The U.S. Department of Energy announced the availability of Energy Star residential water heaters. The Energy Star program now addresses every major residential appliance found in most American homes. Introduction of this product provides significant potential savings to consumers. Water heating represents up to 15.5 percent of national residential energy consumption, the second largest end use of energy in homes, following heating and cooling. Using one of five specified water heating technologies, Energy Star qualified water heaters can reduce water heating bills from 7.5 percent to as much as 55 percent.