The value of ENERGY STAR® designations
Printed from: http://pressroom.pella.com//fast_facts/79/
“With the expected high cost of natural gas this fall and winter, choosing energy-saving products is a must for any consumer. To avoid the sticker shock of high utility bills, consumers should look around their home and identify where replacing or updating items would result in a better long-term return on investment and short-term defense against high energy prices.”
Kathy Krafka Harkema
Pella Corporation
Consumers can help battle anticipated high energy prices by planning now. The Department of Energy’s ENERGY STAR program is one of the most comprehensive and consumer-friendly tools available. This tip sheet, featuring facts about ENERGY STAR, is provided by Pella Corporation as a resource for homeowners considering new, energy-efficient windows and doors and to educate consumers about energy conservation as America buckles down for significantly higher energy bills in the future.
What is ENERGY STAR?
- ENERGY STAR is a government-backed program helping businesses and individuals protect the environment through the use of high-efficiency products.
- Started by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1992, ENERGY STAR began as a voluntary labeling program designed to identify and promote energy-efficient products to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- The ENERGY STAR label is now on major appliances, office equipment, lighting and home electronics, in addition to quality windows and doors. EPA also has extended the program to include new homes and commercial and industrial buildings.
How it works for you
- ENERGY STAR labels on products such as windows, doors, lighting fixtures, appliances and heating and cooling equipment mean these products use less energy, save money and help protect the environment.
- Energy efficiency means delivering the same (or more) services for less energy, which helps protect the environment. When we use less energy, power plants don’t need to generate as much energy, which then reduces greenhouse gas emissions and improves the quality of our air.
- Plus, energy efficiency helps the economy by saving consumers and businesses millions of dollars in energy costs.
- And energy-saving solutions can reduce energy bills for many homeowners and businesses by an estimated 20 to 30 percent.
Windows and doors
- Many Pella products meet ENERGY STAR standards. Look for Pella products with low U-values, which measure the ability to resist the transfer of heat. The lower the U-value, the better, and Pella has some of the lowest in the industry — some as much as 23 percent more energy efficient than the ENERGY STAR standards.
- Solid wood construction offers superior insulating qualities — wood provides 1,100 times the insulating value of aluminum.
- In addition, Pella’s ThermaStar by Pella™ vinyl windows and doors and Pella® Impervia® products made from Duracast™, the strongest, most durable material available in windows and doors, are designed to provide greater energy efficiency than aluminum or other alternative materials.
- Double- and triple-paned glazing options are available for maximum energy efficiency.
- Optional low-emissivity (Low-E) glass coatings help reduce heat, as well as ultraviolet (UV) rays that can fade carpet, walls and furniture.
- Make sure windows fit tightly and no air comes through the frame. Proper installation is vital to energy efficiency.
- Keep window blinds and shades closed during hot months to conserve energy and open on sunny days during cold months to let in solar heat, which can help reduce heating bills.
Energy saving tips*
- Eliminate wasted energy
- Turn off appliances, lights and non-essential electrical equipment when not in use. You also can save by unplugging electronic devices and chargers when they are not in use.
- Turn up your thermostat
- During warm weather months, set your thermostat to 78 degrees or higher when you are home, and 85 degrees or off when you are away. Using ceiling or room fans allows you to set the thermostat higher because the air movement will cool the room. You can save up to 3 percent for each degree the thermostat is set above 72 degrees.
- Use your appliances wisely
- To help prevent electricity outages, avoid running your appliances during peak demand hours — from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. — or anytime an electricity emergency is declared.
- Use energy-efficient lighting
- Replace regular incandescent light bulbs that are used more than two hours per day with ENERGY STAR compact fluorescent light bulbs. Compact fluorescent light bulbs use approximately 75 percent less electricity than regular light bulbs and last up to seven years!
- Wrap your water heater
- If your water heater is older than 10 years, wrap it with an insulating blanket to help conserve energy.
- Replace air conditioner filters
- Dirty filters restrict airflow and can cause the system to run longer, increasing energy use. Replace filters monthly for maximum benefit and save up to 2 percent.
- Install energy-saver showerheads
- This can save not only electricity, but water as well.
- Install an ENERGY STAR thermostat
- This can save up to 3 percent of your electricity use, to automatically adjust heating and cooling levels in your home to your preset preferences, even while you’re away.
Pella earned 2009 ENERGY STAR® Sustained Excellence Award
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) have awarded Pella Corporation a 2009 ENERGY STAR® Sustained Excellence Award for its continued leadership in protecting the environment through energy efficiency.
This designation recognizes Pella, an ENERGY STAR partner since 1999, for its long-term commitment to providing highly energy-efficient products, and the company’s comprehensive integration of ENERGY STAR information in media relations, consumer education programs, advertising, Pella Web site and training. It also recognizes Pella’s leadership for manufacturing products that earn the ENERGY STAR symbol, which is the government-backed symbol of energy efficiency.
This is the third year Pella has received an ENERGY STAR honor. Pella was a 2007 and 2008 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year award winner for the Product Manufacturer — Windows category for Pella’s outstanding contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by manufacturing and educating consumers about energy-efficient products.
The Partner of the Year Awards are given to manufacturers and retailers that successfully promote and deliver ENERGY STAR qualified products, saving consumers money and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Award winners are selected from thousands of organizations that participate in the ENERGY STAR program each year.
For additional information visit the following sites:
www.energystar.gov
www.efficientwindows.org (Efficient Windows Collaborative)
www.nfrc.org (National Fenestration Rating Council)
Further questions?
Contact your local Pella® Window & Door Showroom or call 888-847-3552 or visit www.pella.com.
* Sources: Department of Energy; tips provided by state of California
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