Energy Star

After Tragedy, Joplin, MO Rebuilds with ENERGY STAR Certified Homes

2013 January 30

: Rendering of a home being built to be ENERGY STAR certified in Joplin, MO

: Ramona Schwartz

By: Ramona Schwartz

In May 2011, a deadly tornado ripped through the community of Joplin, Missouri, tragically killing 161 people and destroying a third of the city. Thousands of structures were destroyed or damaged, including many homes. Over a year later, the community is still rebuilding. But the people of Joplin have the true American spirit and are determined to rebuild and to rebuild better.

This rebuilding effort includes a project called Building Joplin. Building Joplin is an initiative by natural gas distributor Missouri Gas Energy. Under this initiative, we are working with local home builders, contractors, and major manufacturers to rebuild Joplin’s homes to be ENERGY STAR certified. ENERGY STAR certified homes are more efficient than most other homes, saving owners money on their utility bills, which is something residents of Joplin can really benefit from.

We are committed to training builders and sub-contractors on the best practices contained within ENERGY STAR’s requirements with the goal of rebuilding a more energy efficient and sustainable community. Our first home is under construction and will be completed in early April 2013. We believe that the Building Joplin project will grow public awareness about the importance of energy efficiency in Joplin and beyond.

One of my favorite movie quotes is, “If you build it, they will come.” This quote embodies the spirit behind the Building Joplin project. We believe that once the community sees and lives in ENERGY STAR certified homes, they will understand the efficiency, comfort and durability benefits of these homes, and they’ll want all of Joplin’s homes to be ENERGY STAR homes. For more information on ENERGY STAR certified homes, click here.

About the Author: Ramona Schwartz is a contractor working in support of Missouri Gas Energy’s Building Joplin project. She is very passionate about helping people in need and saving energy.

Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.

The Power of Partnership

2013 January 24

Hewan Tomlinson

Photo courtesy of Bernie Gardella, Boston Ballet Company

By: Hewan Tomlinson

Before I worked in energy efficiency, I was a ballet dancer. Like most young dancers, I wanted to have the stage all to myself. I admit I was not all that interested in partnership, unless by that you meant the poor guy standing behind me in the shadows doing the heavy lifting and making everything I did look effortless.

So, I was surprised to find that most of my favorite pieces—to dance and to watch—were the big ensembles. Don’t get me wrong: all any of us wanted was the chance to be alone in the limelight as much as possible! But when we all came together on stage, as partners, we became more than the sum of our parts. We could take an audience of thousands outside their day-to-day lives for a moment, bring them to their feet together, and send them home with an extra spring in their step.

I think ENERGY STAR is like this: our partners strive to be (and are) industry leaders, and they spend a lot of time and effort to get to stand alone up there at the top. But just like dancers, when they come together, they are able to make a great impact. ENERGY STAR partners move in an elaborate dance, bridging many different sectors of the economy. Their collaboration and competition spurs innovation, drives energy efficiency, and helps protect the environment for future generations.

Sure that sounds dramatic, but here are a few facts to back it up:

Since its inception in 1992, ENERGY STAR has grown to represent products in more than 65 different categories, with more than 5 billion sold over the past 20 years.
Over 1.3 million new homes and tens of thousands of facilities proudly carry EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification, use dramatically less energy, and are responsible for substantially less greenhouse gas emissions than their peers.
Families and companies across America are improving the energy efficiency of their homes and businesses with the help of ENERGY STAR in ways that cost less and help the environment. They have saved nearly $230 billion on utility bills and prevented more than 1.7 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions over the past two decades.

Nearly 20,000 ENERGY STAR partners worked together to make this happen during the first two decades of ENERGY STAR, and they are poised to accomplish even more in the future. If they were dancers on a stage, they would be getting a huge standing ovation right about now.

Bravo! That’s one powerful partnership!

Hewan Tomlinson has over 15 years of experience in the energy efficiency and environmental sector. She serves at EPA as a liaison to energy efficiency program sponsors, supporting their ENERGY STAR partnerships, and their collaboration with industry to advance the market for energy efficient technologies and practices. Much earlier, Hewan danced with the Boston Ballet.

Bright Idea for 2013? ENERGY STAR Certified Lighting!

2013 January 7

: Happy New Year!

: ENERGY STAR certified LED lights for the holidays

: Monique O’Grady

By: Monique O’Grady, the Alliance to Save Energy

When we popped open the corks at the stroke of midnight at our house to welcome 2013, we did it under ENERGY STAR certified lighting: CFLs in the recessed fixtures, LEDs in the pendants, and LED holiday lights on the mantle.

