The Action Plan expanded the ENERGY STAR Products program. In the year 2010, the full program is expected to generate: Energy cost savings of $10.2 billion Energy savings of 1.2 quads ■Carbon-equivalent savings of 23.7 MMT DOE and the EPA are working to bring high-efficiency consumer products into American households and buildings Products include those used for space heating and cooling water heating lighting, refrigeration, laundering cooking, and other services Working with equipment manufacturers, DOE and EPA are using the ENERGY STAR® label to promote highly efficient products. Consumer education is an important part of the labeling activities. A national consumer education campaign is being developed to educate consumers about the important link between energy use and the environment With the Energy Star label, consumers will be able to easily identify products that save energy and money and help the environment DOE has launched "Energy Star Retailer" to further promote efficient products through point-of-purchase information, product labeling, sales force training and corporate advertising. Collaboratives formed with DOE are facilitating the development of initial markets for advanced technologies for example, by encouraging large purchases Large-volume purchases help reduce manufacturing costs through economies of scale in initial production Achievements ■Consumers and businesses prevented over one million metric tons of carbon-equivalent pollution in 1996. and saved over $400 million on energy bills due to ENERGY Star equipment ■ Over 500 manufacturers are currently participating, offering over 13.000 product models that qualify for the ENERGY STAR label ■ Four major utilities have joined the program to promote ENERGY STAR appliances with retail chains in utility service territories ■ Over 920 retail stores now label ENERGY STAR refrigerators, dishwashers, and room air conditioners. Public housing authorities, including the New York Public Housing Authority, are about to purchase over 70,000 high-efficiency refrigerators for their apartment complexes More than 70 builders and developers have committed to build over 10,000 ENERGY STAR Homes across the United States Contacts: DOE's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Customer Service Center, 1-800-363-3732 (Domestic) or 701-287-9391 (International), EPAS ENERGY STAR Hotline. 1-999-782-7937 (Domestic) or 202-775-6650 (International) Residential Appliance Standards (Climate Plan Action 7) ENERGY of This action is part of DOE's Lighting and Appliance Standards Program. In the year 2010, this broader program is expected to generate: ■ Energy cost savings of $7.4 billion Energy savings of 0.96 quads ■Carbon-equivalent savings of 21.6 MMT Energy Residential consumers spend $110 billion each year on home appliances and equipment, such as refrigerators, water heaters, and air conditioners. As this equipment is replaced, large savings opportunities are available from the purchase of high-efficiency equipment. The Energy Policy Act of 1992 directs DOE to develop mandatory energy. efficiency standards for residential appliances. DOE must review these standards in accordance with a statutorily set schedule to determine whether the standards are stringent enough. Energy and carbon emission reductions from this action will be a direct result of more stringent appliance efficiency standards. The Residential Appliance Standards program creates higher energy-efficiency levels for eleven product cate gories of residential appliances. The program enlists the participation of manufacturers, trade associations, environ. mental groups, utilities, government agencies, residential appliance retailers, and others in public rulemaking processes to set these new standards. Achievements ■Three-Product Rulemaking-In September 1993, DOE published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Federal Register regarding energy-conservation standards for central air conditioners and heat pumps, furnaces, and refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers. The three-product rule has since been amended into three separate rules. The standard, which applies to refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers, was published in July 1995. Clean Three Rulemaking-DOE has conducted analyses on clothes washers, clothes dryers, and dishwashers and held a workshop in July 1995 to discuss the results with stakeholders. Eight-Product Rulemaking-The eight-product rule was divided into several separate rules. One rulemaking applies to room air conditioners, gas and oil water heaters, direct heating equipment, kitchen ranges and ovens, mobile home furnaces, and pool heaters. A proposed television rule has been withdrawn. A congressional moratorium imposed on new standards during 1996 has ended. DOE expects to issue final rules for improved efficiency standards for refrigerators and room air conditioners in 1997. An Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for clothes washers is also due out in 1997. Contact: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Customer Service Center, 1-800-363-3732 (Domestic) or 703-297-9391 (International) Energy Partnerships for Affordable Housing (Climate Plan Actions 8 & 11) HARLE CIENCY This initiative is part of DOE's Residential Buildings DOE's Residential Buildings Program. In the year 2010, this broader program is expected to generate: ☐ Energy cost savings of $0.4 billion Energy savings of 0.06 quads ■Carbon-equivalent savings of 1.2 MMT Energy Partnerships for Affordable Housing is designed to improve the energy efficiency and affordability of public and privately owned single-family and multifamily housing for low- to moderate-income families throughout the nation. Its main goal is to create local and community partnerships that will collectively commit to installing energy-efficiency improvements in at least one million low-income housing units by the year 2000. Begun as a joint initiative between DOE and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the program establishes voluntary collaborations with state and local governments, utilities, and the housing development and financing industries that can provide resource-efficient and affordable housing in new and revitalized buildings. Major program components include: (1) formal partnerships with local public housing authorities to improve large portions of the housing they own and operate, (2) work with community-based housing providers, builders, architects, and associations to showcase and promote efficient whole-building design scenarios throughout their communities; and (3) close collaboration with retailer program efforts to foster appliance efficiencies. The