May 2009 Archives

Commercial Signage: Commercial signage often operates 12 to 24 hours per day, consuming about 2% of the total electricity in the United States. Fluorescent signs currently account for about 48% of this market, with neon signs holding about 41%, and the remainder of the market dominated by incandescent products.

Institutional, Industrial and Commercial Lighting: LED products can have a significant impact on energy use in airport, ports and roadway lighting, where conventional fluorescent- and incandescent-lit signage is heavily used.

Retail Lighting: LEDs offer unprecedented flexibility in colors and configurations to lighting designers in creating displays and "moods" in retail settings.

Key resources pertaining to LED technology:

• LED Lighting Systems, 2003 (47 pgs.), by John Bullough
• Information from ENERGY STAR about high efficiency exit signs and traffic signals
• Information from the Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on LEDs in transportation applications and exit signs
• Specifications on LED traffic signals developed by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)

If all decorative light strings sold in America this year were ENERGY STAR qualified, we would save over 2 billion kWh per year and reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to nearly 300,000 cars!

ENERGY STAR qualified decorative light strings -- many which feature LED technology -- consume 75% less energy than conventional incandescent lights strands.

ENERGY STAR Qualified Decorative Light Strings:

• Can last up to 10 times longer than traditional incandescent strands.
• Are cool to the touch, reducing the risk of fire.
• Do not have moving parts, filaments or glass, so they are much more durable and shock-resistant than other light strings.
• Are available in a variety of colors, shapes and lengths.
• Come with a three-year warranty, meaning fewer light string replacements.
• Are independently tested to meet strict lifetime and electrical requirements.
• Products labeled for outdoor use are subjected to weathering tests.
• Some models deliver features such as dimming or color shifting.

When you start shopping or installing your Christmas or Holiday lighting this year...think ENERGY savings... think...
 

ENERGY STAR rated LED decorative light strings!  You'll save at the same time you brighting your neighborhood!

MaxximaStyle offers a wide range of LED Lighting covering the transportation, interior, industrial, emergency and personal lighting markets.

LED lamps are revolutionizing the lighting market and applications since they emit a very intense glow which is brighter than incandescent lighting.

They consume one-tenth the power consumption of conventional bulbs and due to their long lifetime, rated at 100,000 hours, LED lamps severely cut down on bulb replacement activity resulting in huge power and labor savings.

 LEDs emit negligible amounts of heat -- thus, cutting down on expensive heat shield installations and in the case of interior lighting air conditioning requirements. The incandescent light bulb is on its way to becoming a relic as the gas lanterns it replaced more than a century ago.

www.maxximastyle.com

According to the study, "Does Green Pay Off?," ENERGY STAR rated commercial buildings have sale prices 30% per sq. ft. higher than traditional buildings.

Compared to traditional buildings, owners and managers of ENERGY STAR rated buildings can expect

• $2 per sq. ft. greater rents,
• 2% higher occupancy rates and
• $0.54 per sq. ft. lower energy-related operating costs

Operating expenses from energy costs varied with Energy Star-rated buildings running $1.27 per square foot per year for energy in 2006 and non-Energy Star-rated buildings running $1.81 per square foot.

Survey results are based on findings in a study released last week. Norm Miller, a professor at the University of San Diego, and Jay Spivey and Andy Florance, the research director and CEO respectively with CoStar. They compared 223 ENERGY STAR rated Class A office buildings of at least 200,000 sq. ft. with 2,077 non-ENERGY STAR buildings of the same class and size.

Buildings with the ENERGY STAR label are among the 25% most efficient of similar buildings nationwide.

Creative art event by EPA and DOE spreads the word about refrigerator energy recycling

If Americans replaced pre-1993 refrigerators with ENERGY STAR models, the saved energy could generate enough power for more than 8.1 million homes yearly.

An easy way for Americans to lower their electricity consumption would be to recycle that old second refrigerator or freezer, or to replace their current unit with a new ENERGY STAR unit.

ART Show Brings Cool Attention to Recycling Fridges!

Here's an idea for your community:

Up to 50 decorated refrigerators will be on display at the The Art of Recycling: The Coolest Show in Town, a special exhibit at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. Exhibition visitors can vote on a favorite model. A panel of judges will select the top three entries based on the following criteria: coolest; best use of recycled materials; overall creativity; and best portrayal of the campaign theme - The Art of Recycling.