Watching the iconic ball drop over Times Square on TV is a New Year’s Eve tradition at the O’Grady’s that was made even more special a year ago when I had an opportunity to look at the energy-saving wonder up close. I accompanied the President of the Alliance to Save Energy, Kateri Callahan, and Philips Lighting’s Ed Crawford, as they were interviewed about the 32,000 LEDs in the world-famous ball and the benefits of switching to energy-saving lighting. The cutting-edge technology shone brightly under pristine crystal, while saving about 80% of the energy used by the original globe’s incandescents. The result? The 12-foot globe that now ushers in the New Year with a colorful light show uses only the energy of two wall ovens.

But you don’t have to be in Times Square during the extravaganza that rings in the New Year to know that saving energy can also work on a smaller scale.

Buying Bulbs, Saving for Our Future
This year’s holiday electric bill will probably be a belated gift. This Department of Energy stat shows why: the estimated electricity cost to light a 6-foot tree with C-9 incandescent light strands will add $10.00 to an energy bill during a 40-day holiday season. But, by using C-9 LED strands, the cost is just 27 cents. I used three LED strands on my tree, but I also changed out an additional seven strands for other decorating needs. That should make a noticeable difference.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), if every decorative light string purchased in the United States this year earned the ENERGY STAR, we would:

Prevent 900 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per year, equivalent to the emissions from about 80,000 cars.
Save more than 600 million kWh of electricity.
Save about $65 million in annual energy costs.

A recent estimate by the Department of Energy shows that by 2030, the energy savings from increased use of LED lights will reach $30 billion a year. In 2013 we expect to see more LED options on the market and prices continuing to drop. And 2013 also promises some of the first 100-watt LED equivalents – another gift that keeps on giving! Look for the ENERGY STAR on these bulbs to ensure they have passed all the rigorous tests required by the EPA’s strict ENERGY STAR requirements.

Initially these 100-watt LED equivalents will be pricy — about $50 a bulb — but one manufacturer estimates each bulb will save $220 in energy costs over its 25,000-hour lifespan (or more than 20 years). If you want to learn more about energy-saving light bulbs go to ENERGYSTAR.gov. You can also check the Alliance to Save Energy YouTube series for ways to be energy efficient all year long. Here is your first tip–start by looking for the ENERGY STAR label!

Monique O’Grady is the Vice President of Communications for the Alliance to Save Energy and helps chair the mass media subcommittee of the LUMEN Coalition, an ad-hoc group of organizations and professionals united to educate consumers about energy-efficient lighting choices. Monique also hosts an Alliance to Save Energy video series on energy efficiency tips, including six videos on energy-efficient lighting.

This Holiday Season, it Pays to be Power-Wise

2012 December 21

By Samantha Nevels, CEA

Looking for new ways to save money on your energy bill? You’re not alone. A consumer survey conducted by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) ® found that 60 percent of consumers are concerned about their electricity bills. The good news is that consumer electronics products account for only 12 to 15 percent of an average home’s energy use. Nevertheless, every little bit of unused energy saves you money and reduces energy demand.

The first step in cutting energy costs is understanding your energy usage. CEA has made this easy through a new, interactive Consumer Electronics Energy Calculator available at GreenerGadgets.org. With a few simple steps, this calculator will estimate the amount of energy used by your consumer electronics devices. All you have to do is select which electronics devices you own and estimate how many hours per day you use them. The calculator will then determine your energy cost per month and per year, and compare your energy use to that of the average U.S. household.

Below are a few quick and easy tips that will make a difference this holiday season:

Give the gift that gives back. Electronics are a popular gift for the holidays, and now you can give a great gift that also gives back. Look for the ENERGY STAR if you are purchasing electronics this holiday season. EPA’s ENERGY STAR program recognizes energy efficient products that will save you money on your electricity bill and help protect the climate. You can find more information on ENERGY STAR certified products at www.energystar.gov.

New electronics gift? Recycle the old one. Whether you get or give an electronics gift, be sure to reuse or recycle the old one, enabling the valuable materials to be used again in new products while helping to save natural resources. Check out EPA’s e-Cycling guidance for more information. CEA also offers a recycling site locator at GreenerGadgets.org.

Pay attention to the plug. Plug electronic devices, such as televisions, DVD players, game consoles and audio systems, into eco-friendly power strips, or unplug devices altogether when they are not in use.

Read the fine print. Check your electronics owners’ manuals to make sure you are taking full advantage of any energy-conservation capabilities that your devices may have.

With these quick and easy tips you’ll be on your way to having more money in your pocket and contributing to a better, more sustainable environment.

