Vampires at home? Household items draining energy

Posted: June 20, 2014
Source: Fuel Fix.com by: R.A. Dyer

Experts at the Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory have analyzed the consumption of "standby" power by many common household items.

Not using that coffee maker? Turn it off and unplug it. The same goes for your computer and your fax machine.

Like vampires, household appliances quietly suck up electricity while you sleep and while you’re away at work. This is true even if you’ve completely shut down the item, but still have it plugged into a wall outlet. The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California tells us that between 5 and 10 percent of all the electricity consumed by residential users comes from devices not in use.

The Texas Coalition for Affordable Power has analyzed data provided by the Berkeley Lab to get a sense as to how much these vampire devices are costing you. We’ve found that idled laser printers and similar multi-use devices may put you out $50 to $130 a year. Digital cable boxes also are big energy hogs.
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Energy Department Announces New Energy Efficiency Financing Publication Available through SEE Action Network

Posted: June 9, 2014
Source: Dept. of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy

The State and Local Energy Efficiency Action Network (SEE Action), a state- and local-led effort facilitated by the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to achieve all cost effective energy efficiency, recently published a new report that provides an overview of the current state of on-bill lending programs with actionable insights for consideration by state policymakers, utility regulators and program administrators. States and utilities are increasingly turning to on-bill financing to stretch their limited efficiency program dollars and encourage the uptake of energy improvements in residential and non-residential properties.

Entitled “Financing Energy Improvements on Utility Bills: Market Updates and Key Program Design Considerations for Policymakers and Administrators” and authored by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the report describes the historical evolution of on-bill programs and draws on data collected from 30 on-bill programs (13 in-depth case studies) to review and analyze key trends, including their geographic reach, loan volumes and loan performance.
Continue reading Energy Department Announces New Energy Efficiency Financing Publication Available through SEE Action Network

P3: People, Prosperity and the Planet Student Design Competition for Sustainability

Posted: June 6, 2014
Source: EPAhttp://epa.gov/ncer/p3/project_websites/2014/su835533.html

Test Protocol for Evaluating Smog Reducing Roofing Tiles

University of California Riverside’s Clean Air team wants to know if so called “smog eating roof tiles” really work. Technology recently launched in the U.S. uses ceramic roof titles coated with titanium dioxide to convert the air pollutant NOx found in smog into nitrogen. While claims are impressive there is no peer reviewed data to support them. The team is testing the tiles in the UC Riverside Atmospheric Processes laboratory. Visit their exhibit to find out if these tiles are the green roofs of tomorrow.

Challenge Area(s): Built Environment

Project Abstract

MGM Resorts International Joins U.S. Energy Department’s Better Buildings Challenge

Posted: May 29, 2014
Source: Corporate Social Responsibility Newswire (CSRWire.com)

Company cited as the first corporation in the entertainment, gaming and hospitality industry to join

MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) has announced that it is joining the U.S. Energy Department’s Better Buildings Challenge, a national pledge calling for organizations to voluntarily reduce their building portfolio energy use by 20 percent in ten years.

“Innovating our resorts to operate more efficiently while also offering a remarkable guest experience, is a top priority for our company,” said Cindy Ortega, Chief Sustainability Officer of MGM Resorts International. “Joining the Better Buildings Challenge is another step in our promise to guests, employees and our surrounding communities to employ sustainable best practices at all of our resort destinations.”

Launched in 2011 by President Obama, the Better Buildings Challenge supports the President’s broader goal of doubling American energy productivity by 2030 while motivating corporate and public sector partners across the country to save energy through commitments and investments. In the past year, the initiative has recorded more than 190 participating organizations, including: local governments, school districts, universities, and commercial real estate, healthcare and manufacturing companies.

MGM Resort is the first company in the entertainment, gaming and hospitality industry to join the Better Buildings Challenge. Continue reading MGM Resorts International Joins U.S. Energy Department’s Better Buildings Challenge

Fluorescent Tubes: DOE Requires Better Energy Efficiency

Posted: April 15, 2014
Source: Energy Manager Today.com

The Department of Energy issued a pre-publication notice of proposed rulemaking regarding energy conservation standards for general service fluorescent lamps and incandescent reflector lamps.  The tube-shaped fluorescent lamps covered by the ruling consume almost five percent of all national electricity consumption, according to a blog posting on the Natural Resources Defense Council.

