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ENERGY STAR Product Specification Development

One of the main goals of the ENERGY STAR program is to develop performance-based specifications that determine the most efficient products in a particular category. Products that meet these specifications earn the ENERGY STAR label.

To develop ENERGY STAR product specifications, EPA and DOE use a systematic process that relies on rigorous market, engineering, and pollution savings analyses as well as input from industry stakeholders. During the ENERGY STAR product specification development and revision process, EPA employs a set of key six Guiding Principles PDF (151KB) to ensure that ENERGY STAR:

  • identifies products where large gains in energy efficiency and pollution reduction can be cost-effectively realized
  • can play an influential role to expand the market for these products.

DVDNew Specifications in Development

EPA and DOE continually develop new ENERGY STAR specifications to expand the program to new products.

TVRevisions to Existing Specifications

ENERGY STAR specifications are then periodically revised to ensure relevancy under current market conditions. EPA and DOE strive to make certain that specifications differentiate the most efficient products and move the market toward more energy-saving designs.

EPA Product Development Team Contacts

News

The Final Version 3.0 and 4.0 Furnace specifications were released on 06/13/2011 and will take effect on 02/1/2012 and 02/1/2013, respectively. The Version 3.0 requirements include regional efficiency requirements and furnace fan efficiency requirement, while the Version 4.0 includes an additional requirement of air leakage.

On 10/31/2011, EPA finalized the Version 3.0 Dehumidifiers specification with an effective date of 10/1/2012. New requirements include combining all <75 pint/day products into one capacity bin, more stringent Energy Factor requirements and a requirement for adjustable humidistat control.

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