ROSSLYN, Va. - The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) announced that it has launched “Energy Aware,” a new certification and labeling program for high-performance residential programmable thermostats. The program is intended to assist distributors, contractors, installers, and homeowners in choosing programmable thermostats that will best meet individual and family needs to manage and reduce energy usage while maintaining comfortable indoor temperatures.

According to NEMA President and CEO Evan R. Gaddis, proper use of a programmable thermostat’s pre-programmed settings can result in as much as $180 savings in annual energy costs.

“Better temperature control allows for reduced room temperature swings, which results in less energy usage. The NEMA Energy Aware program will label only programmable thermostats whose manufacturers certify they meet high standards for usability, HVAC system control, and temperature accuracy,” Gaddis said.

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 Dec. 31, 2009.

A copy of DC 3, Annex A-2010 may be downloaded for no charge at www.nema.org/stds/dc3annexa.cfm.

NEMA’s Residential and Commercial Controls Section represents U.S. manufacturers of residential programmable thermostats. To learn more about Energy Aware, visit www.getenergyaware.com.

Publication date: 07/05/2010