FAQs

ENERGY STAR® symbol is the internationally recognized and trusted mark of high efficiency. The symbol means that a product, new home, building or industrial facility is certified as energy efficient. The familiar symbol makes it easy to identify the best energy performers on the market.

ENERGY STAR Canada is a voluntary partnership between the Government of Canada and organizations in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors to promote energy efficiency.

ENERGY STAR makes it easy for Canadian to make energy efficient choices that help them save money on energy bills, increase their competitiveness, and fight climate change.

ENERGY STAR certified products meet strict technical specifications for energy performance—tested and certified.

They save energy without compromising performance in any way. Typically, an ENERGY STAR certified product is in the top 15 to 30 percent of its class for energy performance. Saving energy saves you money and reduces your impact on the environment.

Your system has been designed to meet the heating and cooling requirements of your home based on your local weather. Each home is different, so calculations are performed to ensure that the unit size is the optimum selection. These calculations are based on square footage, insulation, windows, doors, infiltration, outdoor weather extremes, and many other factors. If the unit were undersized and unable to meet the heating requirements on a very cold day, you would notice a drop in indoor temperature. In addition, the unit would consume more energy than is necessary. If the unit were undersized and unable to meet the cooling requirements on a very hot day, you would notice that the indoor temperature may not ever reach the setpoint on the thermostat. Conversely, units that are oversized with too much capacity may result in short cycle times which may adversely affect comfort in both heating and cooling. Oversized units would also result in poor dehumidification during cooling.

Heating systems are measured by BTU capacity per hour. Cooling systems are measured by “tons” (which is also BTU capacity). One BTU is the amount of energy required to raise 1 lb. of water 1 degree F — it’s roughly equivalent to the amount of heat given off by a wooden kitchen match burned end to end. In air conditioning terms, a “ton” is 12,000 BTUs/hr.