According to the U.S. Department of Energy, water heating accounts to up to 17% of national residential energy usage. It is the third largest energy end use in homes after cooling units and heating. As homeowners add more hot water volume to their homes, such as for custom showers or luxury tubs, the energy required to heat it will rise.
DOE has created ENERGY STAR criteria (for water heaters) to reduce energy consumption. It is the only major residential appliance that DOE has not addressed. DOE projections predict that Americans will be able to save around $780 millions in utility costs and avoid 4.2 Million tons of carbon dioxide by the fifth anniversary of the program.
Energy Star labeling will be available for five categories of residential water heaters: high-performance gas storage; whole-home gas tankless; advanced drop-in heat pumps, integrated heat pumps, solar, and gas condensing. In 2009, the Energy Star criteria will be in effect.
“The Energy Star program empowers consumers to make smart energy choices that will save money and energy, and reduce our carbon footprint,”Andy Krassner (DOE Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy), said the statement. “Expansion of the Energy Star program to include water heaters will give Americans yet another way to more efficiently use energy in their homes and, in the interest of increasing energy security and addressing climate change, help further the President’s goal of fundamentally changing the way this nation uses power.”
DOE hopes to leverage the proven value of the Energy Star program and encourage manufacturers to develop more efficient technologies. This will allow consumers to recognize that Energy Star water heaters are comparable or better than other models, while saving money and using less energy. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released an April 2008 report that showed the Energy Star label positively influenced more than 70% of households, up from 50% in 2003.
Energy Star has more than 9,000 partners who share a common goal to improve the energy efficiency of homes, businesses and products. More than 40 types of consumer goods now have the Energy Star label. A.O. Smith, an industry leader for more 70 years has designed a full range of Energy Star water heaters to provide hot-water for households, while also preserving the environment and budgets.
