Energy Star is a government-backed program, run jointly between the EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy, which makes it simple for Greater Cincinnati Area homeowners to know which HVAC equipment and home appliances save the most energy. Energy Star qualified equipment has been tested and proven to be more environmentally sustainable, and to use less energy than standard alternatives.

The Environmental Protection Agency has a rigid set of guidelines which must be met for equipment to bear the Energy Star label. A few of their qualifications include:

• The product’s category (furnaces, dishwashing units, etc.) must be able to provide substantial energy savings across the nation, if enough high-efficiency units are sold.
• The equipment must be able to provide homeowners with the features and performance promised, along with increased efficiency.
• The equipment has to offer consumers a return on their initial investment, through lower operating costs and utility payments, in a reasonable span of time. This is especially true if the equipment’s first cost is higher than a less efficient model.
• The amount of energy the equipment uses to operate, and the amount of warm or cool energy it produces, must be tested and verified.
• The energy-efficient technology used to run the equipment must be non-proprietary, and available to more than one manufacturer.
• The Energy Star label must effectively indicate qualified equipment, meaning consumers should be able to see, recognize and understand the label.

How successful has the campaign been to improve home performance across the nation? According to a 2010 report, last year about 200 million qualified systems were purchased by homeowners, who saved about 65 percent more than if they had purchased less efficient counterparts. Today, over 80 percent of US citizens are familiar with the qualification label, and 75 percent place great weight on the label when selecting new appliances and HVAC equipment.

With help from Energy Star, homeowners like you are reducing our nation’s reliance on foreign oil. If you have more questions about how high-efficiency equipment can improve your comfort and your home’s performance, call Tri-County Heating & Cooling. We’re proud to offer state-of-the-art heating and cooling technologies to Butler County and Greater Cincinnati area homeowners!

Photo courtesy of energystar.gov.