Source: US Department of Energy

Green and sustainable business definitions are not yet settled. However, a number of industry sectors are quite well developed in the green and sustainable business process with well-defined certification programs in place.

A few of these are:

Organic Food and Crop Production: The federal Department of Agriculture has an "organic certification" program in place with inspectors, labeling guidelines, etc.

Alternative Vehicles: Again, the federal government and state governments do research on emissions, fuel efficiency, etc. and make these product evaluations available to the buying public.

Alternative Fuel: With the explosion of interest in alternative fuels, the field is changing rapidly. With various mixture levels of alternative fuels with traditional fuels, various raw material sourcing and various efficiency ratings, this field will probably be in flux for some time to come.

Energy: Residential and commercial equipment from refrigerators to computers are tested under a wide variety of programs, including Energy Star, Green-E, and various specific programs for windpower, solar heat and electricity...etc.

Forestry: The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certifies a chain-of-custody for wood sourced products from paper to plywood...and beyond. This is one of the most established programs that audits for grower practices, community impact, chemicals, sustainable farming practices...and sustainable business practices to the point of delivery to the consumer.

Other industry sectors that are developing programs include irrigation and water conservation, green hotels, green restaurants, green chemistry, even packaging and toys!

Check your industry trade association for their developing programs for conservation of natural resources, social responsibility, energy efficiency...etc.

Green Business Market

The green business market is both local...and global. With the massive population increases we are experiencing, we have a dual dilemna...how to support more people with less. Period. The average American consumes 20 times as much in natural resources as the average African and if all the people consumed at the level of high-income countries, the planet could support only 1.8 billion people, not the actual 6.5 billion. Like any movement, the green business movement started with a core of dedicated advocates and researchers who delved into what they saw were injustices, inadequacies and inaccuracies. These early businesses were traditional businesses with a few innovative products or services, as well as new kinds of businesses delivering new services or products in new ways. Organic food and gardening were instrumental in these early green businesses, as were water and energy conservation products such as water filters, solar water heaters...etc.

Every time we faced shortages of a particular resource...such as gasoline, or fresh food or affordable rent...new businesses have been pioneering new approaches.

Green and sustainable business definitions are not yet settled. However, a number of industry sectors are quite well developed in the green and sustainable business process with well-defined certification programs in place.

A few of these are:

Organic Food and Crop Production: The federal Department of Agriculture has an "organic certification" program in place with inspectors, labeling guidelines, etc.

Alternative Vehicles: Again, the federal government and state governments do research on emissions, fuel efficiency, etc. and make these product evaluations available to the buying public.

Alternative Fuel: With the explosion of interest in alternative fuels, the field is changing rapidly. With various mixture levels of alternative fuels with traditional fuels, various raw material sourcing and various efficiency ratings, this field will probably be in flux for some time to come.

Energy: Residential and commercial equipment from refrigerators to computers are tested under a wide variety of programs, including Energy Star, Green-E, and various specific programs for windpower, solar heat and electricity...etc.

Forestry: The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certifies a chain-of-custody for wood sourced products from paper to plywood...and beyond. This is one of the most established programs that audits for grower practices, community impact, chemicals, sustainable farming practices...and sustainable business practices to the point of delivery to the consumer.

Other industry sectors that are developing programs include irrigation and water conservation, green hotels, green restaurants, green chemistry, even packaging and toys!

Check your industry trade association for their developing programs for conservation of natural resources, social responsibility, energy efficiency...etc.

Green Business Market

The green business market is both local...and global. With the massive population increases we are experiencing, we have a dual dilemna...how to support more people with less. Period. The average American consumes 20 times as much in natural resources as the average African and if all the people consumed at the level of high-income countries, the planet could support only 1.8 billion people, not the actual 6.5 billion. Like any movement, the green business movement started with a core of dedicated advocates and researchers who delved into what they saw were injustices, inadequacies and inaccuracies. These early businesses were traditional businesses with a few innovative products or services, as well as new kinds of businesses delivering new services or products in new ways. Organic food and gardening were instrumental in these early green businesses, as were water and energy conservation products such as water filters, solar water heaters...etc.

Every time we faced shortages of a particular resource...such as gasoline, or fresh food or affordable rent...new businesses have been pioneering new approaches.

