Energy Star

Energy Star is a program develop by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at USA, since 1992. Together with Department of Energy (DOE), this programme use as a method, to identify and promote energy saving products, applied worldwide. As a result, the  program managed to save $ 18 billion in 2010. During the last decade, Energy Star has been the driving force of technological innovation widespread.

At 1992, EPA introduced Energy Star as a voluntary labeling program. Computers and monitors are the first Energy Star labeled product. At 1995, EPA extends the label for office equipment products, Home heating furnaces, and cooling devices. Now, Energy Star labeled on most of the household, office equipment, lighting, electronic devices, and many more.

Energy Star purpose for help save money and  preserve the environment through the energy saving products. Specifically to reduce greenhouse emission and other pollutants caused by the inefficient use of energy. Another side is to help the consumers easily identify and get an energy saving product without reducing its, features, and amenities.

At the beginning, US government together with producer promoting and spreading the scope of this program, not just for heavy-duty equipment, but also for home electronic devices. With over then 20 thousand partnership, Energy Star can provide technical information to consumers. Huge improvement on energy saving-technology continued through this program, such as  LCD, CFL, energy management system for the office, and new features for less energy consumption. Research and Development continues searching and develop for the product with  the lowest energy consumption.

Appliances Energy Star labeled, offer the same and even better performance compare to the same product at the same class, with 10 up to 20 % energy saving and guaranteed have fulfilled the strictly  energy efficient guidelines.

Eco City

Eco City is city that ??built in harmony with the environment. This city is design to minimaize energy consumption, water consumption, waste, water and air polution. Constructed with environmentally friendly materials. Term of Eco City introduce first time by Richard Register on his book ecocity berkeley: building cities for a healthy future, at 1987.

Benefit of eco city can be review from 3 aspects, enviroment, economic, and social. From the Enviroment side, Eco city can give healthy enviroment to the citizens.The impact, life expectancy become higher, increasing productivity, reducing global warming, citizen acces become easy, and energy recycle level bigger and bigger.

From the economic side, Eco city can provide opportunities for the job seekers, and also can become a landmark for a country with a potential to become tourist attraction, and investors. From social side, eco city can facilitate society to formulate new policy together with government to andvance their city. Social stability can be maintained, and able to provide basic needs of the society and the social gap can be narrowed.

According to Richard Register, there are two ways to create an eco city. By totally change the present city or make a new city. Becoming an eco city need a necessary integration between urban planning, building design, lifestyle and sustainable communities.

In general eco city can be obtain by following means:

1. Providing agriculture and plantation not to far from city, for example on suburbs. For food   production process less energy consumption.
2. Maximizing the use of renewable energy, such as wind turbines, solar panels and biogas.
3. Minimize use of electrical energy during the day by reducing air conditioning usage.
4. Developing public transportation, and add the area of pedestrians and reduce vehicle emissions
5. Encouraging people to use emission-free transportation modes, such as bicycles and electric vehicles
6. Regulate the location and population density housing, so public transport easy to reach
7. Campaigning low emissions constructions
8. Improve use of greenroof
9. Creating a whole and environment-friendly drainage system.
10. Build public spaces and urban parks for water conservation as well as the lungs of the city.