Energy Star Certification US Environmental Protection Agency

Energy Star Certification
Certification Introduction
Energy Star is an energy-saving program led by the US government, mainly for consumer electronic products. The Energy Star program was launched by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Department of Energy (DOE) in 1992 with the aim of reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The program was later adopted by Australia, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, New Zealand and the European Union. The program is voluntary, and the Energy Star standard is usually 20-30% more energy-efficient than the US federal standard. The earliest products that cooperated with this program were mainly information appliances such as computers, and then gradually extended to motors, office equipment, lighting, home appliances, etc. Later, it was also extended to buildings. The US Environmental Protection Agency actively promoted the Energy Star Building Program in 1996, and the EPA assisted voluntary participants in evaluating the energy use of their buildings (including lighting, air conditioning, office equipment, etc.), planning the building's energy efficiency improvement action plan and subsequent tracking operations, so some homes or commercial buildings that have introduced new environmental protection concepts can also find the Energy Star logo.

Energy Star Certification in the United States

Current Status
There are seven countries and regions in the world participating in the Energy Star program promoted by the US Environmental Protection Agency, namely the United States, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, and the European Union. They have held international Energy Star program meetings every year since 2001. Currently, more than 30 categories of products are included in this certification, such as household appliances, heating/cooling equipment, electronic products, lighting products, etc. At present, the most popular products in the Chinese market are lighting products, including energy-saving lamps (CFL), lamps (RLF), traffic lights and exit lights.
Applicable product range
Computers and office equipment: such as monitors, printers, fax machines, copiers, all-in-one machines, etc.;
Household appliances and similar household products: such as refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines, televisions, video recorders, etc.;
Heating and cooling equipment: heat pumps, boilers, central air conditioners, etc.;
Large commercial buildings and newly built houses, doors and windows, etc.;
Industrial and commercial products, such as transformers, power supplies, etc.;
Lighting: such as household lamps, etc.;
Commercial food equipment: such as commercial ice cream machines, commercial dishwashers, etc.;
Other commercial products: vending machines, channel signs, etc.
Currently targeted products include: fluorescent lamps, decorative light strings, LED lamps, power adapters, switching power supplies, ceiling fan lamps, consumer audio-visual products, battery charging equipment, printers, household appliances and other products.
Test content
Test content included in Energy Star:

Safety, EMI, surge, noise (non-Energy Star energy efficiency test items) Light performance and energy efficiency test items:

1. Luminous efficiency, luminous flux

2. Color temperature, color deviation, color rendering index

3. Light intensity distribution, regional luminous flux distribution

4. Chromaticity space non-uniformity

5. Switching cycle

6. Luminous flux maintenance rate

7. Chromaticity maintenance rate

8. Size

9. Electrical parameters

Energy Star Home Program
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star Home Program is a national voluntary program aimed at building a new type of home with a 30% increase in energy efficiency. Qualified Energy Star homes must be verified by a third party to confirm that the builder has appropriately adopted measures to improve energy efficiency. As long as they can see the Energy Star logo, home buyers who are not experts can make purchasing decisions with confidence. Generally speaking, Energy Star homes are 30% more energy-efficient than homes built according to general energy specifications, while protecting the environment and saving energy costs for residents. Home builders across the country support the Energy Star Homes program because it benefits not only the homebuyer, but also the homebuilder, mortgage company, and other organizations in the homebuilding industry.

Homes are usually newly constructed because it is much easier to build a home that meets energy-saving regulations than to renovate an existing home. Although upgrading a home to receive the Energy Star label is expensive, it can significantly reduce energy costs, so it is still a good idea to upgrade existing homes to be energy efficient. When replacing air conditioning equipment, electrical equipment, or lighting equipment, you should also consider purchasing products that have the Energy Star label, which can further improve the energy efficiency of the home.

The Energy Star Homes program uses the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) to determine the energy efficiency score of a home. Both new and existing homes must meet the same energy efficiency standards to receive the Energy Star label. To get a HERS rating, or to seek a path to the Energy Star logo, you need to consult a local qualified residential energy rating agency to compare the model home (which is the same size and shape as the home being rated and meets the minimum requirements of the energy code). The HERS rating system provides an objective and standardized evaluation of the energy efficiency of the home. The HERS rating score ranges from 0 to 100. The model home scores 80 points. Every 5% reduction in energy consumption compared to the model home is equal to a one-point increase in HERS. The lowest HERS rating for an Energy Star home is 86. The HERS evaluation includes an on-site inspection of the home. This inspection includes a blower door test and a duct leak test. The results of these tests, along with other information about the home, are entered into a simulated computer program to calculate the HERS score and estimate annual energy costs.