California Energy Commission (CEC) -- The 2005 Title 24 Standards

http://www.energy.ca.gov/title24/ Select 2005 Standards, Select Residential manual or Non Residential manual. Energy Efficiency Hotline: 1-800-772-3300 (California only)

EPA ENERGY STAR® New Homes Program

The ENERGY STAR® New Homes Program is nationwide.
http://www.energystar.gov/homes
or call 1-888-STAR-YES (1-888-782-7937)

CalCERT™, California Certified Energy Rating and Testing Services

CalCERT is a California Energy Commission approved HERS Provider.
http://www.calcerts.com
or call 1-916-985-3400

CHEERS®, The California Home Energy Efficiency Rating Services

CHEERS is a California Energy Commission approved HERS Provider.
http://www.CHEERS.org
or call 1-800-4-CHEERS (1-800-424-3377)

CBPCA, The California Building Performance Contractor Association

CBPCA is a CEC approved HERS Provider.
http://www.cbpca.org
or call 1-888-352-2722

California Green Builder (CGB)

The Building Industry Institute (BII) established CGB's requirements for new homes for significant improvements in energy efficiency, water and wood conservation, indoor air quality and comfort, and on-site waste diversion
http://www.cagreenbuilder.org

New Solar Homes Partnership

The California Energy Commission funds solar electricity systems on NEW homes.
http://www.gosolarcalifornia.ca.gov/nshp/

California Solar Initiative

The California Public Utilities Commission funds solar electricity systems on businesses and EXISTING homes.
http://www.sce.com/csi

Build It Green

A professional non-profit membership organization promoting healthy, energy and resource-efficient buildings in California.
http://www.builditgreen.org

U.S. Green Buildings Council (USGBC)

The USGBC's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ is one of the accepted benchmarks for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings.
http://www.usgbc.org
or call 1-800-340-8912

Technical Specs for Energy Star Qualified Homes

Homes built under 2001 T-24 code had until December 31, 2006 to complete construction.

All homes completed on or after January 1, 2007 must be 15% more energy efficient than the latest T-24 code (2005 T-24). Homes that were enrolled in a utility rebate program by December 31, 2005 had until January 1, 2007 to be qualified using the old ENERGY STAR guidelines. All homes enrolled in a program after January 1, 2006 must be qualified using the new guidelines and have a Thermal Bypass Checklist inspection. However, for the period January 1, 2007 to June 30, 2007, homes in this category will not be denied the ENERGY STAR label due to non-compliance with requirements of this additional inspection. As of July 1, 2007, these homes must pass the Thermal Bypass Inspection to earn the ENERGY STAR label.

The current ENERGY STAR Qualified Homes guidelines require that homes be 15% more energy efficient than the code under which they are permitted and be inspected by a CEC certified third party HERS rater. Sampling is allowed and shall follow the CEC HERS protocols.

Energy Star Qualified Homes Guidelines

The ENERGY STAR Qualified Homes guidelines requirements also include:

• Verification of adherence to the EPA ENERGY STAR Thermal Bypass Checklist/CEC Quality Installation Insulation merged protocols.
• All cooling equipment shall be sized according to the latest editions of the ACCA Manuals J and S, ASHRAE 2001 Handbook of Fundamentals, or the equivalent computation procedure.
  • Maximum oversizing of air conditioners is 15%.
  • Equipment oversizing calculations shall use 99.0% and 1.0% outdoor design temperatures as published in the ASHRAE Handbook of Fundamentals for most representative city. However, a prevailing outdoor design temperature used by the local HVAC industry that can be documented with available weather data is an acceptable alternative. The Indoor temperature shall be 75ºF for cooling and 70ºF for heating.
  • Infiltration rate shall be selected as tight.
  • Indoor and outdoor coils shall be matched in accordance with ARI standards.
• Ductwork leakage must be less than 6 cfm to outdoors per 100 square feet of conditioned space, though duct leakage tests can be waived if ducts and equipment are located in conditioned space and the home's envelope leakage is less than 0.25 CFM 50 per square foot of building envelope. (Meeting T-24 tight duct standard of 6% or less leakage of total air flow satisfies this requirement.)

