Hitachi showed off their New Plasma HDTVs at the CEDIA Expo in Denver last week.

The new ENERGY STAR compliant plasma televisions from Hitachi are available in two screen sizes (42-inch and 50-inch).  GetWithGreen.com compared the operating power levels of the Hitachi 50-inch plasma to the models we discussed with you late last year.   The 50-inch models (P50A202 and P50A402) both rank right in the middle of the pack with the other ENERGY STAR plasma televisions.  

The A, S, V and X Series are available now. The Hitachi 2008 Plasma Display Panels are priced as follows. In all instances below, pricing indicated is the Manufacturer’s Advertised Price (MAP): 

• 42-inch A-Series (model P42A202): $1,399
  (Avg Power: 249W, Max Power: 386W)
• 50-inch A-Series (models P50A202/P50A402): $1,599 each
  (Avg Power: 288W, Max Power: 480W)
• 50-inch S-Series (model P50S602): $2,199
  (Avg Power: 388W, Max Power: 571W)
• 50-inch V-Series (model P50V702): $2,499
  Avg Power: 398W, Max Power: 586)
• 50-inch X-Series (model P50X902): $3,199
  Avg Power: 398, Max Power: 586W)

GetWithGreen.com commends Hitachi for making it easy for buyers to find plasma power consumption numbers in the Hitachi manuals.

The new Hitachi HDTVs feature high gloss Japan black and high gloss crystal frames with manual swivel stands or remote controlled power swivel stands. The new UltraBlack Panels boxed cell structure produces darker blacks and the new proprietary phosphor formulations deliver industry leading deep, rich colors say Hitachi.

The new PictureMaster(TM) VI digital video processor features the second generation of Hitachi’s Reel60(TM) technology, a patented innovation that, according to the manufacturer, eliminates “judder” for the ultimate in smooth, clear motion. The new HDTVs also debut a new feature for film enthusiasts called Cinema48(TM). Working with 24p HDMI inputs, Cinema48 provides viewers with the same visual timing and feeling that they experience in movie theaters.

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Quick update on the Panasonic ceiling fan that we purchased a few weeks ago for our GetWithGreen remodel.

If you recall, we purchased the most efficient fan from ENERGY STAR list – the Panasonic WhisperGreen FV-08VKS1.  The fan was installed this week. 

You can adjust the CFM between 30-70 (easily).  What is amazing about this ventilation fan is that it is SILENT when running.  You cannot hear it at all!  We guarantee that your kids will forget to turn it off!   To counter this, we are going to install a motion sensor switch.  

If we had to purchase again we might consider the FV-08VKM1 with the built in motion sensor.   The FV-08VKM1 can be configured to to turn off anywhere between 30s-60min after motion is no longer detected.    

We purchased the Panasonic fan at Galaxy Lighting in San Jose, CA.  It cost us about $160 (tax included).  Definitely on the high-end, but then again you can tell this fan is quality.  Further, we were done with the loud inefficient cheaper fans out there.  )Btw, Kris at Galaxy Lighting is incredibly helpful, if you happen to visit them.)

Prior to our purchase we spoke directly with the Panasonic’s Public Relations Supervisor about the fan.  MeeJin Annan-Brady, got back to us within 30 minutes, and helped answer some questions before GetWithGreen made the plunge. 

We are completely satisfied with this ceiling fan purchase!  Two Green Thumbs up!

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Energy Star Sales Tax Holiday
Memorial Day Weekend
May 24 ? 26, 2008

During Memorial Day weekend, Texas shoppers get a break from state and local sales and use taxes on purchases of certain energy efficient products. The 2008 Energy Star sales tax holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, May 24, and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, May 26 (Memorial Day).

The products qualifying for the exemption are:

• air conditioners priced under $6,000 (room and central units)
• clothes washers (but not clothes dryers*)
• ceiling fans
• dehumidifiers
• dishwashers
• light bulbs (incandescent and fluorescent)
• programmable thermostats
• refrigerators priced under $2,000.
  *  Because most dryers use similar amounts of energy, Energy Star does not label clothes dryers.

Qualifying products will display the Energy Star logo, which may appear on the appliance, the packaging or the Energy Guide label. Energy Star is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. Earning the Energy Star means a product meets strict energy efficiency guidelines set by these two federal agencies.