About the Author: Samantha Nevels is the coordinator of Policy Communications for the Consumer Electronics Association.

Should You Buy a Desktop or a Laptop?

2012 December 12

By: Robert Meyers

Black Friday and Cyber Monday have passed, but many people are still looking to buy new computers for the holidays. But what kind of computer? Do you really need a desktop, or can a laptop do the same job just as well? Many believe that you need a desktop for home use, but I’m here to tell you that laptops have become quite powerful in recent years and can completely replicate the desktop experience.

Since this is ENERGY STAR’s blog, you can guess why I’m writing about laptops versus desktops. Energy consumption! New, energy efficient laptops can consume anywhere from 50% – 80% less energy than a desktop. And based on our experiences here at ENERGY STAR, we estimate that ultrabooks and netbooks can go even further and consume about 80% – 90% less energy. With a docking station, external monitor, keyboard, and mouse, you won’t even feel that you’re using a laptop.

Whether or not you should go with a laptop depends on your needs. Do you use your computer for word processing, email, music, video watching, photo editing, web browsing, or even some light to moderate gaming? A laptop does all of this just as well as a desktop. Do you run high-end games, render videos/3D models, program and number crunch for work, or need to run a very large number of processes at once? Then a desktop might be a better choice, although even here some higher-end laptops can cover many of these uses. For those worried about graphics, integrated graphics solutions have become very powerful recently and now have capabilities equal to entry level graphics cards. Additionally, many laptops are capable of hosting discrete graphics cards if you need one.

Desktops will provide an edge in raw power and graphics, but laptops do a great job with all of the common, everyday tasks that most people need computers for these days. I’m writing this blog on my work computer, which is a four year old laptop on a docking station that’s plugged into dual monitors, plus a separate keyboard and mouse. I almost always am simultaneously running an email client, a word processor, a spreadsheet application, multiple web browser windows, and an antivirus program without any problems.

For most people, it’s a no-brainer: Laptops can provide the exact same services and experience as a desktop with much less than half the energy consumption. Plus, you can pick them up and take them with you when you when you leave the house! I’d love to see a desktop do that.

Biography: RJ joined ENERGY STAR in late 2010 and immediately began work on energy efficiency specifications for a range of IT equipment. RJ has a background in physics, electrical engineering, and sustainable energy and is told constantly by his family and friends that he is a huge nerd.

The Value of Checklists

2012 December 6

By: Ga-Young Choi

I was driving around the other day and listening to the radio when a commercial for certified used cars came on. The announcer was enthusiastically talking about how these used cars are practically new because they undergo a 160-point checklist to ensure that they are in top-working order. I usually change stations when ads are on, but I found myself paying attention to this one. It made me realize how great it is that ENERGY STAR is pioneering the use of checklists in the construction of new homes.

While this radio ad was just a sales pitch, I found myself agreeing that checklists are important. I have learned this in both my personal and professional life. To be fair, builders have always used various checklists during construction. They use material checklists to check that they have the right amount of lumber and windows. They compile punch lists during construction to note anything that was left undone by a subcontractor. The difference with ENERGY STAR checklists is that builders are now using a checklist to ensure that the home is not only built to be energy efficient, but also comfortable for the homeowners and their family.

Homebuyers generally assume that their new home will be comfortable simply because it’s new. However, building a home is complicated, and even the smallest of mistakes can greatly impact the home’s efficiency and family’s enjoyment. The ENERGY STAR checklists involve nearly all of the subcontractors playing a part in the construction of a home – the framers, HVAC contractors, and even the drywall installers. All of them have an important role in building a home that is energy efficient and comfortable, and the checklists give home builders an opportunity to verify that their subs are doing their job properly.

Since I began working for the ENERGY STAR Certified Homes program, I have a new appreciation of checklists. I use them frequently in my everyday life – when I go grocery shopping or pack for a trip. I’ve especially found them to be important in planning special events; I planned my wedding this year, which would’ve been a disaster without my trusted checklists. With how busy we are nowadays and the amount of ever-present distractions, having checklists helps me to organize priorities and confirm that I’m getting tasks done on time.

Understanding how important checklists are in my life makes me even more aware of how important they are for homeowners and builders across the country. When someone buys an ENERGY STAR certified home today, they know that their new home has gone through a rigorous process that ensures that it lives up to EPA’s stringent requirements for energy efficiency, quality and comfort. Now that is what I call peace of mind.

Ga-Young Choi has been the Program Manager of Partner Support on the ENERGY STAR Certified Homes team for the past four years. Prior to joining the EPA, she consulted for a variety of federal agencies on environmental policy and management. She holds a Master of Environmental Management degree from the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University. To learn more about ENERGY STAR for New Homes, go to the ENERGY STAR website.