Additional requirements bulleted above can be used to achieve the 15% performance margin. EPA also recommends, but does not require, that ductwork be located in conditioned space with a minimum of R-4 insulation to prevent condensation and moisture problems. Updated on February 28, 2007

FURTHER INFORMATION:

California Building Performance Contractors Association

CBPCA trains and certifies contractors for a better approach to energy efficiency, safety, comfort, and value. California Building Performance Association is a non-profit organization supporting energy efficiency and the residential contracting industry.

Utility Company Programs for Energy Star Ratings

Advanced Home Program by Southern California Gas Company

Performance Programs. Projects qualify when they exceed 2005 Title-24 compliance by 15%. California Energy Star® New Homes Program SoCal Gas Company

Advanced Home Program by San Diego Gas & Electric

The California ENERGY STAR® New Homes Program is a performance based program designed to encourage builders to construct single family and multi-family buildings that are energy efficient. San Diego Gas & Electric

SoCal Edison

California Energy Star New Homes Program Recognized as a National Leader in building conservation. SoCal Edison

PG&E ENERGY STAR® Qualified New Homes Program

PG&E works with builders to ensure that ENERGY STAR New Homes exceed California's rigorous energy efficiency PG&E

HP's got the industry's first, along with smart ways to put the cool on energy costs from the den to the desktop and datacenter. With a goal to reduce our global energy use 20 percent by 2010, HP is helping by greening their products.

By making environmental responsibility an engineering priority, HP has been able to design high-performance systems that are built to last, yet put efficiency first.

ENERGY STAR® qualified HP products:

• HP computers
• HP monitors
• HP televisions
• HP printing and imaging products

Green Computer Features from HP

The HP business desktop PCs have sleep settings preset to save power when not in use and adjustable fan speeds to maximize operating efficiency -- so don't turn these green features off!

They also include temperature sensors to monitor heat output and fan use, helping maintain the life of your desktop.

HP's new desktop PC's with 80% efficient power supplies are so ahead of the curve they actually beat the July 2007 deadline set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its tougher new ENERGY STAR® 4.0 standards.

In the average commercial office building, as much as 15 percent of the energy bill is driven by technology-product power supplies. The optional 80% efficient power supplies for select HP business desktop PCs reduce wasted power and deliver significantly more efficiency than previous power supplies.

HP flat panel monitors meet demanding emissions, ergonomic and environmental guidelines set by TCO 03 for quality and environmental certification, as well as European Union Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHs) directives for materials. They include advanced power management features that comply with current ENERGY STAR guidelines. HP and World Wildlife Fund-US (WWF-US) conduct a joint initiative to reduce HP's greenhouse gas emissions from its operating facilities worldwide, educate and inspire others to adopt best practices, and use HP technology in conservation efforts around the world.

HP's got the industry's first, along with smart ways to put the cool on energy costs from the den to the desktop and datacenter. With a goal to reduce our global energy use 20 percent by 2010, HP is helping by greening their products.

By making environmental responsibility an engineering priority, HP has been able to design high-performance systems that are built to last, yet put efficiency first.

ENERGY STAR® qualified HP products:

• HP computers
• HP monitors
• HP televisions
• HP printing and imaging products

Green Computer Features from HP

The HP business desktop PCs have sleep settings preset to save power when not in use and adjustable fan speeds to maximize operating efficiency -- so don't turn these green features off!

They also include temperature sensors to monitor heat output and fan use, helping maintain the life of your desktop.

HP's new desktop PC's with 80% efficient power supplies are so ahead of the curve they actually beat the July 2007 deadline set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its tougher new ENERGY STAR® 4.0 standards.

In the average commercial office building, as much as 15 percent of the energy bill is driven by technology-product power supplies. The optional 80% efficient power supplies for select HP business desktop PCs reduce wasted power and deliver significantly more efficiency than previous power supplies.

HP flat panel monitors meet demanding emissions, ergonomic and environmental guidelines set by TCO 03 for quality and environmental certification, as well as European Union Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHs) directives for materials. They include advanced power management features that comply with current ENERGY STAR guidelines. HP and World Wildlife Fund-US (WWF-US) conduct a joint initiative to reduce HP's greenhouse gas emissions from its operating facilities worldwide, educate and inspire others to adopt best practices, and use HP technology in conservation efforts around the world.

