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2003 Survey of Household Energy Use (SHEU) – Summary Report

ENERGY STAR^®

The international ENERGY STAR^® symbol is a simple way for consumers to identify products that are among the most energy efficient on the market. Only manufacturers and retailers whose products meet the ENERGY STAR criteria can label their products with this symbol. It is estimated that products displaying the ENERGY STAR symbol can help reduce energy and operating costs by 30 percent to 50 percent.²⁹

In addition to helping save money, high-energyefficiency household appliances and other everyday-use products help protect our environment by reducing GHG emissions that contribute to climate change. Their use also helps lower levels of other pollutants that cause urban smog and acid rain.

Since both SHEU-1993 and SHEU-1997 were performed before the ENERGY STAR Initiative officially entered the Canadian market in 2001, SHEU-2003 was the first Survey of Household Energy Use capable of asking questions about the initiative. However, given that in 2003 the ENERGY STAR Initiative in Canada was less than four years old and only covered certain product categories, not all households were asked if they used ENERGY STAR qualified products. A household was asked only if a particular product it used in 2003 was an ENERGY STAR qualified product, if the product in question was less than four years old and covered by the initiative.

Hence the following analysis represents only the penetration rates of ENERGY STAR qualified products among households that used products less than four years old. This was done in an effort to reveal the penetration rates of ENERGY STAR qualified products since the inception of the initiative.

ENERGY STAR Heating and Air-Conditioning Systems

Among heating and air-conditioning systems, the ENERGY STAR Initiative covered furnaces, central air conditioners and window/room air conditioners in 2003. For each of these three system categories, among households that used a system less than four years old, the majority of households used an ENERGY STAR qualified system (see Chart 54).

These results may underestimate the percentage of households that used ENERGY STAR qualified heating and air-conditioning systems, since a high percentage of households did not know if their systems were ENERGY STAR qualified. This could also reflect that many Canadian households were unaware of the ENERGY STAR Initiative or that the ENERGY STAR Initiative covers these system categories.

ENERGY STAR Major Appliances

The major appliances covered by the ENERGY STAR Initiative in 2003 were refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers and clothes washers. For each of these appliance categories, among households that used an appliance less than four years old, well over 60 percent used an ENERGY STAR qualified appliance (see Chart 55).

As was the case with heating and air-conditioning systems, a high percentage of households did not know if their major appliances that were less than four years old were ENERGY STAR qualified. For example, nearly one out of five households with a main refrigerator less than four years old did not know if it was ENERGY STAR qualified. Therefore, the results may underestimate the percentage of households with ENERGY STAR qualified appliances.

ENERGY STAR Other Appliances

In addition to the previously mentioned energy-consuming products, in 2003 the ENERGY STAR Initiative covered other appliances, such as televisions, VCRs, DVD players and stereos. For each of these product categories, with the exception of stereo systems, among households that used a product less than four years old, approximately 45 percent used an ENERGY STAR qualified product (see Chart 56). Nearly 35 percent of households whose main stereo (system) was less than four years old used an ENERGY STAR qualified stereo (system). For each of these product categories, at least 20 percent of households that used a product less than four years old did not know if it was ENERGY STAR qualified. Once more, these results may underestimate the percentage of households that used ENERGY STAR qualified products in 2003. This could also reflect that many households were unaware of the ENERGY STAR^® Initiative or that the ENERGY STAR Initiative covers these product categories.

ENERGY STAR Appliances – Regional Analysis

For each appliance category covered by the ENERGY STAR Initiative in 2003, with the exception of stereos, British Columbia had the highest proportion of households that used an appliance less than four years old that was an ENERGY STAR qualified appliance (see Chart 57). Quebec had the highest proportion of households that used a stereo less than four years old that was an ENERGY STAR qualified stereo.

Once again, these results only represent the penetration rates of ENERGY STAR qualified products among households that used products less than four years old. This was done in an effort to reveal the penetration rates of ENERGY STAR qualified products since the inception of the ENERGY STAR Initiative. Please refer to the 2003 Survey of Household Energy Use – Detailed Statistical Report to find data on the percentage of all households across Canada that used ENERGY STAR qualified products in 2003.

²⁹ Natural Resources Canada, Look for ENERGY STAR, Ottawa, 2003, p. 3.