Energy Star

[DooWop]

I read in the paper the government wants to eliminate the Energy Star program.
Will this mean hvac and appliances will revert to the designs before the program began
or will something be salvaged?
I also worry a bit about OSHA on the cutting block as I've seen much safer construction sites over the last 50 years with OSHA.
Safety used to be a hard sell for many guys doing things their way for so long. But over time I've even heard guys
on crews changing minds and even making comments to others about being safe.
I worry if safety will still be much thought of if OSHA's gone or hobbled.
Insurance companies liked OSHA. OSHA saved them $$ and made construction safer IMO.

 

[hbiss]

Does Energy Star mean that you can get something that is not Energy Star certified these days?

-Hal

 

[kwired]

I heard similar about deregulating to at least some degree (whether true or not IDK) about emissions requirements for automobiles and such.

Discussion I had with someone else we came to conclusion (diesel engines and DEF and related items were a big part of this discussion) that the gigger player manufacturers likely aren't suddenly going to stop producing what they have already geared up to do in recent years only to potentially have the laws changed again in just a few years and have to change their manufacturing again. Yes there will likely be some lower tier players that do try to take advantage of the situation hoping it will get them more sales.

I wouldn't think appliance manufacturers would change all that much either. You still have places where they have more regulation or enforcement in general on energy efficiency like California that still likely won't allow legal sales of new items that don't comply.

 

[winnie]

1) I _like_ the idea of 'Energy Star', in the sense that it doesn't mandate that I pay for the most efficient version of {widget}, but it is supposed to identify the most efficient version of {widget} available, so that I can make better buying choices. Eg. 'I am going to use this lots, I'll pay extra for efficiency, but this other one is going to be used infrequently at best, so I'm going for the cheapest that will work.'

2) Like any other simplified 'stamp of approval', some significant politicking goes on in defining the standards that products have to meet to get the 'Energy Star' approval, and then the products get manufactured to meet the standard. Sometimes a product optimized differently would actually be better. (For example: I'd like a heat pump water heater optimized for maximum dehumidification, not maximum water heating efficiency. The efficiency of minisplits is rated at certain temperatures, not necessarily the one optimal for _me_. For examples in other areas, look at the definition of 'Organic' or the definition of 'Natural Flavor'.)

3) I hope 'Energy Star' sticks around. I tend to feel that more information is better.

 

[kwired]

1) I _like_ the idea of 'Energy Star', in the sense that it doesn't mandate that I pay for the most efficient version of {widget}, but it is supposed to identify the most efficient version of {widget} available, so that I can make better buying choices. Eg. 'I am going to use this lots, I'll pay extra for efficiency, but this other one is going to be used infrequently at best, so I'm going for the cheapest that will work.'

2) Like any other simplified 'stamp of approval', some significant politicking goes on in defining the standards that products have to meet to get the 'Energy Star' approval, and then the products get manufactured to meet the standard. Sometimes a product optimized differently would actually be better. (For example: I'd like a heat pump water heater optimized for maximum dehumidification, not maximum water heating efficiency. The efficiency of minisplits is rated at certain temperatures, not necessarily the one optimal for _me_. For examples in other areas, look at the definition of 'Organic' or the definition of 'Natural Flavor'.)

3) I hope 'Energy Star' sticks around. I tend to feel that more information is better.

In some areas it still sort of sets minimum efficiency standards though AFAIK. Unless that is coming from something besides "energy star".

I think most consumers have no clue what energy star means when buying an appliance, if anything they think it means it is approved by someone for energy efficiency, but have no idea they may still have a range of efficiency to choose from for similar products. Otherwise it is just some tag or label that the government wants placed on the product.

There are some energy usage aware consumers out there, but majority I see don't seem to care at all. Many don't even turn the lights off at home when not in a room. I've been by many places with lights on all over the house and nobody is home, day or night doesn't seem to matter. They only go with LED replacement lamps because they seem to be brighter and presumably last longer, they don't seem to care that they use less energy for the most part.

 

[nizak]

Energy Star does afford some rebates and incentives from Utilities.

 

[kwired]

Energy Star does afford some rebates and incentives from Utilities.

It basically allows them to let a third supposedly trustworthy party determine what efficiency level the item is compared to other similar items. They could still do this without Energy Star, but will take more effort on their part.

 

[DooWop]

Does Energy Star mean that you can get something that is not Energy Star certified these days?

-Hal

Probably not but if the program disappeared would manufactures simply abandon attempts
at improving quality if no one was looking? Most people will buy the bargain.
Some of the energy programs have been a pain. Like the number of hvac refrigerants that have come and gone.
But I also remember cars that had to be overhauled at 50K miles. Tires at 25K.

 

[kwired]

Probably not but if the program disappeared would manufactures simply abandon attempts
at improving quality if no one was looking? Most people will buy the bargain.
Some of the energy programs have been a pain. Like the number of hvac refrigerants that have come and gone.
But I also remember cars that had to be overhauled at 50K miles. Tires at 25K.

I wouldn't say abandon attempts at improving quality. Energy star was more about energy efficiency and not so much quality.

Some of the energy efficiency things that have come about have also meant lighter materials were used for some things which maybe gives less physical strength in some aspects but also takes less energy to move the mass with moving components, so there is some tradeoff there at times. Similar with automobiles, lighter aluminum engine blocks meant less mass of a vehicle which did help with energy efficiency along with other things, but there is some tradeoffs there as well along with possibly some other benefits here or there.