Dear ENERGY STAR® Commercial Dishwasher Partner or Other Interested Party:

With this letter, the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking comment on a modified approach to crediting heat recovery under the upcoming Version 3.0 ENERGY STAR Commercial Dishwasher specification. Specifically, EPA is proposing to replace the energy recovery credit calculation as proposed in the Draft 2 V3.0 specification with an equation that calculates the amount of primary water heating energy offset and then subtracts that from the ASTM measured washing energy value. This proposal also includes minor modifications to the definition for heat recovery machines based on stakeholder feedback. The objective is to align the ENERGY STAR Commercial Dishwasher specification more closely with the primary domestic hot water energy use calculation in the ASTM F1696-18 and F1920-15 test methods by calculating the primary water heating energy offset by the heat recovery machine.

EPA released Draft 2 of the Version 3.0 Commercial Dishwasher specification on October 10, 2019 for stakeholder review. In response to stakeholder comments, EPA is now releasing this limited topic proposal focused on new thinking specific to the Draft 2 credit for units with heat recovery capabilities. Stakeholders may provide comments to EPA at commercialdishwashers@energystar.gov no later than March 18, 2020.

All comments will be posted to the ENERGY STAR product development website unless the submitter requests otherwise.

Feedback on EPA’s Draft 2 Energy Recovery Credit and ASTM’s Updates to F1696-18, F1920-15

EPA received feedback from stakeholders recommending that the Agency refer to the ASTM F1696-18 and F1920-15 test methods to measure the total energy consumption of heat recovery machines rather than taking measurements specific to the heat recovery system within the dishwasher, which would require an estimate or measurement of the inlet water temperature to the booster heater. However, the ASTM test methods do not currently require the inlet water temperature of the booster heater to be measured for these machines. In addition, stakeholders expressed concern over measuring the inlet water temperature to the booster heater, noting that the process for measuring this water temperature would vary among heat recovery machines. This raised repeatability issues that could result in inherent inaccuracies and potentially overestimation of the heat recovery credit proposed in Draft 2 that assumed a fixed inlet water temperature of 110oF to the booster heater. These concerns caused EPA to look more closely at the Draft 2 credit and evaluate other more suitable options for recognizing the energy savings of heat recovery machines. 

Further, EPA has been tracking ASTM’s progress on updating the F1696-18 and F1920-15 test methods and communicating regularly with the ASTM F26 committee chairpersons. ASTM has submitted for ballot proposed updates to the test methods, including an update to F1920-15 to align with F1696-18 to specify the temperature of the water (70±3°F) connected to the cold-water supply for heat recovery machines. This change would ensure that all heat recovery machines, as defined later in this document, follow the same test conditions and process to measure the total energy consumption including all heating devices. In addition, this change would account for the total energy consumption of heat recovery machines in a repeatable way, allowing for comparison to non-heat recovery systems. The primary water heater energy consumed, as reported by the ASTM test method, reflects the actual hot water energy use of each machine, but is currently not included in the energy used per rack. EPA expects this updated test, with modification, to serve the intended purpose of properly crediting heat recovery machines. EPA proposes an intended use below.

Proposed Primary Hot Water Energy Offset Calculation

EPA notes that the primary hot water energy use calculation in ASTM F1696-18 and F1920-15 (section 11) is well-established but is not used for calculating energy performance. Based on the feedback from ASTM F26 committee chairpersons, EPA acknowledges a modification to this equation as a useful way to account for the difference in water inlet temperatures between heat recovery and standard commercial dishwashers. As such, the energy recovery credit described in Draft 2 will be replaced with this stakeholder recommended hot water energy offset (Equation 1). As with the credit proposed in Draft 2, this offset for eligible models would be applied once to a commercial dishwasher and subtracted from the ASTM measured washing energy value to obtain an adjusted (credited) value. Specification requirements would apply to the adjusted value (i.e., Washmeasured - Eprimaryoffset in kWh/rack).

Hot Water Energy Offset: Calculate and report the primary hot water energy offset by the heat recovery dishwasher fed by a cold-water inlet during the washing energy rate test based on Equation 1.

