Energuide labels
Energy Star Appliances
Part 1: Energy Savings in Homes
Part 2: Energy Savings in Homes
Key Concepts
100
The average energy used by this appliance on this EnerGuide Label
1500 kWh/year
EnerGuide labels are attached to appliances to help consumers make informed purchases. These labels give detailed information about energy requirements for the appliance and how it compares with other similar models
100
True or false: The Energy Star symbol has been introduced to help consumers spot the most energy-efficient appliances. This symbol indicates that the appliance is one of the most efficient appliances out on the market when compared to similar appliances.
True
100
“This inexpensive material can be applied around windows and door jambs to seal small cracks, prevent heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer, and help your heating and cooling systems use less energy.”
Caulking
100
New windows can include several possible improvements. They are usually sealed units with two or more panes of glass to help reduce convection. What do the windows prevent from escaping in the winter?
Heat
In winter, the film helps prevent the infrared heat from the floor and furniture from escaping, keeping the home warmer.
100
This is a label placed on appliances showing average energy used per year and efficiency relative to other similar appliances.
EnerGuide
200
Based on the EnerGuide Label, which product would you purchase if you wanted to buy the most energy-efficient product
Old Fridge - Upfront Cost $0
A new Fridge - $600
A new Fridge - $1000
A new Fridge - $1000
200
You find at the EnerGuide label and notice that the fridge uses about 1,700 kWh of energy per year. A new Energy Star refrigerator of similar size uses only 390 kWh per year.
Which appliance is more energy-efficient?
EnerGuide Label fridge
200
Describe this method of heat transfer: To decrease -------, the panes of glass are covered with a thin coating that decreases the amount of non-visible infrared heat (light) that passes through the window.
Radiation
200
True or False: Putting in new windows is cheap, and everyone can afford it. The money saved is not significant
False
Putting in new windows can be very expensive and not everyone can afford it. The money saved can be significant, however, and the windows eventually pay for themselves.
200
This label is applied to the most efficient appliances.
Energy Star
300
A typical tiered residential rate is about 12¢ per kWh. Based on this information, what is the cost per year for this appliance based on the EnerGuide label?
Energy = 1500 kWh/year
Cost = 1500 × 12¢
= 18000¢ per year
= $180/year
Upfront cost = 0
Total per year = 18000¢
300
Select the correct energy usage based on the fact that these are new Energy Star appliances.
Refrigerator - 420 kWh/year OR 1,420 kWh/year
Dishwasher - 1,150 kWh/year OR 450 kWh/year
Clothes dryer - 850 kWh/year OR 1,200 kWh/year
Clothes Washer - 1,300 kWh/year OR 280 kWh/year
Energy star appliances are more energy efficient because they use less energy, which is better for the environment and would result in more savings in the long run
Energy Star Appliances
Refrigerator - 420 kWh/year
Dishwasher - 450 kWh/year
Clothes dryer - 850 kWh/year
Clothes Washer - 280 kWh/year
300
Describe this method of heat transfer: The multiple panes of glass help reduce ------ of heat through the glass directly. In addition, the window frames are insulated to decrease the amount of -------- through the frame itself.
Conduction
300
What type of heat do new windows block from entering your house in the summer to keep your home cooler?
In the summer, the road, cars, and even the walls of your home get hot from the sun and emit infrared heat that can pass through normal glass and heat up your home. The infrared heat cannot pass through the coating on the new windows and the home stays cooler.
300
R-rating
This is a measure of how well an insulator works—higher numbers indicate a better insulator.
400
A typical tiered residential rate is about 12¢ per kWh. Based on this information, what is the cost per year for this appliance?
Keep in mind that the Upfront cost is $600
New fridge ($600)
Energy = 1100 kWh/year
Cost = 1100 × 12¢
= 13200¢ per year
= $132/year
Upfront cost = 600$ = 60000¢
Total first year =
60000 + 13200 = 73200¢
400
This type of home has a lot of "Energy Star" appliances. These homes:
- Save energy because lights and heat only come on when someone is home.
