What is Energy Star?

What is ENERGY STAR?

The answer is found on the ENERGY STAR website:
ENERGY STAR is the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy-efficient products and practices. Products can earn the ENERGY STAR label by meeting the energy efficiency requirements set forth in ENERGY STAR product specifications. 

ENERGY STAR categories most of us are familiar with include kitchen appliances, laundry machines and light bulbs. As it happens there are thousands of products in dozens of categories in the ENERGY STAR program.

EPA establishes these specifications based on the following set of key guiding principles:

• Product categories must contribute significant energy savings nationwide.
• Certified products must deliver the features and performance demanded by consumers, in addition to increased energy efficiency.
• If the certified product costs more than a conventional, less-efficient counterpart, purchasers will recover their investment in increased energy efficiency through utility bill savings, within a reasonable period of time.
• Energy efficiency can be achieved through broadly available, non-proprietary technologies offered by more than one manufacturer.
• Product energy consumption and performance can be measured and verified with testing.
• Labeling would effectively differentiate products and be visible for purchasers.