Energy-saving window use
Energy Star homes are equipped with high-performance energy-saving windows to improve the energy efficiency of the home. Quieter indoor environment - multi-layered glass and sealed window frames block external noise; prevent curtains, furniture and floor fading - low reflectivity coating on the surface of energy-saving windows can block 98% of ultraviolet rays; lower cost of use - energy-saving windows reduce heat loss in winter and prevent heat gain in summer; improved quality - energy-saving windows are made of high-quality materials, are easy to use, and provide users with extra protection. Windows occupy about 10-25% of the exterior wall area of ​​a home, and depending on the local climate, they consume 25-50% of the energy used to heat and cool a room. Therefore, it is important to consider using energy-saving windows when building a new home.

Heating and Cooling Equipment
Energy Star homes are equipped with appropriately powerful and efficient heating and cooling equipment. During the construction of the home, by paying proper attention to the sealing of air ducts, the thermal performance of the home and the installation of energy-saving windows, the power of heating and cooling equipment in Energy Star homes is generally less than that of homes built according to general energy codes.
Reduced cost of use - heating and cooling equipment does not need to be overloaded;
Reduce maintenance issues - heating and cooling equipment always operates at optimal conditions;
Quieter home environment - no need to continuously and frequently switch on and off high-power equipment.
The loose air and ventilation ducts mean that the heating and cooling equipment of ordinary houses needs to increase its power to quickly meet its requirements for heating and cooling. However, there are great disadvantages of such high-power equipment: ① It cannot run for a long time to reach its most efficient operating level; ② When the system cannot run for a long time to remove moisture from the air, it causes the problem of dampness in the house; ③ High-power equipment often causes the equipment to break down quickly due to frequent startup. Tight air and ventilation ducts reduce the demand for heating and cooling of air conditioning gas in the house, thus avoiding the use of high-power equipment.

Improved insulation performance
Compared with houses built according to general energy specifications, the insulation performance of Energy Star houses has been greatly improved. Improved insulation performance not only prevents excessive heat and cold from spilling out, but also maintains a constant temperature between rooms.
Improved comfort - maintaining a constant temperature throughout the house and between rooms.
Lower Utility Costs - HVAC equipment compensates for the small amount of heat and cold that a home experiences in the winter and summer.
To effectively maintain the temperature of a home, a continuous layer of insulation is required both inside and outside. The insulation must be laid without cracks, curling or compression. Energy Star homes must also pay attention to insulation around obstructions such as pipes, wires and outlets.

Seals

Sealed Ducts Energy Star homes have much higher requirements for duct sealing than homes built to general energy codes. Sealed ducts are essential for energy conservation and maintaining home comfort.

More Continuous Comfort - Allocate for Each Room

Significantly Improve Indoor Air Quality - Reduce the amount of dust and other pollutants that a room inhales from the outside.

Lower Utility Costs - Reduce the need for air conditioning in a room. In a typical American home, air leaks from the ducts as much as 20-30%, which means a lot of money is spent unnecessarily to warm or cool the room. Duct systems should be kept sealed and tested locally to reduce air conditioning leaks.

Energy-saving renovations
Owners of existing homes can use the ENERGY STAR Home Benchmark, an Internet-based assessment tool, to compare the annual energy consumption of similar homes in their country. This tool helps owners of existing homes understand whether their homes meet energy-saving requirements and whether they should upgrade their homes to improve energy efficiency. On the ENERGY STAR website, this tool can also help owners of existing homes quickly decide which home renovation methods to choose to improve energy efficiency.

The ENERGY STAR Homes program also provides a "Home Renovation Toolbox" to help existing homes make energy-saving renovations. The average household spends $1,400 a year on energy use. With the help of the Home Renovation Toolbox, these expenses can be reduced by 30%, or nearly $400. When repairing, rebuilding or improving existing homes, the energy-saving measures in the Home Renovation Toolbox can help homeowners improve the energy efficiency, use value and comfort of their homes, and protect the ecological environment by reducing energy consumption. For homeowners, the "Home Renovation Toolbox" makes home renovation and repair projects easier.