NRDC applauds the new rules for fluorescent tubes but is less pleased with the rules covering incandescent reflector lamps, the bulbs that go into recessed cans and flood lights.

“Unfortunately DOE was prohibited from setting standards for a large portion of this market due to a funding prohibition caused by a Congressional rider,” according to NRDC.

DOE Challenge Home Tech Training Webinars

Posted: March 10, 2014
Source: U.S. Department of Energy, Building Technology Office

The Building Technology Office is offering a new webinar series on getting homes zero-energy ready. The webinars – sponsored by DOE Challenge Home, a blueprint for these ultra high-performance homes – feature experts who discuss critical home systems, how they simultaneously save energy and improve comfort, and how to get these systems right.

Ducts in Conditioned Spaces
Thursday, March 20, noon – 1:30 p.m. ET

With such high performance homes, it’s impossible to justify huge thermal losses from ducts in unconditioned spaces.  That’s why one of the program’s mandatory specs calls for ducts in conditioned space.  However “ducts in conditioned space” isn’t a one-size-fits-all design requirement in DOE Challenge Home.  Over the last several years, DOE’s Building America research partners have worked out the kinks on a toolkit of duct design strategies.  In this session, Bill Zoeller, Steven Winter Associates, a leading expert on thermal performance of air, will share the pros and cons of these strategies so you can specify effective distribution systems for any type of project.  Register here: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/252839560

Comprehensive Building Science
Wednesday, March 26, noon – 1:30 p.m. ET

DOE Challenge Homes aren’t just really energy efficient – they’re designed and built using solid building science principles.  Version 3 of the ENERGY STAR Certified Homes program, a prerequisite for every Challenge Home, delivers three key systems that improve comfort, indoor air quality, and durability – a complete thermal enclosure system, a complete HVAC system, and a complete water management system. In this webinar, Dean Gamble of EPA will cover the building science basics that underlie these key systems, as well as discuss the top three challenges of each system and how to overcome them.  Register here: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/19446

Battle of the Bulbs

Posted: February 14, 2014
Source: E-The Environmental Magazine
Author: Jennifer Santisi

Compact Fluorescents In The Spotlight With Ban on Incandescents In Effect

As of Jan. 1, 2014, 40- and 60-watt incandescent light bulbs are no longer manufactured in the U.S. as part of efficiency standards signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2007. Previously, the government regulations phased out 70- and 100-watt bulbs over the last few years, but this ban will be much more widely felt since 40- and 60-watt bulbs are more frequently used in homes. So far, the ban has gone fairly unnoticed, since stores still have incandescent bulbs in stock. Once current incandescent stock sells out in stores, consumers will have to choose between more energy-efficient options, including halogen, LED and CFL bulbs.

There has been a lot of debate over CFL bulbs, and many consumers are wary of the higher price tag, efficiency benefits, and presence of mercury. There’s also the issue that the quality of the light with CFLs tends to be brighter, and many consumers experience an increase in headaches with fluorescent lighting (myself included). Fortunately, the technology has come a long way in a short period of time, and CFLs are now sold in a warm tone version, not just the standard bright light. CFLs also turn on a lot faster than they used to, so you don’t necessarily have to stand in a dark room for 20 seconds while the bulb turns on.
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Energy Efficiency Standard for ‘Wall Warts’ (External Power Supplies)

Posted: February 4, 2014
Source: Energy Manager Today.com by Linda Hardesty

Following close on the heels of last week’s finalized energy efficiency standards for metal halide lamp fixtures, the US Energy Department yesterday announced the final rule for new efficiency standards for external power supplies.

The agency says external power supplies, commonly referred to as “wall warts,” are used in hundreds of types of electronics and consumer products, including cell phones, tablets, laptops, video game consoles and power tools, to convert power from a wall outlet into lower voltages. More than 300 million external power supplies are shipped in the United States each year and the average American home has five to ten external power supplies. These numbers are expected to continue growing as consumers and businesses purchase new types of personal electronics.
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