- You could set up this type of home to reduce ‘phantom power’ by turning off outlets at times when they are not in use.
Smart Home
Some devices still use electricity even when they’re “off”—this is called phantom power (or standby power). A smart home can automatically cut power to outlets at times when devices aren’t being used, preventing wasted energy and lowering your electricity bill.
400
Describe this method of heat transfer: You can decrease ------ by placing caulking around the window. New windows are usually sealed units with two or more panes of glass to help reduce ----- Even the best windows still let a little air through, causing heat transfer through -------.
Convection
400
Fill in the blanks: What can be done to slow the process of conduction through the walls and ceiling of your home? You can make the material of the walls and ceiling ------- (thicker or thinner) by using an ----- material to help reduce ------ loss
Insulation
You need to make the material thicker and use an insulating material rather than a conductor. The walls in homes are too expensive to make thicker, so an insulating material is placed within the walls and in the attic to help reduce heat loss.
400
Paying for the electricity at the actual rather than the average rate, to reduce energy consumption during peak times is called ------- pricing
Variable Pricing
500
Which appliance would be cheaper in the long run (i.e., 10 years) if a typical tiered residential rate is about 12¢ per kWh?
The current (old) fridge —Upfront fee: $0
A new fridge—Upfront fee: $1000
Answer: A new fridge would be about $300 cheaper after 10 years compared with an old fridge
Old fridge
Energy = 1500 kWh/year
Cost = 1500 × 12¢
=18000¢ per year
=$180/year
$180/year × 10 = $1800 in 10 years
New fridge
Energy = 420 kWh/year
Cost = 420 × 12¢
= 5040¢ per year
= $50.40/year
$50.40/year x 10 =$504 + Upfront fee = $1504 in 10 years
Consider that in the long run the new fridge will actually be cheaper. Very old appliances often break down again in a few years, even if the repairs are done correctly.
The energy saved by buying the new refrigerator will save the person more every year. This can add up quickly and more than make up for the cost of the new appliance.
500
Government initiatives encourage people to save energy by getting a:
1. --------- -------- which tracks when electricity is used and charges higher rates during peak times and lower rates at off-peak times. This encourages people to shift energy use, reducing demand, lowering costs, and saving non-renewable resources
2. A home energy --------- shows where a house is inefficient and provides suggestions for improvements that can save money and energy.
Government programs in Ontario offer tax rebates to encourage homeowners to follow these recommendations
1. Smart meters
2. A home energy audit
500
Describe the mechanism of heat transfer for each description
1. Heat can pass right through materials. Some materials such as metals allow heat to pass through via ----------
2. A loss of heat due to the movement of air through or around a window is called ----------
3. Heat is transferred through light. Objects can become quite hot when placed in full sunlight as a result of --------
1. Conduction
Other materials are poor conductors of heat and are called insulators. Newer windows are usually made from less conductive material to prevent heat transfer.
2. Convection
You can decrease convection by placing caulking around the window.
3. Radiation
objects can become quite hot when placed in full sunlight. They get hot because the light radiation has provided them with additional energy, raising their temperature.
500
The ------ VALUE will help homeowners and the trades decide on the appropriate amount of insulation.
The higher the -----value, the more resistant the insulation is to heat transfer, which can result in less heat being lost from your home.
This value can be increased by increasing the ------- of insulating material in your house
R value; Increasing thickness of insulating material
R-2000 homes take advantage of many new innovations and ideas to build the most efficient and environmentally friendly homes on the market today
An R-2000 home is built with high-performance windows and doors. They have far more insulation than the minimum requirements. The placement of the windows and the orientation of the residence allow sunlight to come into the home in the winter so less heating is required.
Shading provided by roof overhangs minimizes the sunlight that passes directly into the home in the summer, keeping the home cooler.
R-2000 homes come only with Energy Star appliances for additional energy savings. They are built with recycled material as much as possible. The chemicals used inside the home during construction are the safest available.
500
An inspection of the home for the purpose of producing a report of energy deficiencies and the changes required to correct them.
Home Energy Audit