Energy use in commercial buildings and manufacturing plants accounts for nearly half of the total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 50 percent of energy consumption nationwide.

For more than a decade, EPA has worked with businesses and organizations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through strategic energy management practices. Today, there are Energy Star qualified facilities in every state across the country.

Energy Star Rated Buildings

To qualify for the Energy Star, a building or manufacturing plant must score in the top 25 percent using EPA's National Energy Performance Rating System.

Nearly 4,100 buildings and manufacturing plants have earned the EPA's Energy Star through the end of 2007, with the addition of more than 1,400 in 2007 alone. They include about 1,500 office buildings, 1,300 supermarkets, 820 K-12 schools and 250 hotels. Also, more than 185 banks, financial centers, hospitals, courthouses, warehouses, dormitories, and - for the first time - big-box retail buildings earned the Energy Star. More than 35 manufacturing plants such as cement, auto assembly, corn refining, and - for the first time - petroleum refining are also being recognized.

These award-winning commercial buildings and manufacturing plants have saved nearly $1.5 billion annually in lower energy bills and prevented carbon dioxide emissions equal to the emissions associated with electricity use of more than 1.5 million American homes for a year, relative to typical buildings.

Commercial buildings that have earned the Energy Star use nearly 40% less energy than average buildings and emit 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, offering a significantly smaller carbon footprint.

About 500 Energy Star buildings use 50% less energy than average buildings.

Many of these buildings excel due to good energy management practices such as routine energy efficiency benchmarking.

"Incandescent light bulbs waste 95% of the energy they use as heat. Phasing these out and replacing them with efficient alternatives can help reduce emissions and energy bills.

"We are pleased that UK retailers and energy suppliers are voluntarily phasing out these lamps before European rules are introduced later this year."

Lord Hunt claimed the bulbs contained a smaller amount of the substance than mercury thermometers, which the EU has banned, but the government was looking at safer alternatives such as LED lights, which did not contain any mercury and had a longer life.

The move to low-energy light bulbs is described as "one of the most positive moves the government has made recently".

Palace of Westminster claims to have saved 61% of its energy costs by swapping to low energy bulbs.

Read more at the BBC

Suppliers and Purchasers of Energy Star products now have an on line bulk purchase exhange site.

Energy Star is a trusted name in the energy conservation arena. Appliances and supplies are developed with realistic, yet sustainable goals to help reduce energy use.

ENERGY STAR and the U.S. Department of Energy have developed a new on-line tool that can reduce costs for facilities and operations.

This new on-line tool, found at www.quantityquotes.net, is available to help organizations become more energy-efficient by making it easier to purchase ENERGY STAR qualified products.

This Quantity Quotes tool was designed so that bulk-quantity purchasers can easily request price quotes from a wide variety of suppliers, exclusively of ENERGY STAR qualified products.

What Products Are Available?

• ENERGY STAR qualified light bulbs
• ENERGY STAR qualified light fixtures
• ENERGY STAR qualified clothes washers
• ENERGY STAR qualified dehumidifiers
• ENERGY STAR qualified dishwashers
• ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators
• ENERGY STAR qualified room air conditioners

Energy Star Suppliers Can Register

Suppliers can register to receive information requests from purchasers. After corresponding with purchasers and providing requested information, a purchaser can contact a supplier in order to negotiate a contract.

Energy Star Purchasers Can Research Online

Purchasers can register to instantly contact suppliers of ENERGY STAR qualified products. Guidance is provided to assist purchasers in the Request for Information (RFI) process. After corresponding with a supplier and receiving requested information, the purchaser can choose to contact a supplier in order to negotiate a contract.

Your utility costs are a major monthly expense. If your laundromat or laundry room's washing machines are over 5 years old, you may be paying too much on your utility bills.

By installing new High Efficiency Clothes Washers (HEW), you can reduce your energy costs by about 50%. In addition, you will lower your water and sewer costs by 35-50%.

The new, High Efficiency Clothes Washers help to minimize drying time by extracting more water from the clothes in the spin cycle than in traditional machines. High Efficiency Washers also require 50% less laundry detergent, so customers will realize additional savings.

Rebate programs often have a number of High Efficiency Clothes Washers (HEW) that qualify in a variety of price ranges, with a factor of 7.5 gallons of water per cycle or less. Rebates are frequently available for units installed and operating in facilities such as laundromats, multiple housing units, common areas and hotels or motels.