There is no limit on the number of qualifying items one can purchase during this sales tax holiday, and an exemption certificate is not required.  For more information click here.

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At GetWithGreen.com we appreciate good solid investigative efforts, which brings real insight to all of homeowners who are remodeling.  Justin Thomas over at MetaEfficient.com just completed some serious investgation on 2008 washing machines, and it is excellent. 

MetaEfficient’s article digs deep into the ENERGY STAR website (saving you valuable time!), and exposes the most efficient machines by manufacturer.    If you are in the market for a new washing machine this is a must read!  

Check out:  The Most Efficient Washing Machines of 2008.

Related Stories on GetWithGreen.com

• The New Kenmore Elite Oasis
• Sub-Zero Launches GrowAGreenKitchen.com
• Who took J.D. Powers top award?

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ENERGY STAR® Shows Simplicity of Home Energy Efficiency in New Video Podcast.  This short podcast goes room by room and offers you easy tips to incorporate in your home today, and your remodel!  You can watch it online, or on your iPod.

NEW YORK, NY–(Marketwire – February 19, 2008) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR program today released its first ever video podcast, At Home with ENERGY STAR. The video podcast is hosted by Tom Kraeutler, the voice of the nationally syndicated radio program The Money Pit and the Home Improvement Editor for AOL. Kraeutler takes viewers on a room-by-room tour, pointing out areas for energy-efficient improvements. The podcast also brings to life ENERGY STAR’s interactive tool, ENERGY STAR @ home (http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.es_at_home), which offers energy saving tips for every room of the house.

GetWithGreen.com found the podcast under the Products section of the Energy Star site.

“This podcast is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to make green improvements to their home while saving money,” said Kraeutler. “Homeowners can use it as a step-by-step guide to improving their home’s energy efficiency. The tips we discuss are incredibly simple yet make a great impact on energy bills and the environment.”

Filmed at a home in Seattle, Washington, At Home with ENERGY STAR gives real life examples of easy tips that homeowners can use to help save energy. For example, if every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR-qualified compact fluorescent light, we would save enough energy to light more than three million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.

“Most Americans do not realize that the average home produces twice as much greenhouse gas as the average car,” said Denise Durrett, communications manager for ENERGY STAR. “By making a few small changes at home Americans can join the fight against global warming and make a real difference.”

Tips offered in the video podcast include how replacing an older refrigerator can cut energy bills in half, installing a programmable thermostat, ensuring a home has adequate insulation and unplugging cell phone chargers when not in use.

The video podcast is available for viewing on the ENERGY STAR Web site. The podcast is also available on iTunes, the AOL Real Estate Web site at www.realestate.aol.com and The Money Pit Web site at www.moneypit.com.

Make sure you look into the GetWithGreen.com categories to your right for appliances, insulation, and ceiling fan products that go a long ways toward improving efficiency in your home! 

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Because you are putting them in your new kitchens, GetWithGreen.com reported to you months ago that the ENERGY STAR team was working on new energy usage requirements for TVs that are powered “ON”. 

As you may know if you read our review of 50″ plasmas, the ONLY thing ENERGY STAR offers today for is a review of the power TVs use when they are turned “OFF”. 

Today, ENERGY STAR announced that on November 1, 2008 TVs will be required to use 30% less power in the ON mode – if they want to claim Energy Star compliance!  The requirement for televisions over 50 inches would be 318 Watts when turned ON.  In our recent review you will see that today’s ENERGY STAR televisions do not meet the standards, so we are in for some improvements!!

Here is what ENERGY STAR had to say:

(Washington, D.C. – Feb. 5, 2008) Today EPA is announcing a revised Energy Star specification for televisions. Effective Nov. 1, 2008, TVs that carry the Energy Star label will be up to 30 percent more efficient than conventional models and will save energy while they are on and when they are off. The new modifications are expected to prevent greenhouse gas emissions while offering U.S. consumers the very best in terms of feature-rich, high-quality TVs.

“Energy Star’s new specifications for televisions are turning the channel on energy guzzling sets ? making them go the way of rabbit-ears and the black and white TV,” said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson.

After the new specification goes into effect, if all TVs sold in the United States meet the Energy Star requirements, the savings in energy costs will grow to about $1 billion annually and greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by the equivalent of about 1 million cars.

According to recent market research, North American shipments of TVs will top 36 million units in 2008. These TVs will typically be larger, in use more hours a day, and offer more vibrant pictures and other great features than their predecessors. However, these enhancements can come with a hefty energy price tag.

