Energy Star is bogus

[clifp]

I just recently purchased a small fridge and microwave and actually paid attention that nice little Energy Star sticker that tells me how much electricity they consume.

Now the GAO comes along and tells me that after creating 4 bogus companies and 20 bogus products. Including some classic like a gas powered clock radio and this rather clever room air cleaner, that 15 out of 20 product received EnergyStar certification. In some case they product were certified with 30 minutes of being submitted.

I guess we should be happy that folks at the GAO have appear to be doing their job and have a sense of humor. Clearly we need more regulation.

 

[Nords]

I just recently purchased a small fridge and microwave and actually paid attention that nice little Energy Star sticker that tells me how much electricity they consume.

I don't know if the fridge qualifies for your HECO rebate, but I'm pretty sure not even HECO would spring for that air cleaner...

I haven't seen any announcements lately about the Hawaii [-]cash for clunkers[/-] alms for appliances program, but we've been thinking about taking the opportunity to upgrade the tenant's fridge.

 

[youbet]

I have a close friend in N Wis who is having a new home built. He looked into following the Energy Star procedures and requirements so his new home could be certified "Energy Star" but decided against it. While there some good ideas he is (and would have anyway) adopting into the design, the overall requirements didn't meet his common sense test of hassle vs payoff. His architect agreed.

 

[REWahoo]

I haven't seen any announcements lately about the Hawaii [-]cash for clunkers[/-] alms for appliances program, but we've been thinking about taking the opportunity to upgrade the tenant's fridge.

What? I thought you shopped Craigslist for all your appliance needs?

Energy Savers: Hawaii Appliance Rebates

 

[Nords]

What? I thought you shopped Craigslist for all your appliance needs?
Energy Savers: Hawaii Appliance Rebates

Thanks, waiting on "late May"...

We've bought that place's last couple fridges on Craigslist but we'll do whatever works out to be the best deal. I'm hopeful but a bit skeptical that the clunkers program can beat a desperate Craigslist seller. Not much incentive to give the tenants an EnergyStar fridge unless the landlord gets a really really cheap price. The incumbent is 10-12 years old and was bought in 2005 for $175. The fridge "hole" is an awkward size below the cabinets-- only 66"-- so we either have to have the right size fridge or else remove the cabinets and fix the wall.

We refaced the kitchen cabinets and put on new doors in 2004 so that room's not due for an upgrade anytime soon. But the next time we rehab that 30-year-old kitchen (2020? 2030?) we're ripping it to the studs, taking out part of a wall, and starting over.

Our home's Craigslist "Fridgezilla" (GE Profile Arctica 25 cu ft, EnergyStar) is a 2006 model so I doubt we'd get any clunker cash for it.

 

[Nodak]

It's a government program; about all the federal government can do with any efficiency at all is spend our taxes.