model residential (it and be evaluated residence with the same size and shape, and meet the minimum requirements of energy specification), HERS evaluation system of residential energy efficiency objective and standard of evaluation. HERS assessment score between 0 and 100. Residential score is 80 points. As opposed to a sample house than, every 5% reduction in energy consumption, equal to HERS increase a point. Lowest energy star house HERS evaluation value is 86. The evaluation of HERS including site inspection for residence. The test includes blower door and pipeline leakage testing. These test results, along with other information of the residence, and fed into a computer simulation program to calculate the ehrs score, and estimate the annual energy costs.
Energy-saving window using
Energy star house with high-performance energy-saving Windows installation, improve the energy efficiency of the residence. More quiet indoor environment, laminated glass and sealing window frame block outside noise; From fading - energy-saving window curtain, furniture and floor surface covered with low reflectivity coating, it can block 98% of ultraviolet; Reduce the cost, energy-saving Windows make the residence in the winter to reduce heat loss, prevent the absorption of heat in the summer; Quality improvement, energy saving window using high quality materials, easy to use, and to provide users with the additional protection. Window about 10-25% of the residential exterior wall area, according to local climate conditions, heating and cooling in the room, it needs 25-50% of energy consumption. Therefore, when a new house, consider using energy-saving window is crucial.
Heating and cooling equipment
Energy star homes equipped with appropriate power and efficient heating and cooling equipment. In the process of residential building, through proper attention air pipe sealing, heat insulation and energy-saving Windows installation, energy star in the residence heating and refrigeration equipment power usually less than the energy of in accordance with the general standard of building homes.
Reduce the cost, heating and refrigeration equipment do not need to work overtime;
Reduce the maintenance problems, heating and refrigeration equipment always run in optimal conditions;
More quiet home environment - don't have to be continuous, frequent switch large power equipment.
Air and ventilation pipe imprecise means ordinary residential heating and cooling equipment are in need of more power to meet its demand for hot and cold quickly. But this kind of high power devices have great ills (1) can not run in order to achieve the most efficient operation for a long time; (2) when the system will not operate for a long time to eliminate the moisture in the air, it led to the problems in the housing damp; (3) high power devices tend to be caused because of frequent startup soon collapsed. Close air and ventilation pipe to reduce the residential demand for gas heating and cooling, thus can avoid the use of high power devices
The improvement of heat insulation performance
And compared to those in accordance with the general energy criterion of building, energy star has a lot to improve heat insulation performance of the residence. Not only the improvement of the performance of the heat insulation to prevent too much heat and cold spillover, and keep the room between the constant temperature.
Comfort improvement - in the whole house and keep constant temperature between each room.
Reduce the cost, HAVC equipment for residence in a small amount of winter and summer heat transfer to compensate.
In order to effectively keep the temperature of the residential, indoor and outdoor continuous heat insulation layer is required. The laying of insulation must not crack, curly or compressed. Energy star house also must pay attention to obstacles such as piping, electrical, and export around the heat insulation measures.
sealed
Sealing catheter and built in accordance with the general energy criterion, compared to residential energy star house to the requirement of pipe sealing is much higher. Sealing catheter is vital for energy saving and maintaining residential comfort.
More lasting comfort - a distribution for each room
Improve indoor air quality, reduce the room from the outside to inhale dust and other contaminants.
Reduce the cost, reduce the need for air conditioning gas room. In the typical American house, air is that leaks from the catheter to reach 20-30%, which means spending a lot of unnecessary money to make the room became warm or cool. Duct system should be sealed and the local gas leak test in order to reduce air conditioning.
Energy saving reconstruction
Already built residential owners can take advantage of the international Internet network based assessment tools - benchmark for the energy star house, similar to their own compares the annual energy consumption of housing. This tool helps has built residential owners understand their homes they meet energy requirements, whether to upgrade residential energy saving measures in order to improve energy efficiency. In the energy star web site, this tool can help has been built residential owners quickly decided to choose what kind of home improvement way to improve energy efficiency.
Energy star also provide "residential renovation toolbox" housing plan, help has built residential energy-saving renovation. Average household energy use cost 1400 each year "residential renovation toolbox" can help reduce the spending by 30%, almost 400 when repair, reconstruction or improve existing residential, the energy saving measures in the "residential renovation toolbox" can help the home owners to improve their residential energy efficiency, use value and comfort, and by reducing the energy consumption to protect the ecological environment. For home owners, "residential renovation toolbox" made it easier to housing renovation and restoration project.