TVs first earned the Energy Star label in 1998 and ever since, TV manufacturers and EPA have worked together on efficiency improvements. The United States now has more than 275 million TVs in use; they consume over 50 billion kWh per year.

Energy Star was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the Energy Star label can be found on more than 50 different kinds of products as well as new homes and buildings. Products that have earned the Energy Star designation prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the U.S. government. In 2006 alone, Energy Star helped Americans save about $14 billion on their energy bills while doing their part to protect our environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 25 million vehicles.

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At GetWithGreen.com we want to start helping to demystify the terminology around windows.   If you are looking at new windows for your remodel then it is important for you to understand how to read the spec sheets when it comes to efficiency.  Window installer John Rocco gives you this overview…

With so many homeowners in the market for more energy efficient windows and doors for their home, I thought I would use this week?s article to cover the more common terms used to describe a window?s ability to insulate your home from the elements. There is an organization called The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC). Their purpose is to test each window manufacturer?s product to independently verify the ratings for each test administered. So, let?s discuss each test and what it means.

First, there is the U-Factor. This number represents the rate that heat escapes through the window. Therefore, the lower the U-Factor, the better the window. Most vinyl replacement windows with standard, dual pane glass, have a U-Factor around .5. When you add LowE glass in place of the standard clear glass, the U-Factor comes down below .4. By replacing the air between the panes of glass with Argon or Krypton gas, the U-Factor can be reduced to around .3. The Government?s energy star program requires a window to have a U-Factor below a certain number in order to be energy star rated. You need to find out what that rating is in your particular area of the country. You can start by going to the energy star website. In areas of the country where rebates are given for installing energy star rated products in your home, you will only receive the rebate by proving that your windows have a U-Factor less than the maximum allowed. That proof comes from the manufacturer?s NFRC label affixed to each window.

Another test is called Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC). The SHGC measures a window?s rate of heat penetration from outside. The lower the number, the better resistance there is to heat getting into the house from outside. There are also air and water infiltration tests. The air test actually tests how much air is able to pass through the window from outside to inside. Therefore, you want a low number. Typically, a .30 is the maximum allowable rate of air infiltration. Water infiltration tests the amount of water and pressure the window is able to resist. Therefore, the higher rating is better for this test. Frankly, i wish they would just rate all tests on a 1 to 10 scale, with 10 being best. Then, you wouldn?t get confused trying to remember which tests should have high numbers and which ones should have low numbers. You can get more information on window testing by going to the NFRC Website.

John Rocco has been installing replacement windows since 1978. 

To learn more, visit How To Install Windows

Related Articles on GetWithGreen:

- Pella discusses why they think they are eco-friendly
- Pella drastically reduces waste to landfills
- Are Energy Star Windows right for your remodel?
- JD Powers rates top windows

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In the category of home audio and video, the team at ZVOX Audo has just made their first contribution to Energy Star compliant products. 

The new ZVOX 415 single-cabinet home theater system is the company?s first Energy Star Qualified product, which uses a highly-efficient (over 88% efficiency) Energy Star Qualified external power supply.

The ZVOX 415 is a true single-cabinet surround sound system. Unlike many similar systems and ?soundbars,? the 415 doesn?t require anything else ? no control console, no separate subwoofer cabinet, no other speakers, no speaker wires. Because it?s all in one slim cabinet, the 415 is visually a perfect match for flat-panel TVs. With only one connecting cord and a one-page owner?s manual, it is truly ?plug and play.?

The 415 is only 30.5? wide by 5? deep by 5.5? high. With optional bracket, you can mount it on the wall below your TV. Or it will easily fit on a shelf above or below your TV. Everything is inside this compact cabinet ? speakers, amplifier, virtual surround circuitry and powered subwoofer.

?We are proud to have taken a first step towards creating a series of more energy efficient products,? says ZVOX founder Tom Hannaher. ?We hope to introduce more Energy Star Qualified systems in 2008 and beyond.?
 
Suggested retail selling price of the ZVOX 415 is $499.99.

About ZVOX Audio
ZVOX Audio is a collaboration of long-time industry veterans Tom Hannaher and Winslow Burhoe. The company focuses on products that combine high quality sound, compact size, simplicity of operation and affordability. www.zvoxaudio.com

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