Some Companies that Manufacture High-Efficiency Clothes Washers

Today, high-efficiency clothes washers are produced by every major domestic manufacturer and are readily available in virtually all retail outlets.

• Huebsch
• LG Electronics
• Maytag
• Speed Queen
• Unimac
• Wascomat

High efficiency washing machines with Energy Star certification can save both water and energy...and utility costs.

When buying an appliance, remember that it has two price tags:

ONE: How much you pay to take it home and

TWO:  How much you pay for the energy and water it uses.

ENERGY STAR qualified appliances incorporate advanced technologies that use 10-50% less energy and water than standard models. The money you save on your utility bills can more than make up for the cost of a more expensive but more efficient ENERGY STAR model. www.energystar.gov

An estimated 84 million American households own washing machines and approximately 8 million washers are sold in the United States annually.

Clothes washers meeting CEE's specifications use up to 72 percent less energy and up to 57 percent less water compared to standard-efficiency washers.

Federal high-efficiency energy minimum standard for clothes washers include a Modified Energy Factor (MEF) of 1.26.

They are projected to save as much as 475 kWh per year when used with an electric water heater and electric dryer.

Savings are projected to be up to 13 therms of gas per year when used with a gas water heater and gas dryer.

Potential water savings are estimated at up to 8,000 gallons annually.

SOURCE: CEE

If technology improves faster than expected, and opening category B prior to completion of a three-year waiting period would be in the public interest, DOE will advance the date for allowing products to qualify under Category B.

DOE's intent, is to substantially increase future performance requirements of LED Luminaires, and to  encourage continued improvement in technology selection and design of luminaires using SSL sources.   Products for a wide range of general illumination applications will be eligible.
 
The minimum luminaire efficacy target given for Category B is intended to rival today's most
efficient lighting systems using traditional light sources. 

T8 Fluorescent Lamp and Electronic Ballast Comparisons

For example, the best commonly  available high-performance T8 fluorescent lamp and electronic ballast systems are rated  around 100 lm/W. High-quality fixtures for these lamp-ballast systems are about 70% efficient, yielding 70 lm/W luminaire efficacy.
 
Based on current commercially available technology, the Category B level of minimum
luminaire efficacy is not achievable for LED luminaires.  However, DOE anticipates  performance will rise rapidly over the coming years due to on-going progress in LED efficacy, LED high temperature tolerance, power supply efficiency improvements, and luminaire design.
 
DOE believes a significant number of general illumination products will be able to achieve 70 lm/W luminaire efficacy within three years after the effective date of these criteria. 

DOE found that LED lighting systems enable big energy savings in supermarket refrigeration and have been getting cheaper every year.

LED system prices dropped 9% in 2008 alone and DOE's Solid State Lighting Research and Development Program projects they will fall by 50% by 2012.

In preliminary analysis released in August 2008, DOE showed that, assuming a 50% decline in LED prices, the highest standards would make sense for all supermarket refrigeration systems and would save purchasers $5 billion in net savings over 30 years.

READ MORE at ACEEE.ORG

California's HERS Rating System

The California Energy Commission is required by Public Resources Code Section 25942 to establish regulations for a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Program to certify home energy rating services in California.

The California HERS Program includes field verification and diagnostic testing available through Commission-certified providers. The Energy Commission has a process for certifying Home Energy Rating System (HERS) raters who perform third-party inspections when verification of duct sealing, thermostatic expansion valves (TXVs), refrigerant charge, airflow measurement, and building envelope sealing measures are used when complying with the 2005 Standards (effective October 1, 2005). Testing and verification protocols are summarized and located in both the Residential and Nonresidential Field Verification and Diagnostic Testing Regulations Manuals.

HOME ENERGY RATING SYSTEM PROGRAM (HERS)

People interested in becoming certified HERS raters should contact:

California Certified Energy Rating & Testing Services CalCERTS

California Building Performance Contractors Association CBPCA

California Home Energy Efficiency Rating System CHEERS

The Energy Efficiency Hotline is: (800) 772-3300 or (916) 654-5106

American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy

Building Performance: Technical Resources for Commissioning, Benchmarking and Measurement; Training; Research Activities; International Efforts and Sector-Specific Resources. www.aceee.org

ENERGY STAR Training

Self-guided presentations, on-line web conferences, and pre-recorded trainings to help you improve the energy performance of your organization. www.energystar.gov

Energy Star Training Center

The ENERGY STAR Training Center is designed to serve as a resource for partners looking to improve their sales effectiveness. Find tools and information to help you convey to your staff, customers, or business partners how ENERGY STAR can help them protect the environment while saving energy and money.

