A new certification and labeling program for high performance programmable thermostats for residential use
The Energy Aware certification and labeling program targets high-performance programmable thermostats found in homes. Devised by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, the program aims to assist distributors, contractors, installers, and homeowners in choosing programmable thermostats that can best help reduce energy usage while maintaining comfortable indoor temperatures. The reason: A properly used programmable thermostat can result in as much as $180 savings in annual energy costs, says NEMA.
Participating companies must certify that their products meet applicable energy-efficiency standards as published in NEMA DC 3, Annex A-2010 Energy-Efficiency Requirements for Programmable Thermostats. These requirements exceed Energy Star requirements that were eliminated for products manufactured after December 31, 2009.
NEMA DC 3-2008 Residential Controls—Electrical Wall-Mounted Room Thermostats covers self-contained, electrical and electronic, wall-mounted room thermostats. For more information, visit www.nema.org/stds/dc3.cfm.
