Greg Junek: Sunday Briefing

It seems that half of the things I have received for the past two weeks relate somehow to saving energy.

Maybe it’s a sign of the times, with regular unleaded gasoline sitting at $3.70 a gallon in Tyler for most of last week. I dread what the price will be this summer.

Anyone for carpooling?

One announcement came from the Texas Comptroller’s Office, and it is all about saving money on appliances that are energy efficient when they are purchased during the 2008 Energy Star Holiday, which runs Memorial Day weekend.

Texas shoppers get a break from state and local sales and use taxes on purchases of certain energy efficient products beginning at 12:01 a.m. Saturday and ending at 11:59 p.m. on May 26, Memorial Day.

Qualifying products will display the Energy Star logo. This designation means the product meets strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.

Products qualifying for the exemption are air conditioners priced less than $6,000 (room and central units), clothes washers, ceiling fans, dehumidifiers, dishwashers, light bulbs, programmable thermostats and refrigerators priced less than $2,000.

Because most dryers use similar amounts of energy, Energy Star does not label them.

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 sales of eligible products qualify for the exemption when either the final payment on a layaway order is made and the merchandise is given to the customer during the exemption period, or the item is selected by the customer and the order is accepted into layaway by the retailer during the exemption period for immediate delivery upon full payment, even if delivery is made after the exemption period.

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.

The comptroller’s office did inform sellers of what they cannot do, similar to the sales tax-free holiday each year.

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. They may, however, advertise that tax is included in the sales price of the taxable items that they sell.

Broadway Square Mall owner Simon Property Group announced that over the past four years the mall has quietly reduced the amount of local carbon emissions equal to the addition of 207 acres of forests or taking 145 cars off the street throughout the Tyler area.

Credit state-of-the-art energy efficiency practices. Simon touts that it has saved nearly 68,000 metric tons of carbon emissions from being disbursed into the atmosphere, thanks to the creation and deployment of these efficiency practices in its properties nationwide. Simon owns about 300 malls and shopping centers in the country.

Local initiatives to maximize energy efficiency have included the use of energy efficient lighting, upgrading energy management systems, investing in new and more efficient heating and air conditioning equipment and changing restroom appliances to those that are more water-efficient. The company said that between 2003 and 2007 the mall has reduced its carbon emissions by roughly 834 tons.

“While we work hard to maintain a safe, comfortable, and fun shopping experience for all of our customers, tenants and employees, we also strive to safeguard the environment in the communities we serve,”

Brian Hanson, general manager, said. “Energy conservation, protecting our water resources and taking other steps are necessary to enhance, maintain and protect our environment.”

Hanson also said the company’s energy management practices since 2003 have also resulted in a savings of 102 million kilowatt hours of electricity.

Simon Property Group was named a 2008 Energy Star Partner of the Year by the EPA during ceremonies April 1 in Washington, D.C. It received the award for outstanding energy management and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions at its malls across the country.

George Caraghiaur, vice president of energy services at Simon Property Group, said the absolute corporate energy use for operations under Simon’s operational control, which excludes electricity redistributed to tenants, decreased 10 percent from 2003 through 2006, saving approximately $11 million a year in companywide operating costs.

Greg Junek
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