AUSTIN, Texas, March 26, 2008 (ENS) – To spread the gospel of energy efficiency, the state of Texas is making Memorial Day weekend a tax holiday for many Energy Star products.

Texas shoppers get a break from state and local sales and use taxes on purchases of certain energy efficient products from 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, May 24 through 11:59 pm on Monday, May 26, which is Memorial Day.

The products qualifying for the exemption are:

* air conditioners priced under $6,000, both 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

Tax savings can mount up. State Sales and Use Tax is imposed on all retail sales, leases and rentals of most goods, as well as taxable services. Texas cities, counties, transit authorities and special purpose districts have the option of imposing an additional local sales tax for a combined total of state and local taxes of 8 1/4 percent.

The Energy Star logo will identify
products that qualify for
the tax holiday

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 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.

The tax-free holiday also applies to Internet and catalog sales of eligible products, provided that the items are both paid for and delivered to the purchaser during the exemption period; or the purchaser orders and pays for the item and the retailer accepts the order during the exemption period for immediate shipment, even if delivery is made after the exemption period. Layaway plans can be used to take advantage of the sales tax holiday.

Delivery, shipping, handling or transportation charges connected to the sale of a qualifying item purchased tax free during the sales tax holiday also qualify for the exemption.

Charges for installation of qualifying items purchased during the sales tax holiday may qualify for exemption depending on whether the items are permanently attached to or installed in real property and whether the realty is residential or nonresidential.

Items that are free-standing or mobile, such as clothes washers, dehumidifiers, refrigerators, portable dishwashers and window or room air conditioning units are tangible personal property. If an item retains its identity as tangible personal property after installation, then installation charges billed by the seller of the item also qualify for the sales tax holiday exemption – even if the installation is performed after the holiday period is concluded.

Labor charges are not taxable on new construction and residential repair and remodeling jobsites. Therefore, no tax is due on charges for installing items such as ceiling fans, programmable thermostats or central air conditioning units in residential property or during a new construction project.

Sellers may not advertise or in any way promise to pay or not charge sales tax that is due on the sale of taxable items. Sellers may, however, advertise that tax is included in the sales price of the taxable items that they sell.

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WASHINGTON, DC, March 17, 2008 (ENS) – Next year, clothes washers that are much more efficient than current appliances will be coming on the market. The new washers will have to use less water than those now on sale, and they also must be more energy efficient.

As of July 1, 2009, manufacturers will have to make their washers meet a higher standard if they want to qualify the appliances to carry the government’s Energy Star® label.

Energy Star is a joint program of the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency formed in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based program that seeks to reduce air pollution through increased energy efficiency.

“The Energy Star program provides consumers with greater options for purchasing energy efficient products to save money and energy,” said Andy Karsner, the Energy Department’s assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy

“More stringent Energy Star criteria for clothes washers … means more consumers can make smart energy choices and help further the nation’s goal of increasing efficiency and energy productivity, resulting in significant energy savings and greater economic competitiveness,” he said.

This Energy Star qualified Whirlpool washer
will be held to a stricter standard come
July 2009. (Photo courtesy Whirlpool)

The new requirements for clothes washers carrying the Energy Star label will take effect in two phases.

In order to qualify, clothes washers must be a minimum of 43 percent more efficient than current federal energy efficiency standards with a maximum Water Factor of 7.5, as of July 1, 2009.

The Water Factor measures water efficiency and is calculated as gallons of water used per cubic foot of capacity – the lower the Water Factor, the more efficient the clothes washer.

Then in the second phase, from January 1, 2011, clothes washers must be a minimum of 59 percent more efficient than current federal energy efficiency standards with a maximum Water Factor of 6.0.

After the 2011 criteria change for clothes washers, consumers across the country are expected to save a total of $120 million on utility bills annually.

The Energy Department calculates buyers will also save 11.2 billion gallons of water, and 659 million kilowatt hours of electricity each year.

The agency projects that 1.9 million Energy Star qualified clothes washers built to the new criteria will be sold the first year they are available, saving Americans up to $92.4 million annually on their water and utility bills.

Currently, clothes washers qualified to the Energy Star standard use 75 percent less energy than clothes washer models manufactured in 1980. The current Energy Star criteria for clothes washers, last modified in January 2007, were drafted with input from stakeholders and public review and comment.

To learn more about Energy Star®, and to view the revised program requirements, visit [url]www.EnergyStar.gov[/url] or call 1-888-STAR-YES.

There are at least 225 models of clothes washers on the U.S. market that meet the current Energy Star criteria, made by 27 different manufacturers.

For a complete list of Energy Star qualified washers, click here [www.energystar.gov].

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