Equation 1.    Eprimaryoffset = (Vwater x cp x r x (Tinstd – Tinhr))/ h whereby

Eprimaryoffset = calculated primary hot water energy offset in Btu/rack (convert to kWh/rack)
Vwater = measured water volume consumed by dishwasher in gallons/rack
cp = specific heat of water Btu/lb*oF = 1 Btu/lb*oF

r= density of water in lb/gal = 8.334 lb/gal

Tinstd = inlet water temperature to a standard (non-heat recovery) machine (per ASTM F1696-18/1920-15 section 9.3 not to exceed 140±2°F) = 140°F (in calculation)
Tinhr = inlet water temperature to a heat recovery machine (per ASTM F1696-18/1920-15 section 9.3 at 70±3°F) = 70°F

h= assumed commercial primary water heating system efficiency feeding dishwashers including standby and recirculation losses in % = 80% = 0.80 (in calculation)
Conceptually, this equation represents the energy the primary water heater would have used had the heat recovery not been present. According to stakeholder input, gas water heaters are more common in commercial settings (reflected in the primary hot water energy use equation for the standard dishwasher as 65%, per ASTM F1696-18 and F1920-15 Sections 11.8.4 and 11.9.4, respectively). In Equation 1, the assumed commercial primary water heating system is based on electric resistance water heaters (and associated distribution efficiency), which are more thermally efficient than gas heaters. In other words, the hot water energy offset will be lower with the assumed commercial primary electric water heater than with a gas water heater. Thus, the electric water heater assumption (i.e., 80%) is a conservative one.

Proposed Revision to Definition for Heat Recovery Machine

In addition, stakeholder comments relayed the need to revise the Draft 2 definition for heat recovery machines to ensure that all dishwashers using heat recovery mechanisms are properly identified to apply the offset equation. This revised definition is provided below.

Heat Recovery Machine: Warewashing equipment with heat recovery; a heat exchanger that recovers energy from other sources (i.e. waste water, exhaust duct) for the purpose of heating potable water. This includes but is not limited to drain water heat exchangers, wash compartment heat exchangers, exhaust heat exchangers, and supplemental heat pumps. The equipment must meet all the following requirements:

a.    ​​​​​​​Use a minimum of 95% of water volume from the cold-water inlet for the wash and rinse
       cycle (the machine can have a cold- and a hot-water inlet, but a maximum of 5% of wash and rinse
       cycle water can come from the hot water inlet);

b.    The temperature of the water at the dishwasher’s inlet must be 70±3°F; and,
c.    The dishwasher must operate at or above 180°F rinse temperature.

As written, part a of the heat recovery machine definition implies that most of the water entering the dishwasher’s heat exchanger is coming from the cold-water inlet and a much smaller fraction is entering the dishwasher’s heat exchanger from the water heater. Part b accounts for the 70oF±3 combined temperature of the cold- and hot-water inlets entering the dishwasher’s heat exchanger. Finally, part c limits the definition of a heat recovery machine to high temperature machines only to exclude vapor condensing machines operating at lower rinse temperatures (i.e., 140oF) that do not use the heat recovered by condensing to reduce energy use for heating water. The EPA’s understanding is that only machines with high temperature rinse provide dense enough waste heat to be worth recovering.

EPA recognizes the value of heat recovery and proposes the approach outlined above as a way to more accurately address it. EPA also appreciates the continued input of collaborators, especially ASTM, in developing this approach.

If you have comments or concerns about this proposal, please submit them by March 18, 2020, to commercialdishwashers@energystar.gov. Please direct any specific questions to Tanja Crk, EPA, at Crk.Tanja@epa.gov or 202-566-1037.

Thank you for your continued support of the ENERGY STAR program.

Sincerely,

Tanja Crk, Product Manager
ENERGY STAR Commercial Food Service
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Dear ENERGY STAR® Data Center Storage Partner or Other Interested Stakeholder,

With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing the Draft 2, Version 2.0 ENERGY STAR Data Center Storage Specification. Stakeholders are encouraged to submit comments to storage@energystar.gov by March 20, 2020.

