DIRECTORY OF DATA SOURCES FOR PURCHASING OFFICIALS: The Directory of Data Sources, prepared by the Energy Efficient Procurement Collaborative, is a guide to databases that offer comparative information on a wide range of energy-using products. Though not all of the listed databases publish verified data on products, many do, and those that do are clearly marked. The directory allows the reader to locate all the databases that offer comparative performance data on a specific type of product.
Databases are listed for products by category: commercial appliances, electrical equipment, lighting, office equipment, residential appliances and space conditioning equipment. Each listing includes a brief description of the data source's scope, how it can be accessed, its format (paper, diskette, CD-Rom, or on-line), and what type of testing and certification is performed (for example: in-house testing, independent testing, trade association testing, etc.).
Some of the databases and guides listed are available free-of-charge or at a nominal fee. The Directory of Data Sources itself is free.
To obtain a copy, contact: Priscilla Richards, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), Two Empire State Plaza, Suite 1901, Albany, NY 12223-1253; (518) 465-6251, ext. 312; fax: (518) 473-3721; e-mail: pjr@nyserda.org.
THE MOST ENERGY-EFFICIENT APPLIANCES (ACEEE): The American Council for an Energy-Efficiency Economy (ACEEE) has sorted through verified data from a collection of industry association product directories and non-verified data from a handful of independent manufacturers to create a 32-page booklet listing the top 3-5 percent of energy-efficient equipment on the U.S. market. This booklet lists products by manufacturer and model number from the most to least efficient. ACEEE ranks only products for which the Department of Energy has standardized procedures for measuring efficiency ratings. These include refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, clothes washers, water heaters (gas, electric, and heat pump), room and central air conditioners, central heat pumps, gas and oil furnaces, oil boilers (hot water and steam) and gas boilers (hot water and steam).
ACEEE's 1995 edition of The Most Energy-Efficient Appliances costs $3 (less for multiple copies).
For more information or to order copies, contact: ACEEE, 1001 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 801, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 429-8873 or (510) 549-9914 E-mail: ace3-info% ace3-hq@ccmail.pnl.gov Web home page: http://solstice.crest. org/aceee
ENERGUIDE DIRECTORY: EnerGuide is a Canadian government labeling program which produces a comprehensive directory that ranks products in order from most efficient to least efficient according to their monthly and yearly energy consumption. Because many products sold in Canada are also marketed in the United States, and because an equivalent guide is not available in the United States, the directory is a useful tool for U.S. government purchasing officials interested in verifying and comparing efficiencies. Products are ranked by category and class.
The products listed cover every range, refrigerator, freezer, dishwasher, clothes washer and clothes dryer sold in Canada. The directory also provides readers with a formula to determine what an appliance's energy cost will be over its lifetime. The performance and energy efficiency of all products are certified by a laboratory accredited by the Standards Council of Canada.
For more information or to obtain a free copy of the EnerGuide Directory, contact: Natural Resources Canada, Energy Sector, 580 Booth Street, 18th Floor, Ottawa, Canada, K1A OE4 (613) 992-3900
BALLASTMASTER AND MOTORMASTER: Are you looking for a way to quickly sort through all the ballasts or motors on the market to find the most energy-efficient items that meet a specified criteria? The BallastMaster and MotorMaster software packages created at the Washington State Energy Office can help.
BallastMaster helps users identify ballasts with the highest efficiency, efficacy, and power quality characteristics for specified lamp and voltage conditions. The user simply enters the required specifications, and within seconds the program lists all the ballasts that qualify in order from least to greatest energy demand or in order from highest to lowest ballast-efficacy factor (a measure of light output per unit of electric energy consumed). The program sorts from a database of nearly all commercially available lamp/ballast combinations (over 6,000 total). The program can also be customized to highlight all ballasts above or below a specified ballast-factor, efficacy-factor, power factor, or total harmonic distortion. List price and warranty information are given for each product in the database.
In addition to its sort capabilities, BallastMaster can analyze the energy and cost savings that would accrue from using the selected ballast instead of a "standard" one.
Performance data are collected from independent testing laboratory reports or directly from manufacturers. BallastMaster makes it clear which data were verified and which were not. The data is updated every six months.
MoterMaster works in a similar way to rank motors from highest to lowest full-load efficiency for a specified size, speed, voltage, and enclosure classification. Unfortunately, the motor database is based entirely on non-verified information supplied directly from the manufacturer.
Purchasing agents can either buy the software or request a specified sort or analysis over the phone from the Washington State Energy Office's Energy Ideas Clearinghouse (360-956-2237). Both software packages are DOS-based and are available on diskettes. Each program will be available in March, 1996. BallastMaster is expected to cost $150 while MotorMaster will be free to partners in the U.S. Department of Energy's Motor Challenge or at a cost of $75 for non-participants.
For more information, contact the Washington State Energy Ideas Clearinghouse at the above phone number or via Internet at eicbbs.wseo.wa.gov.