Understanding Energy Star Products - Energy Efficient Heating & Cooling Systems
Looking for high-efficiency heating and cooling products? Look for the ENERGY STAR symbol.
ENERGY STAR certified products meet strict technical specifications for energy performance — tested and certified. The symbol makes it easy for Albertans to make energy-saving choices that help save money on energy bills.
Cooling
Keep cool and comfortable with a new high-efficiency ENERGY STAR® qualified air conditioner.
- When buying cooling and ventilating equipment, keep in mind the cost of energy to operate a product over its lifetime is just as important as the purchase price.
- For cooling equipment, operating costs are calculated by factoring in how many days during the year you need to cool, the cost of electricity in your area, the cooling capacity of the unit, and the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER).
- An ENERGY STAR certified air conditioner or fan can reduce your electricity bill and reduce your carbon footprint. A few cooling equipment benefits are:
- Indoor comfort during warm weather: Central air conditioning helps keep your home cool and reduces humidity levels.
- Cleaner air: As your central air conditioning system draws air out of various rooms in the house through return air ducts, the air is pulled through an air filter, which removes airborne particles such as dust and lint. Sophisticated filters may remove microscopic pollutants, as well. The filtered air is then routed to air supply ductwork that carries it back to rooms.
- Quieter operation: Because the compressor bearing unit is located outside the home, the indoor noise level from its operation is much lower than that of a free-standing air conditioning unit.
Heating
Keep warm and comfortable with a new high-efficiency ENERGY STAR® qualified furnace.
- An ENERGY STAR certified forced-air furnace, fueled by oil uses 9% less energy on average than a stand model. Furnaces fueled by gas uses 4% less energy. Space heating represents 63% of your home energy use and offers the most potential for cutting your energy bill.
- The efficiency of a furnace can be determined by its AFUE--or Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. The minimum efficiency level for furnaces currently available is 80% AFUE. A rating of "80% AFUE" means that for every dollar you spend heating your home; 80 cents are actually applied to the generation of warmth.
- Compared to many of the 60% AFUE furnaces in older homes, 80% AFUE furnaces are a significant improvement. However, for enhanced energy efficiency, you may wish to consider a 95+% AFUE furnace.
- Get at least 3 separate quotes when buying a furnace and ask your contractor to calculate the heat requirements for your home to make sure your furnace is sized properly.