In response to the Draft 1, Version 2.0 specification released for stakeholder review, comments focused on aligning ENERGY STAR definitions with those of Emerald V4.0, adjusting the internal power supply requirements, and on concerns regarding the active requirements for transaction and streaming optimized systems. EPA reviewed our dataset and market conditions and hosted follow-up discussion with stakeholders. Based on the comments and additional analysis, EPA has accommodated stakeholder feedback as follows: 

• EPA supports alignment with Emerald V4.0 and has revised the definitions.
• Market research affirmed the conditions raised with respect to internal power supplies and relevant redundant requirements are now applied to all products.
• Criteria levels have been adjusted for transaction and streaming workload types. These changes consider stakeholder feedback regarding the difficulty in attaining the criteria levels for the most common configuration types as well as anticipated changes in the market during the life of Version 2.0.

Comment Submittal
EPA welcomes stakeholder input on the attached Draft 2, Version 2.0 specification. Stakeholders are encouraged to submit any comments to storage@energystar.gov by March 20, 2020. All comments will be posted to the ENERGY STAR Product Development website unless the submitter requests otherwise.

Stakeholder Webinar
EPA will host a webinar to answer any questions on this Draft 1 specification on March 4, 2020 from 1-3 PM Eastern Time. Please register here if you plan on attending.

The exchange of ideas and information between EPA, industry, and other interested parties is critical to the success of ENERGY STAR. Specifications and meeting materials will be distributed via email and posted on the ENERGY STAR website. To track EPA’s progress on this specification, please visit the storage product development website.

Please contact me at Fogle.Ryan@epa.gov or (202) 343-9153 or John Clinger, ICF, at John.Clinger@icf.com or (215) 967-9407 with questions or concerns about this specification revision. For other Data Center Storage related questions, please contact storage@energystar.gov. 
 
Thank you for your continued support of the ENERGY STAR program.
 
Sincerely,

Ryan Fogle
EPA Manager, ENERGY STAR for IT and Data Center Products
 
Enclosures:
Draft 2, Version 2.0

Dear ENERGY STAR® Imaging Equipment Partner or Other Interested Stakeholder,

With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing the Final ENERGY STAR Professional Imaging Equipment Test Method. EPA thanks stakeholders for their feedback which has informed this final test method.

In response to the Final Draft Test Method, multiple stakeholders offered suggestions for clarifying sections of the test method. EPA incorporated many of these suggestions including: updating the voltage in the input power requirements table, clarifying that uncoated paper should be used, and specifying the appropriate print speed as well as the images to be used per test copy. EPA received additional comments regarding the product speed and product initialization. EPA did not make changes in these cases in the interest of maintaining consistency with the agreed upon testing protocols for all other imaging equipment. Additionally, the Agency does not believe a different test for Professional Imaging Equipment is called for in these instances. EPA also received a comment regarding the service and maintenance mode and has maintained this element of the test method. As noted in the Version 3.0 process, automatic adjustments that happen by default are included in the measurement, but EPA has clarified that any manual processes shall be excluded from the measurement to ensure repeatability of the test method.

To assist EPA in establishing ENERGY STAR efficiency requirements for professional imaging equipment products, manufacturers are invited to submit product energy data using the accompanying reporting template posted with this letter. A robust dataset will help EPA ensure that proposed levels are reflective of the overall professional imaging equipment market. Please send completed forms to imagingequipment@energystar.gov no later than June 12, 2020. An amendment to Version 3 incorporating professional imaging equipment products is anticipated for the summer or fall of 2020.

The exchange of ideas and information between EPA, industry, and other interested parties is critical to the success of ENERGY STAR. Specifications and meeting materials will be distributed via email and posted on the ENERGY STAR website. To track EPA’s progress on this specification, please visit the Imaging Equipment Specification Version 3.0 product development webpage.

Please contact me at Fogle.Ryan@epa.gov or (202) 343-9153 or John Clinger, ICF, at John.Clinger@icf.com or (215) 967-9407 with questions or concerns about the imaging equipment specification. For test method questions, please contact Jeremy Dommu, U.S. Department of Energy, Jeremy.Dommu@EE.Doe.Gov, or (202) 586-9870. For any other imaging equipment related questions, please contact imagingequipment@energystar.gov. Thank you for your continued support of the ENERGY STAR program.
Sincerely,

Ryan Fogle
EPA Manager, ENERGY STAR for IT and Data Center Products

Enclosures:
Final Professional Imaging Equipment Test Method
Professional Imaging Equipment Test Reporting Template

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would like to remind stakeholders that the effective date for the Version 2.0 ENERGY STAR Room Air Cleaners Program Requirements is October 17, 2020. On this date, only products certified to Version 2.0 and submitted by EPA-recognized certification bodies (CBs) to EPA using the Version 2.0 web service will display on our list of certified models.
 
