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Overview of the Energy Tag (E-Tag)
Overview of the Energy Tag (E-Tag)
Ben avatar
Written by Ben
Updated over a week ago

Customers considering an upgrade of their HVAC system will often be interested in the energy impact of the system, given that the typical central HVAC unit can account for almost half of the electricity consumption in a typical home. A more efficient system, therefore, will lead to bigger savings on the monthly electricity bill.

Many consumers are also aware of the environmental advantages of reducing their energy use. More efficient HVAC require less energy to operate, thereby reducing the amount of CO2 emissions that may be emitted due to energy production and transmission.

So upgrading to a higher efficiency HVAC system can be a big win-win: dollar savings combined with environmental benefits.

The Energy Tag (E-Tag) is a unique and powerful feature that displays an estimate of both the dollar savings of a new HVAC system, and also the environmental impact of choosing that system.

The E-Tag helps your customers make the best choice for their new residential replacement HVAC, measuring both the impact to their wallet…and to the environment!

Let's look at how it works.

NOTE: The E-Tag will be displayed for Live SEER2 equipment. The E-tag will not show for custom (non-connected) equipment.

Components of the E-Tag

  1. The Savings Potential Label.

  2. The Info Panel provides a clear explanation of how these calculations are made so the customer can understand the savings

  3. The Potential Environmental Savings expressed as the amount of CO2 saved over the average lifetime of the system

  4. The Potential Financial Savings expressed as the dollars saved from electrical bills over the average lifetime of the system.

  5. The Disclaimer, found at the lower section of the page, explains the calculation is based on the average lifetime of a system

Where is the tag displayed?

The E-Tag is displayed on the side-by-side comparison page of a presented proposal:

On the individual proposal option of a presented proposal and accepted proposal :

Can I Hide the E-Tag?

You can hide the E-tag by clicking the switch to "Hide savings potential on presentation."

What System Types will Display the E-tag?

The E-tag will be displayed for all AHRI matched systems under the following system types:

  • Air Conditioner + Air Handler

  • Heat Pump + Air Handler

  • Air Conditioner + Furnace + Coil

  • Stand alone Furnace

How the Savings Potential Works

(The following information is found in the information panel of the E-Tag for users and consumers to view)

Step 1

We calculate the efficiency rating of the matched system. This is based on the rating agency, AHRI, that determines the energy efficiency of a heating and cooling system. These ratings are known as SEER2, EER2, HSPF2, and AFUE.

Step 2

We then use the zip code of the location to determine the average heating and/or cooling hours, and the average cost of energy in the region (either based on electrical or gas depending on the type of system). This will give us the expected dollar cost and CO2 emissions of an HVAC system based on the area.

Step 3

The system then uses the same factors to determine the dollar and CO2 costs of the average system sold 15 years earlier, which we refer to as our baseline.

We use 15 years for this baseline because it’s based on a rough estimate of the lifespan of a typical HVAC system (note: the lifespan of a system can vary based on many factors, including region, usage, maintenance, etc).

And because SEER2 is a new metric introduced in 2023, we adjust the traditional SEER rating of the baseline system to SEER2 based on a conversion factor.

The comparison ratings used as a baseline of the average rating of a system are shown in the example below:

Understanding Environment Savings: CO2 Emissions

(The following information is found in the information panel of the E-Tag for users and consumers to view)

An HVAC system typically consumes a substantial percentage of a home's annual electricity. And that electricity use -- depending on your local utility -- produces CO2 emissions through the burning of fossil fuels. Therefore, by operating a more energy-efficient system, CO2 emissions are reduced.

But what does a Ton of CO2 mean, anyway?

Our calculation shows you the estimated environmental impact measured in tons of CO2 produced over a 15 year period, as compared to a typical replacement system (the baseline) from 15 years ago.

To better understand the Environmental Savings Potential, here are a couple of examples of what 1 Ton of CO2 emissions is equivalent to:

  • 1 Ton of CO2 is emitted by driving a gas-powered car for 2,500 miles (average family car sold in 2019 in the USA)

  • 1 Ton of CO2 is emitted by burning 1,100 pounds of Coal to produce electricity

Assumptions, Estimates, and Averages

Every HVAC system installation is different, as the home's layout, the system's position, the ductwork, and many more factors can influence the actual efficiency of an installation.

Additionally, averages are just that. Energy costs can fluctuate, and weather can change the average cooling and heating hours.

This is why it's important to remember that the E-Tag savings in dollars and CO2 are intended as a guide to help you better understand the impact of choosing one system vs another, but are not a promise or a guarantee of these savings. Actual savings will vary.

Disclaimer

At the bottom of the comparison page, presented proposal, and the accepted proposal you will find the following disclaimer:

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