Third-Party Certification Documentation (Archives)

The new ENERGY STAR third-party certification procedures are the result of a collaborative process involving EPA and numerous ENERGY STAR partners and stakeholders. Below is a collection of draft documents, stakeholder comments, presentations, memoranda and records of conference calls that played a role in the development of these new procedures.

EPA's Role as Scheme Owner for ENERGY STAR Product Certification

EPA is solely responsible for identifying the criteria that products must be certified against to earn the ENERGY STAR label. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI), an accreditation body that assesses CBs and an authority on conformity assessment, provided EPA a letter clarifying that ISO Guide 65 allows the Agency to define relevant product criteria that will be subject to certification.

Lab Recognition for Lighting Product Categories

In June 2011, EPA provided the following slides to assist laboratories seeking EPA recognition for lighting product specifications. This presentation has now been superseded by content in the Required Test Methods for EPA Recognized Laboratories (PDF, 214 KB).

Technical Assistance for Certification Bodies

EPA offers technical assistance to certification bodies as they certify products for ENERGY STAR.

Treatment of Previously Qualified Products

On February 3, 2011, EPA released the following guidance on previously qualified products to ENERGY STAR partners and EPA–recognized CBs.

Third-Party CB Training Materials and Presentations

On December 2-3, 2010, EPA hosted Third–Party Certification training for EPA–recognized CBs and applicant CBs in Washington, DC. The general training provided an overview of the new procedures for certifying and verifying products for ENERGY STAR, as well as expectations for ongoing communication with CBs and EPA. The lighting training focused on certification issues specific to lighting products. The following documents and presentations were shared with attendees.

ITI CB Training Presentation

On December 8, EPA met with EPA-recognized CBs, applicant CBs and the members of the Information Technology Industry Council in Austin, Texas to discuss how the new third-party certification Procedures would apply to ENERGY STAR Information Technology products. The following presentation was delivered to attendees.

Accreditation Bodies

Laboratories

Certification Bodies

Final ENERGY STAR Partner Commitments and Product Specifications

EPA finalized the new ENERGY STAR Partner Commitments and Product Specifications (i.e., Eligibility Criteria, Test Methods) in late October 2010. EPA reviewed, carefully considered, and in many cases accepted stakeholder comments on the Draft Partner Commitments and Product Specifications, which are posted below. EPA also shared its rationale for the edits made to these final documents in the EPA cover memo and supporting documentation also provided below.

Notification to Stakeholders

Final Partner Commitments and Product Specifications

Stakeholder Comments on Draft Documents

Notification to Stakeholders

Draft Partner Commitments and Product Specifications

Introductory Conference Calls, March 26 to April 6, 2010

The information presented in these calls and webinars launched EPA's stakeholder process to develop third-party certification requirements for ENERGY STAR products. The introductory call covered program-wide topics that were expected to be of interest to all partners regardless of the products they manufactured or the nature of their partnership with EPA. Following this call, EPA hosted a series of product-specific webinars.

Historical Product Qualification Procedures

Prior to January 1, 2011, EPA directly qualified products that met the relevant ENERGY STAR requirements, and did not require third-party certification of data. Product data was submitted to EPA through either a Qualifying Product Information (QPI) form, or the Online Product Submittal tool. The most recent QPI forms used prior to the launch of the third-party certification requirements are found at Qualified Product Information.