Please contact EPA at roomaircleaners@energystar.gov with any questions regarding the specification. CBs should direct questions concerning the submittal of Version 2.0 certified Room Air Cleaners to Certification@energystar.gov.
 
Thank you for your support of the ENERGY STAR program.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been made aware of an update to the Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation (SPEC) Server Efficiency Rating Tool (SERT). For the purposes of ENERGY STAR certification, computer servers should be tested using SERT Version 2.0.3 moving forward. As has been the case with previous SERT updates during the life of the ENERGY STAR Computer Server program, test results already submitted through the certification process using a version of SERT EPA previously accepted are not affected by this update. This clarification memo can be found on the Computer Servers Version 3.0 Specification product development website.

The SERT Version 2.0.3 is a minor update, with the following changes and the results it produces are comparable to those produced by previous versions:

• Support for Marvell ThunderX2 processors
• Support for HP-UX on Itanium
• Fix for IBM Power Lage Memory configurations running Linux OS

Please contact me at Fogle.Ryan@epa.gov or 202-343-9153 or John Clinger at John.Clinger@icf.com or 215-967-9407 with questions or concerns regarding this update. For any questions regarding certification to SERT Version 2.0.3, please contact certification@energystar.gov. For any other computer server related questions, please contact servers@energystar.gov. Thank you for your continued support of the ENERGY STAR program.

Sincerely,

Ryan Fogle
EPA Manager, ENERGY STAR for IT and Data Center Products

Dear ENERGY STAR® CAC/HP Brand Owner or Other Interested Party:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) welcomes your input on the enclosed Draft 2 Version 6.0 ENERGY STAR® Central Air Conditioner and Heat Pump (CAC/HP) specification. EPA plans to hold a stakeholder meeting on February 11, 2020 to discuss the Draft 2 specification in greater detail. Stakeholders are encouraged to submit comments on this Draft to EPA no later than February 28, 2020.

With the Version 6.0 revision, EPA seeks to recognize products for their superior efficiency as well as their advanced design and capabilities, namely for connected and cold climate products. This draft continues this specification development process with refinements based on stakeholder feedback and also proposes recognizing capabilities that can facilitate a high-quality installation.

In response to the Draft 1 specification, EPA received strong industry feedback that manufacturers will be facing extensive redesign and retesting for the upcoming Federal standards and test method change. In recognition of the concerted effort this will require, EPA is proposing to align the Version 6.0 effective date with the January 1, 2023 effective date of the new standards and test method. In so doing, the Agency is committed to anticipating potential market advances such that the value this ENERGY STAR specification delivers is maintained, even with the delay. Recognizing the investment partners are making in products now and the benefit that extra time to meet ENERGY STAR requirements offers, EPA is proposing adjustments to the criteria for CAC/HP products to achieve the long-term savings goals of the ENERGY STAR program and maintain differentiation in the future market. Consistent with past practice, ENERGY STAR partners will have the option to certify products to the Version 6.0 specification beginning once the specification is finalized. For purposes of this interim period between finalization and the specification’s effective date, equivalent criteria are provided in terms of current DOE metrics (i.e. SEER, EER and HSPF).

Proposal Summary
Draft 2 Version 6.0 proposes the following changes from the Draft 1 proposal, and identifies other areas for further discussion:

• Definitions: Definitions have been amended to align with Appendix M1 and definitions related to connected capability have been added. Due to the change in the DOE definition, the specification throughout has been amended to refer to central air conditioners and heat pumps (CAC/HP), rather than the previous term, air-source heat pump.
   
• Cold Climate Recognition: EPA has maintained the climate-based recognition as proposed in Draft 1. For purposes of certification prior to the January 1, 2023 effective date, EPA will accept manufacturer provided application data for the Cold Climate requirements for Coefficient of Performance (COP) and Percentage of Rated Capacity @ 5°F.

• Performance Criteria: Per the Appendix M1 test method, EPA has proposed ENERGY STAR levels in the new metrics of SEER2, EER2, and HSPF2 for CAC/HPs. To maintain differentiation from the Federal minimum efficiencies and account for future advances, EPA has proposed increased levels for SEER2 and HSPF2. 