Reach for the Blue label on Black Friday

2012 November 21

Una Song

By: Una Song

Every family has their own ways of celebrating the holidays, and my family is no different. At our Thanksgiving dinner, we will have all the usual fixings: turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. But being Korean, we’ll also have kimchi (pickled cabbage), jap chae (a noodle dish with vegetables and beef), and mandoo (Korean version of wontons).

Another Thanksgiving tradition of mine is seeing an action movie with my cousins after dinner and then shopping on the Friday after Thanksgiving. When I was younger, we would go to the department stores and look for the best deals on sweaters, ties and scarves. Now I find myself increasingly spending more time looking for electronics. I am not alone. According to the Consumer Electronics Association’s Holiday Gift Guide, technology gifts like tablet computers, smartphones, digital TVs and cameras, and video game systems once again top many wish lists.

Those who want to do good by the environment can choose electronics that use less energy by looking for EPA’s blue ENERGY STAR label as they do their holiday shopping. The ENERGY STAR label helps consumers easily identify products that are energy efficient, and it can be found on over 65 product categories, including TVs, computers, printers and other electronics.

Hot products like soundbars and speaker systems for MP3 players are great gift ideas and they are covered by the ENERGY STAR program. Products that have earned the ENERGY STAR provide the same functionality as standard models, but use less energy because they are more efficient in all usage modes: sleep, idle, and on. If every TV, DVD player, and home theatre system purchased in the U.S. this year were ENERGY STAR qualified, we would save more than $260 million and prevent more than 3 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per year, equivalent to the annual emissions of more than 300,000 cars.

So when you start making your shopping list this year, look for the ENERGY STAR logo and do something good for the environment this holiday season.

Una Song works for EPA’s ENERGY STAR program and is focused on marketing ENERGY STAR consumer electronics. She looks forward to the Thanksgiving food coma every year.

Lights, Appliances, Action!

2012 November 14

By: Billy Draper, Xcel Energy

Part of Xcel Energy’s responsibilities as an industry leader is to continually encourage people to conserve energy and adapt their behavior accordingly. In fact, we believe energy efficiency is important because it directly affects our environment. Therefore, we are constantly seeking new ways to engage customers and motivate them to make energy conscious decisions in their homes. And thanks to the Change the World, Start with ENERGY STAR campaign and pledge, we’ve found success in doing so.

In a word, the ENERGY STAR pledge is comprehensive. From lighting, electronics and appliances to heating, cooling, insulation and more, the pledge covers several areas of energy use within your home. Beyond that, the pledge is easy to take and grants you several different energy saving options. It’s a great way to take action toward energy efficiency within your household, neighborhood and community.

From event booths and speakers to educational resources for families, the Change the World, Start with ENERGY STAR campaign encourages participation from a wide variety of individuals. This year the campaign utilized the popularity of Dr. Seuss’ Lorax to educate younger generations about energy efficiency as well. The Team ENERGY STAR Lorax-themed family resources have been valuable conversation starters, allowing us to capture the attention of younger audiences we’d normally be challenged to reach. The success of this approach has helped us engage entire families from young to old.

Xcel Energy has never used an approach like this to get people to commit to saving energy, but we’ve been fascinated with the results early on. Currently, we have collected over 240 ENERGY STAR pledges and look forward to growing participation throughout the year. It is encouraging to see this approach yield such positive results. We look forward to encouraging more people to participate in the pledge. With every pledge we know we are upholding our responsibility to the environment and the communities we serve. And that is important for today and tomorrow.

About the Author:

In business for over 130 years, Xcel Energy supplies energy products and services to eight states. Check out author Billy Draper’s bio and unique point-of-view about energy efficiency at http://blog.xcelenergy.com/.

New Energy Stars Capture Attention at the New York State Fair

2012 October 24

By: Dayle E. Zatlin

Every year, hundreds of thousands of families come to the Great New York State Fair. Drawn by the glow of fast rides on the midway, tempting food treats around each corner, and the excitement of blue ribbon contests, people just know they’re guaranteed a memorable time.

As in years past, 2012 was marked by famous stars like Justin Bieber, Aerosmith, and Journey, who took turns each night lighting up the grand stand. In the packed exhibit hall of Building 5, however, a group of new stars also captured considerable attention. These were the newest members of Team ENERGY STAR, a diverse group of adults and children brought together by a commitment to join the fight against climate change.

