Energy Star Takes On the Heat

Devastating summer heat waves are becoming the norm rather than the exception, it seems, and people who live in the southern states particularly suffered in the heat last summer. Low-income residents tend to suffer the most, of course, because they are often unable to afford air conditioners or can't pay for high summertime cooling costs. But the Department of Energy (DOE) has come to the rescue. In August, DOE Secretary Bill Richardson announced that the government would carry out a cooperative emergency program with A/C manufacturers and the network of state and local weatherization agencies to immediately provide help, especially to families with vulnerable members such as children and the elderly. The manufacturers offered Energy Star A/C units at discount prices to weatherization agencies in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. The project was facilitated with an emergency release of money from Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The eight states shared $35 million in LIHEAP funds. DOE funds, in turn, were used for installation of the units. At press time, Whirlpool had agreed to provide 19,500 A/C units; Sears, 16,000; Carrier, 12,000; and Friedrich, 1,750.

A key component of the effort is to get the units shipped and installed very quickly. For example, according to Delia Perez, client services manager of Bexar County Housing and Human Services, the A/C units arrived in Texas while the heat wave was still occurring but the heat had somewhat tapered off. "We are focusing on housing complexes for the elderly and are currently taking applications from residents to determine eligibility," Perez stated. "We are getting started on the installations now--while the thermometer is up to 98° every day. We hope to install 450 within the week."

--Colleen Turrell

Colleen Turrell is an associate editor of Home Energy.

For more information: Alabama Willie Whitehead Tel:(334)242-5365 Mississippi Tina Ruffin Tel:(601)359-4768 Arkansas Troy Branscum Tel:(501)682-8722 South Carolina Paul Younger Tel:(803)734-9861 Georgia Cherry Ivy Tel:(404)656-5176 Tennessee Steve Neece Tel:(615)313-4765 Louisiana Brenda Grogan Tel:(225)342-5278 Texas Peggy Colvin Tel:(512)475-3864 For an up-to-date listing of the most energy-efficient air conditioners, contact the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy; 1001 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 801, Washington DC 20036; Web site: http://aceee.org/consumerguide.

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