Energy Design Resources offers a valuable palette of energy design tools and resources that help make it easier to design and build energy-efficient commercial and industrial buildings in California. The goal of this effort is to educate architects, engineers, lighting designers, and developers about techniques and technologies that contribute to energy efficient nonresidential new construction. Additionally, design tools that reduce the time you spend evaluating the energy use impact of your design decisions are provided here at no cost.

The development of Energy Design Resources is funded by California utility customers and administered by Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, San Diego Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison, and Southern California Gas under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission.

Online information and tools for self-education: www.energydesignresources.com

Building Operator Certification (BOC)

Building Operator Certification (BOC) is a nationally recognized training and certification program for building operators offering improved job skills and more comfortable, energy-efficient facilities. Training programs teaching skills to improve building energy efficiency. BOC is an IFMA Approved Provider Program for the Facility Management Professional (FMP) and Certified Facility Manager (CFM) designations. BOC offers FMP candidates with course offerings to assist in earning the FMP designation. BOC courses also provide CFM/FMP Maintenance Points for recertification.

Building Operator Certification - California

Where To Find Continuing Education Classes

Energy Star bulb sales are growing dramatically and saving energy

Americans are more than making good on their pledges to help fight climate change by replacing their lights with Energy Star qualified CFLs (compact fluorescent lights). EPA estimates that Energy Star CFL sales for 2007 were nearly double those in 2006, accounting for approximately 20 percent of the light bulb market in the U.S.

According to market data, sales of Energy Star qualified CFLs have risen dramatically over the last two years. In 2006, it is estimated that the market share jumped to about 11 percent, compared to a market share consistently under 5% in the early part of the decade. Sales in 2007 totaled approximately 290 million bulbs. Energy Star retail partners such as Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, Costco, Menards, Ace Hardware and Sams Club have played an important role in educating consumers about the importance of saving energy and the value of these products.

"By switching to CFLs at home and at work, Americans are increasing energy efficiency and furthering the President's vision to increase the advanced technologies that will help meet the nation's growing demand for energy," U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Samuel W. Bodman said. "Using CLFs is a quick and easy way that Americans can save energy and money everyday, while also protecting the environment."

Energy Star qualified CFLs use about 75% less energy and last up to ten times longer than incandescent bulbs. It is important for consumers to look for CFLs that have earned the government's ENERGY STAR label in order to ensure the best performance. Energy Star qualified models have a minimum lifetime of 6,000 hours, maintain their light output over time, and are more energy efficient than standard CFLs.

Energy Star bulb sales are growing dramatically and saving energy

Americans are more than making good on their pledges to help fight climate change by replacing their lights with Energy Star qualified CFLs (compact fluorescent lights). EPA estimates that Energy Star CFL sales for 2007 were nearly double those in 2006, accounting for approximately 20 percent of the light bulb market in the U.S.

According to market data, sales of Energy Star qualified CFLs have risen dramatically over the last two years. In 2006, it is estimated that the market share jumped to about 11 percent, compared to a market share consistently under 5% in the early part of the decade. Sales in 2007 totaled approximately 290 million bulbs. Energy Star retail partners such as Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, Costco, Menards, Ace Hardware and Sams Club have played an important role in educating consumers about the importance of saving energy and the value of these products.

"By switching to CFLs at home and at work, Americans are increasing energy efficiency and furthering the President's vision to increase the advanced technologies that will help meet the nation's growing demand for energy," U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Samuel W. Bodman said. "Using CLFs is a quick and easy way that Americans can save energy and money everyday, while also protecting the environment."

Energy Star qualified CFLs use about 75% less energy and last up to ten times longer than incandescent bulbs. It is important for consumers to look for CFLs that have earned the government's ENERGY STAR label in order to ensure the best performance. Energy Star qualified models have a minimum lifetime of 6,000 hours, maintain their light output over time, and are more energy efficient than standard CFLs.