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GOAL:  6 million new green-collar jobs.

Efficiency First is a nonprofit trade association that unites

• Home Performance contractors,
• residential energy consultants,
• building product manufacturers
• and other key members of America's growing green-collar workforce

Efficiency First advocates using the federal Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program as a standard model for efficiency retrofitting, including third-party verification. National contractor and auditor certification and accreditation should be mandated through RESNET (Residential Energy Services Network), BPI (Building Performance Institute) or other qualified accreditation agencies who conduct independent, third-party quality assurance on the work performed.

Together they intend to escalate the fight against global warming. Efficiency First was founded in 2009 to represent its members in public policy discussions at the state and national levels, to promote the benefits of Home Performance retrofitting, and to help our industry grow to meet unprecedented demand for quality home retrofitting services.

Our mission is to collaborate with legislators, government agencies and professional organizations in the advancement of a performance-based market for energy efficiency that will enable rapid growth in our industry while maintaining profitability and quality of service.

"Our goal is to see a steady run rate of
10 million home retrofits per year by 2020."

According to the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, residential buildings alone generate over 20 percent of carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel consumption in the United States.

Because the vast majority of America's 128 million homes do not operate anywhere near peak efficiency, large-scale retrofitting of existing residential buildings will play a key role in achieving significant greenhouse gas reductions, while lowering residential energy bills, improving indoor air quality and thermal comfort, reducing our dependence on foreign oil, and creating millions of new jobs for American workers.

The home retrofitting industry can achieve a 25% or greater decrease in non-renewable energy consumption by America's housing sector, leading to a 5% decrease in the country's overall carbon emissions - equivalent to taking half of all current passenger cars off the road.

The industry will employ at least 1.25 million American workers directly, and with the inclusion of manufacturing and other supporting industries, will generate up 6 million new green-collar jobs.

"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.

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.

Energy Star updates in 2008:

• Expansion of eligible product categories for CFLs,
• New criteria limits, for the first time, the amount of mercury that CFLs can contain to less than 5 milligrams for most bulbs,
• Includes candelabra-based CFLs
• Incorporates a third-party testing program for all bulbs effective in November of 2008,
• Tightens lamp color requirements and
• Adds high-heat testing requirements for reflector products.

Revised ENERGY STAR® criteria for CFLs takes effect December 2, 2008 - 270 days from issuance of criteria. The criteria for CFLs were last updated in 2003.

These CFL products under the ENERGY STAR® label — which include new categories for CFLs that contain less mercury, new candelabra products and more rigorous testing procedures — are expected to save Americans approximately $30 billion in utility costs over the next five years. More stringent criteria, combined with a greater diversity of energy-saving product options, will allow Americans to more efficiently use energy in their homes.

U.S. Department of Energy Implements More Stringent Criteria for ENERGY STAR® Clothes Washers, Expands CFL Program

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)  announced more stringent criteria for clothes washers under the ENERGY STAR® label in 2008.

Based on first-year projected sales data, approximately 1.9 million ENERGY STAR®-qualified clothes washers will be sold, saving American families up to $92.4 million annually on their water and utility bills.

The more stringent requirements for clothes washers carrying the ENERGY STAR® label will take effect in two phases. In order to qualify, clothes washers must be a minimum of 43 percent more efficient than current federal energy efficiency standards with a maximum Water Factor (WF) of 7.5, as of July 1, 2009. As of January 1, 2011, clothes washers must be a minimum of 59 percent more efficient with a maximum WF of 6.0. WF measures the water efficiency and is calculated as gallons of water used per cubic foot of capacity – the lower the WF, the more efficient the clothes washer.

Following the 2011 criteria change for clothes washers, consumers are expected to save $120 million on utility bills annually, 11.2 billion gallons of water and 659 million kilowatt hours of electricity.

Current ENERGY STAR-qualified clothes washers use 75 percent less energy than clothes washer models manufactured in 1980. The ENERGY STAR® criteria for clothes washers, last modified in January 2007, were drafted with input from stakeholders and public review and comment.