• Staged and Variable Capacity: EPA has maintained the proposal from Draft 1 that all ENERGY STAR certified units have at least two capacity stages or are continuously variable.

• Installation Capabilities: Per conversations with stakeholders about the important role installation plays in terms of delivered efficiency, EPA is proposing that all ENERGY STAR certified units meet at least three out of several listed capabilities that would help facilitate a high-quality installation.

• Connected Criteria: As proposed in the recent limited topic proposal on connected criteria for CAC/HP, EPA has included optional connected criteria for this product category. Minor adjustments have been made to align more closely with AHRI 1380.

• Test Method: The test method reference has been updated to refer to the 2023 Federal test method for CAC/HP units, 10 CFR part 430 Subpart B, Appendix M1. The Appendix M test method may be used for certification prior to January 1, 2023.

More details regarding these elements are included in note boxes throughout the draft specification document.

Comment Submittal Process
Stakeholders are encouraged to provide written comments for EPA consideration to CAC-ASHP@energystar.gov by February 28, 2020. All comments will be posted to the ENERGY STAR CAC-ASHP Product Development website unless the submitter requests otherwise. 

Stakeholder Meeting
EPA plans to host a stakeholder webinar meeting on February 11, 2020 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm ET to discuss the Draft 2 document and address initial stakeholder comments and questions. Stakeholders interested in participating in this discussion should RSVP here by February 7, 2020. Stakeholders are encouraged to inform EPA of any industry events that may conflict with this proposed date. 

Please direct any specific questions to Abigail Daken, EPA, at daken.abigail@epa.gov or (202) 343-9375, and Julia Hegarty, ICF, at julia.hegarty@icf.com or (202) 862-1163.  For test procedure inquiries, please contact Antonio Bouza, U.S. Department of Energy, at antonio.bouza@ee.doe.gov or (202) 586-9870. Thank you for taking the time to review this Draft 2 document. I look forward to working with you over the next several months to develop the Version 6.0 ENERGY STAR CAC/HP specification.

Sincerely,

Abigail Daken, Manager
ENERGY STAR HVAC Program

Enclosures:
Draft 2 Version 6.0 ENERGY STAR CAC-HP Specification
Draft 2 Version 6.0 ENERGY STAR CAC-HP Data Package
Draft 1 Version 6.0 ENERGY STAR CAC-HP Comment Response Matrix

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to announce the selection of Refrigerators with Advanced Adaptive Compressors as a 2020 ENERGY STAR Emerging Technology Award category. EPA is proposing performance criteria for these products with the goal of recognizing the best available advanced adaptive compressors that help protect the environment while offering the consumer new ways to save energy.

Overview of the Emerging Technology Award
Launched in 2011, the ENERGY STAR Emerging Technology Award raises the profile of innovative technologies that have the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions once more widely adopted. The annual Award recognizes promising technologies that may not yet meet key principles associated with categories eligible for the ENERGY STAR label (e.g., broadly available, cost effective to the consumer) or may represent large improvements in existing ENERGY STAR product categories. As products become more mainstream, Award categories may become candidates for ENERGY STAR specification development. For more information on the Award, visit www.energystar.gov/emergingtech.

Technology Overview – Advanced Adaptive Compressors:
In a conventional refrigerator, the compressor operates at maximum capacity in response to thermal load, or it is turned off when the desired temperature has been achieved. However, the energy consumption requirements of a refrigerator vary widely based on various factors. An advanced adaptive compressor system in residential refrigeration products pairs an inverter compressor with a sensor-driven control system capable of cooling capacity modulation in response to a varying internal thermal load. As a result, the advanced adaptive compressor system allows for the refrigerator to save a significant amount of energy while regulating the temperature by minimizing wide temperature variations. The per unit efficiency increases by at least 25% with this technology when compared to standard units. If all refrigerators sold in 2020 in the U.S. used this technology and met these draft criteria, the energy cost savings would exceed $160 million.

Draft Criteria for Review
Interested stakeholders are encouraged to provide feedback on the proposed recognition criteria to emergingtech@energystar.gov by February 28, 2020. Depending on the comments received, EPA may release a subsequent draft for stakeholder review prior to finalizing the criteria. Once final, manufacturers of refrigerators that meet the Award criteria will be able to submit information and data to EPA for review. Upon EPA approval, manufacturers will be able to use the ENERGY STAR Emerging Technology Award logo to promote the product.

