Energy saving advice often recommends the most energy efficient appliances, but how do you find them? There are a variety of different energy labels designed to help you choose the most energy efficient model for your needs, but these can often be confusing if you’re not used to reading them. This guide should hopefully clear up this confusion and help you save money! All the products sold by ESW have reached the highest energy efficiency standards, so why not take a look at our range?
The European Energy Label
The European Energy Label shows how efficiently a product uses energy based on a rating scale from A to G. A signifies the most energy efficient model whereas G is the least energy efficient. You can also see how much energy that product uses in an hour (kWh), with the lower the number meaning the lower the energy consumption[1]. You may see higher categories such as A+, A++ and A+++ , which are exceptionally energy efficient and are at least 25% more efficient than class A models, and sometimes even 60% more efficient. The Energy Saving Trust estimate that over the lifetime of an inefficient product you could waste up to £100 in running costs compared to if you bought a more efficient product, even taking into account that the most energy efficient model may not be the cheapest to buy. As a compulsory label, the European Energy Label can be found on:
- Household fridges and freezers.
- Washing machines, tumble dryers and washer-dryers.
- Dishwashers.
- Air conditioners.
- Electric Ovens.
- Lightbulbs.
- Televisions (from December 2011) – voluntary from 20th December 2010 [2].
The number of products bearing the European Energy Label is set to increase in the future, to products such as boilers and vacuum cleaners.
Energy Saving Trust Recommended
The Energy Saving Trust Recommended scheme is voluntary and shows that a product is very energy efficient, and will therefore save you money on your energy bills. Looking out for these products ensures that you are getting the most energy efficient product available, and the range of products covered includes:
- White appliances such as washing machines and fridges.
- Light fittings.
- Boilers and hot water cylinders.
- Insulation.
- Glazing.
- Televisions [3].
European Ecolabel
The European Ecolabel is a voluntary label awarded to products that are generally less harmful to the environment than other similar products, as well as using less energy. The criteria behind it are very strict and only the least harmful products are awarded [4].
TCO label
There are a variety of different TCO labels, all that show how energy efficient IT equipment is and how few harmful chemicals are used. The criteria for the TCO label are that all equipment must:
- Contain fewer materials that can be a risk to the environment and human health.
- Be energy efficient.
- Be easily recyclable.
- Be produced in a way that reduces its impact in the environment.
- Give a spare part guarantee to encourage a longer life for the product.
- Be produced by a manufacturer that actively works to improve workers’ conditions [3].
Energy Star
The EU (European) Energy Star scheme is voluntary and shows that office equipment has reached the energy efficiency standards set, both when being used and in standby mode. It can be found on many office equipment such as:
- Computers.
- Monitors.
- Printers.
- Fax machines [3].
Energy Performance Certificates
All houses that are bought, sold or rented must have an Energy Performance Certificate. These contain:
- Information on a home’s current energy use and carbon dioxide emissions.
- An estimate of how energy efficient a home could be if energy saving measures are put in.
- Suggested ways to reduce energy use and carbon dioxide emissions.
The homes are then rated from A (the most efficient) to G (the least efficient), with the average efficiency being D [3]. The better the rating, then the less your energy bills will be, so try and pick the most efficient.
[1] http://www.energylabels.org.uk/eulabel.html
[4] http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ecolabel/about_ecolabel/what_is_ecolabel_en.htm