partnership also works with those who establish guidelines for Home Energy Rating Systems. Program goals are expected to be reached by making technical assistance available to community-based housing providers for the application of whole-building design and rehabilitation specifications that can achieve 20 to 30 percent efficiency gains over current practice. DOE and the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials have united under DOE's Energy Partnerships for Affordable Housing program. Achievements 2 DOE initiated partnerships with public housing authorities and community housing organizations in Chicago, Atlanta, Boston, Baltimore, and Los Angeles, with one goal being a 30 percent reduction in utility bills DOE, EPA, and Habitat for Humanity are working together to improve the energy and resource efficiency of the over 3,000 homes Habitat has built in the United States. DOE is funding seven states (AK, AR, CA, CO, MI, VT, and VA) to overcome the barriers to the use of energy-efficient mortgages. Contact: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Customer Service Center, 1-800-363-3732 (Domestic) or 703-287-8391 (International). Cool Communities (Climate Plan Action 9) This initiative is part of DOE's Building Systems Program. In the year 2010, this broader program is expected to generate: Energy cost savings of $1.0 billion ■ Energy savings of 0.15 quads ■ Carbon-equivalent savings of 2.9 MMT Cool Communities aims to reverse problems associated with urban heat islands by developing community partnerships to create a market for highly reflective exterior surfaces on buildings and roads, in combination with urban tree planting as a cost-effective energy-efficiency measure. Private-sector involvement in Cool Communities is an integral part of the program. The nonprofit conservation organization American Forests is DOE's and the U.S. Forest Service's primary partner in this program. Utility companies, through their participation in the Climate Challenge program, also are partners. Roofing, pavement, coatings, and landscaping industries, as well as other federal agencies participate in product development and marketing. Overall Achievements As of March 1997 there are 10 designated Cool Communities. In its next revision, the National Energy Performance Standards for Buildings (American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers) will give energy-conservation credits for cool roofs and shade trees. Similar credits will be offered in the California Title 24 building standard. " South Coast Air Quality Management District in California accepted Cool Communities strategies as the most cost-effective single measure in the reduction of smog. Consideration is being given to include "cool" technology in a NO, and smog offset trading market. " The American Society for Testing and Materials is standardizing procedures for rating roofs and pavements for reflectivity. A new "Solar Reflectance Label" will help consumers evaluate the energy efficiency of cool products. Selected Community Achievements " Austin, Texas-Initiated "Trees for Energy," in which utility companies, landscaping industry professionals, and local government officials collaborated on incentive rebates for planting community trees. Atlanta, Georgia-Broadcasts heat-island reports on the evening weather and used the 1996 Summer Olympics to publicize demonstrations of Cool Communities technologies. · Frederick, Maryland-Estimates energy savings of $1 million annually from existing trees and roofs, with a potential tripling of savings by using more "cool" technologies. · Dade County, Florida-Is raising funds from the state's sale of panther and manatee license plates to reestablish trees destroyed by Hurricane Andrew. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona-Was awarded the Federal Energy Efficiency Landscape Award for Cool Communities accomplishments. · National Air Station, Oceana-Is planning tree-planting, pavement, and roofing projects. Contacts: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Customer Service Center, 1-800-363-3732 (Domestic) or 703-287-8391 (International), Rita Schoeneman, USDA, Forest Service, Cooperative Forestry, 202-205-1612. Updating State (Climate Plan Action 10) ENER This action is part of DOE's Building Standards and Guidelines Program. In the year 2010, this broader program is expected to generate: ■ Energy cost savings of $4.0 billion ■ Energy savings of 0.55 quads ■Carbon-equivalent savings of 12.7 MMT Updating and implementing building energy codes is often the most cost-effective means of overcoming market barriers to energy efficiency. These codes eliminate inefficient construction practices and technologies at little to no increase in first cost and significant energy cost savings. DOE provides technical and financial support to states in updating and implementing the energy-efficiency provisions of their codes. Competitive, cost-shared, incentive grants are provided to assist states in leveraging their own programs and those of their utility and building industry partners to update their codes and train code officials, designers, and builders in how to use them. DOE develops materials and tools to make energy codes easier to use and administer, and disseminates them to the states. DOE also develops core training materials and fosters industry partnerships with states to carry out training. DOE's goal is to reduce total emissions and energy use in new buildings by 35 percent by the year 2000, from 1990 levels. Achievements Twenty-seven states have adopted and implemented residential energy codes that meet or exceed the 1992 Model Energy Code. These state codes govern 54 percent of U.S. residential construction. ■Twenty-five states have adopted and implemented commercial building energy codes that meet or exceed the building industry consensus energy code, ASHRAE/IESNA 90.1-1989. These state codes govern 61 percent of U.S.commercial construction. ■ Over 1,000 architects, engineers, builders, and code officials have been trained in how to comply with updated state codes. ■DOE has developed a set of materials and tools that make it easy to design and build to the Model Energy Code. Called MECcheck, this set has been disseminated to over 10,000 people in 20 states. A parallel set of materials, COMcheck-EZ, has been developed for low-rise commercial buildings (three stories or fewer), which comprise the majority of U.S.commercial building. DOE has formed partnerships with a number of product manufacturers to assist states in training designers and builders. Contact: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Customer Service Center, 1-800-363-3732 (Domestic) or 703-287-8391 (International) |