Consume green - Energy-efficient products

This publication from the European Commission (2008) covers projects funded by the Intelligent Energy-Europe programme within the Energy Efficiency sector. It indicates that about 17 % of energy used in European households went on lighting, cooking and other electrical appliances. Considerable effort has gone into reducing energy consumption by appliances, but changes in lifestyle have offset a large part of this. The IEE programme supports action aimed at overcoming nontechnological market barriers for energy efficient products and aims to enforce the application and enhance the awareness of EU labels and minimum energy efficiency standards, as well as suggesting life cycle approaches so that products are designed, manufactured, purchased, installed, used and disposed of in the most energy-intelligent way.

Summary

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This publication covers projects relating to the use of  energy-efficient products. Most of the projects address more than one of the key priorities, with a focus on ‘Technology procurement, buyer initiatives and other approaches for accelerating the transformation of the market’. Other projects cover  ‘Enforcing the application and enhancing the awareness of EU labels and minimum energy efficiency standards’ or focus on ‘Monitoring market transformation and preparing the ground for new policy initiatives’.

Covering a wide range of products, technologies and markets they should help prepare the ground for individual energy efficient products in markets such as residential lighting, office and street lighting, IT servers, boilers, air conditioners, motor systems, pumps, circulators, elevators, escalators, distribution transformers and construction products. In addition broader awareness raising projects are aimed at promoting successful programmes in the new Member States, the production of a webpage on energy-efficient residential appliances; energy-efficient public procurement; residential and tertiary databases as well as a European Smart Metering Alliance for the residential sector.

Results from this programme include  GreenLight award; a quality charter for energy saving lamps; the signing up of new Motor Challenge and GreenLight partners and endorsers; the certification of boiler installations; the setting of benchmarks for IT servers; the development of voluntary agreements for distribution transformers; voluntary labels for construction products and draft standards for street lighting; and the Eco n’Home website, which can be used for adding up kWh and CO₂ emission savings following home audits.

Related Information on the Regions 202020 Website:

• Sustainable Energy Theme(s): Energy Efficient Products

Last updated: 05/03/2012 6:01pm - Contact: Katy HALL -