Energy Star is a cooperative program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy which has the express objective of reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas production. Energy Star is a voluntary program that encourages manufacturers to develop standards and programs to help Americans save energy by using more efficient appliances, heating and cooling systems, and business equipment.

The Energy Star program was first introduced in 1992 by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and began as a labeling program. Manufacturers of more energy-efficient models of appliances and office equipment were given incentives to manufacture specific products to Energy Star standards, and then use the Energy Star labeling to identify those products.

The first products that started using the Energy Star labeling system in 1992 were computers and computer monitors. It was a well known fact that these products, both for business and home use, were usually left running – often 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and were therefore major consumers of electricity. Computer manufacturers were encouraged to develop systems that use less electricity and generate less heat when running. Software programs were also incorporated that shut down certain energy consuming functions of computers when they were not being used.

In 1995 the Energy Star labeling system was applied to a broader range of office equipment as well as to residential heating and cooling equipment. Furnaces and air conditioners were designed to use as much as 30% less energy than similar capacity non-Energy Star systems.

In 1996 the EPA and US Department of Energy cooperated to designate specific categories of products, and to develop standards for each of them. With the full implementation of the Energy Star program special labels can now be found on most major appliances, lighting systems, home electronics, heating and cooling systems and office equipment of all kinds.

Today Energy Star is partnered with more than 15,000 private and public sector organizations and provides technical and research information that these organizations can use to help develop new products and programs. It also conducts educational programs to make consumers aware of the savings with Energy Star products. According to Energy Star programs resulted in a savings of about $19 billion to consumers and businesses in 2008.

A major initiative of the program has been to apply the label to new homes, office and commercial buildings, and industrial complexes – because there are very significant savings to be had in these areas. To earn the ENERGY STAR designation, a home must meet strict guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. EPA.

The requirements for new homes include such things as effective insulation in floors, walls and attics, as well as high performance windows that keep heat in during the winter andout during the summer. New homes must also be tightly sealed so that cracks and holes in walls, around doors and windows, ducts and pipes don’t allow heat to escape.

Heating and cooling systems must also meet more rigorous energy-efficiency levels than in a normal non-Energy Star home. More efficient heating and cooling systems when combined with well insulated and sealed homes results in a significant reduction in a home’s energy requirements. Indoor humidity is also reduced and comfort increased by more energy-efficient heating and cooling systems.

Many Energy Star approved homes are also equipped with high efficiency lighting, ventilation fans, and Energy Star appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers, ovens, washing machines and clothes dryers.

Energy Star homes are at least 15% more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC), and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20-30% more efficient than standard homes.

When considering the advantages of upgrading to Energy Star heating or cooling systems in your home or business it is always best to consult with an expert. For Canton or Alpharetta Heating Repair or Cumming Air Conditioning see Comfort Zone Heating and Air in the Atlanta area.

Did you know that you can go to a rarely visited golf destination that will not only introduce you to a fantastic little piece of the world, but allow you to golf in the middle of the night?  This small island of approximately 39,768.5 square miles offers 65 golf courses that range from small nine hole executive courses to eighteen hole courses that have challenged some of the world’s greatest golfers hosting many European and Nordic Tournaments. Where is this unique golf adventure found? Glad you asked, we’re speaking of Iceland golf courses.

When golfing in Iceland you will find many of the same types of conditions that are found on other islands which lie much farther south.  There are lava fields and mountains, lakes and ocean panoramas for feasting the eyes as well as challenging your game.  Many courses also offer difficult hazards and incorporate the landscape of the island into their course by using them as tee sites.  There are a few courses that can be considered forest courses, but these are few, because trees are only found in certain areas of the island and even then, there are very few.  It’s the lava fields and the heather that will get you more than the trees on these courses.

Participate in a Iceland golf tournament and you might be treated to a new experience known as midnight golf.  This is possible since the island is so far north that during the summer you have daylight for almost twenty-four hours. This may sound strange, since you’d think going that far north would be terribly cold and miserable. But Iceland is found in the middle of the warm North Atlantic Current which actually brings temperatures similar to the Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Islands.  This means approximately sixty to eighty degree weather for the majority of the summer season lasting from May through September. Perfect weather for golfing.

Fun things you may see while golfing in Iceland could be gorgeous lakes, beautiful mountains and even moores.  As mentioned before, lava and heather add to the beauty of the landscape.  The lava comes from the fact that Iceland is found in an active volcanic zone of the Mid Atlantic Ridge.

Golf Iceland and you will experience a plethora of course choices and landscapes that will leave a lasting impression for years to come.

Pioneer AVH-P3100DVD 5.8-Inch In-Dash Double-DIN DVD Multimedia AV Receiver with Widescreen Display

The great AVH-P3100DVD is a perfect video product!

AVH-P3100DVD is a 5.8-inch In-Dash Touchscreen Double-Din DVD Multimedia A/V Receiver

DVD/CD receiver with internal amp (14 watts RMS CEA-2006/50 peak x 4 channels) * 5.8″ touchscreen * plays MP3/WMA/AAC files recorded on CD and DVD * compatible with Pioneer iPod adapter, Bluetooth adapter, satellite radio, HD Radio tuner, and CD changer *

The touch screen works well, the sound is nice, as is the option to use your own photos as the screen background, There are lots of color combinations built in to help match your dash lights coloring if you wish, and the top slot means no opening and closing the unit to insert and remove disks.

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