For many fair goers, taking the Change the World, Start with ENERGY STAR Pledge and/or signing their families up for Team ENERGY STAR was just the first step in understanding how they can adapt their behavior to make a significant impact on our environment. The second step is to learn the simple measures they can do each day to recycle, reuse, and reduce the amount of energy they consume.

To help jump start this process, the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) partnered with the EPA to offer an educational booth that leveraged the programs and expertise of both agencies. At the core of this collaboration was the goal to make it easy for people to take the ENERGY STAR pledge and get started on their energy-saving journey. Visitors to the booth took the pledge onsite, committing to making simple changes to make their homes more energy efficient. By taking the pledge these participants will receive quarterly emailed updates from ENERGY STAR, helping them along as they work to protect the climate. NYSERDA will also keep in touch with these pledge takers, sharing specifics on the energy efficiency programs and incentives available to those living in New York. We know from experience that regular communication helps to keep behavior change top of mind, and that visible reminders aid both awareness and action.

Because lighting accounts for 12% of the energy use in a home, and it’s one of the easiest places to make a change, the booth also highlighted lighting options. For consumers, picking out bulbs at the store can be confusing. To help people select the most appropriate product for their needs, NYSERDA launched an educational campaign called Bulbology at the fair. Bulbology provides a useful guide that explains all things relative to lighting: the new packaging labels, the transition from watts to lumens, the different color ranges you can choose from, and available product features—from instant on, dimmable, and three-way style bulbs to those that come with sensors. Visitors to the booth received their very own Bulbology pocket guide. But, you can get the same information and more lighting tips online here.

As a result of the synergy between NYSERDA and the EPA, we were able to bring the Change the World, Start with ENERGY STAR campaign to a significant number of New Yorkers. In fact, 285 individuals took the pledge and walked away with just a few of the tools that will help them get started saving energy. It’s our hope that they’ll share this wonderful experience after the fair with friends, family and colleagues to help get even more people to take the ENERGY STAR Pledge across New York. It’s this type of momentum that will encourage the focus and collective effort needed to protect our climate, today and well into the future.

If you’d like to join the nearly three million people who have taken the Change the World, Start with ENERGY STAR pledge, click here.

Dayle Zatlin is Assistant Director of Communications at the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Prior to joining NYSERDA, she was a senior executive focusing on strategic communications, media relations and crisis communications for nearly 20 years at an Albany, N.Y.-based public relations agency.

NYSERDA, a public benefit corporation, offers objective information and analysis, innovative programs, technical expertise, and funding to help New Yorkers increase energy efficiency, save money, use renewable energy, and reduce their reliance on fossil fuels.

Team ENERGY STAR!

2012 October 19

By: Brittney Gordon-Williams

Every time I brush my teeth, I still remember the first environmental lesson that I learned at school. I don’t remember who said it or when I heard it, but “don’t leave the water running while brushing your teeth,” is etched in my memory. Because of that lesson, wasting water has always been a no-no during my morning routine. Memories like this one make it easy for me to understand the power of educating young people about protecting the world we live in. Needless to say, I was incredibly excited to work on the launch of EPA’s Team ENERGY STAR this year.

Team ENERGY STAR is a new component of the Change the World, Start with ENERGY STAR campaign, focused on teaching young people about protecting our climate by saving energy. EPA launched the Team ENERGY STAR section on our website this summer, allowing families to join the team and download educational (and fun) tools to help their kids learn about energy efficiency. We asked young people to come back to the website after they started helping their families save energy to share their story. The best stories were showcased on the ENERGY STAR Facebook page, with our social media audience picking the top story as the “People’s Choice.” Families could even go one step further and also join the DoSomething.org and LG Electronics Team ENERGY STAR Challenge.

Team ENERGY STAR was a great success with thousands of families joining the team and learning more about saving energy in their homes. Hundreds of Boys and Girls Clubs (with the support of ENERGY STAR partner Samsung) across the country joined in by spreading the word about energy efficiency in their communities. It was inspiring to see so many young people making climate protection an important part of their everyday lives.

Check out the Team ENERGY STAR photo album on ENERGY STAR’s Facebook page to see all of the top stories. Congrats to the “People’s Choice” top vote getter, Alexandra S.! Alexandra was also one of five top picks in the DoSomething.org and LG Electronics challenge, along with Bryce P., Caleigh G., Imelia G. and Renee L!

Reading the energy-saving success stories from these kids showed me once again that young people can truly change the world. Are you interested in hearing more stories of young people making a difference? Check out our first-ever live Facebook broadcast on Tuesday, October 23, at 1:15pm CDT where we will have young people and adults from across the country sharing their stories live! Hope to see you there!

Brittney Gordon-Williams works on the communications team for EPA’s ENERGY STAR program.