Additional Technology Categories for 2020: Air-to-Water (ATW) Heat Pumps
To date there have been two companies that earned an Award for Air-to-Water Heat Pumps: Chiltrix Inc. and Mestek, Inc. With this letter, and to allow the new market to further develop, EPA is extending recognition of the 2019 Award category – Air-to-Water Heat Pumps – into 2020. This category of heat pumps has numerous applications with advantages over traditional hydronic systems in new and existing homes, and advantages over forced air systems in new construction. Compared to a typical gas condensing boiler system, Air-to-Water heat pumps can offer energy savings up to 47%[1] with a seasonal Coefficient of Performance (COP) of 1.7 - 3.0. In new construction, Air-to-Water heat pumps provide all the advantages of a hydronic system while also providing efficient electric heat, using up to 70% less electricity than electric baseboard heat.

Air-to-Water systems also demonstrate superior performance at low outdoor temperatures when compared with traditional air source heat pumps, making them appropriate for use throughout the United States, including cold regions. Please see www.energystar.gov/emergingtech for award criteria and instructions for new submissions.

If you have any questions about the Award or the criteria development process, please contact me, Peter Banwell, at banwell.peter@epa.gov and (202) 343-9408, or Emmy Feldman at emmy.feldman@icf.com and (202) 862-1145.

Peter Banwell
ENERGY STAR Program

Enclosures:
Draft Criteria for Advanced Adaptive Compressors

Sincerely,

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to announce the final recognition criteria for Dehumidifiers for ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2020. This letter outlines the final criteria.

Dehumidifiers that meet the 2020 criteria will deliver significant savings over a conventional product as noted below: 

• Portable dehumidifiers: 100 kWh/yr in annual energy savings, 19% above the Federal Minimum.
• Whole-home dehumidifiers: 177 kWh/yr in annual energy savings, 23% above the Federal Minimum.

Please note that the criteria for 14 other product categories, which were finalized on September 26, 2019, and the Dehumidifier criteria can be found at www.energystar.gov/mostefficient.

Final criteria for Dehumidifiers for ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2020 recognition are summarized below. EPA did not receive comments specific to the proposed Dehumidifier criteria. Accordingly, EPA has finalized the criteria as proposed. Products must also be certified as ENERGY STAR by an EPA-recognized certification body. Additional detail for Dehumidifiers is included in the recognition criteria documents available at www.energystar.gov/mostefficient.

To be recognized as ENERGY STAR Most Efficient, Dehumidifiers must meet the applicable minimum Integrate Energy Factor (IEF) shown in the following table, as determined per Appendix X1 to 10 CFR Part 430, Subpart B.

ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2020 Recognition

ENERGY STAR certified products meeting ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2020 requirements will be highlighted at www.energystar.gov/mostefficient beginning January 1, 2020. Shortly, EPA will begin distributing the 2020 ENERGY STAR Most Efficient designation to brand owners of eligible products. As a reminder, usage guidelines are available at http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=partners.most_efficient_criteria. As new products are certified, EPA will invite partners to augment their product listing with the following:

• A product image. Product images (in jpg, png, or gif format), should include only one product - do not include other people and objects; be a minimum of 250 pixels wide; and for best results, be on a single-color background, preferably white;
• A product description for use on the web page (i.e., key features and functionalities). The first 50 words will be displayed beside the product photo on the web page; additional text will link to a separate web page; and
• The name of retail stores or online distributors where the product is available for consumer purchase. This information helps provide price and store location information to consumers on the web page.

To ensure the greatest utility of the ENERGY STAR Most Efficient webpage to consumers, EPA will only highlight products that are currently available for sale in the U.S. As such, EPA reminds partners that it is critical that they keep product availability information with their Certification Bodies current. 

The ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2020 designation is intended for use at point-of-sale on point-of-purchase materials, product literature, and websites. It may not be factory-applied to products or product packaging.  Failure to abide by these guidelines may result in loss of recognition. EPA will highlight recognized products on the ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2020 web page through December 31, 2020. 

We look forward to working with you to market ENERGY STAR Most Efficient products in 2020. Please e-mail mostefficient@energystar.gov with any questions.

Thank you for your support of the ENERGY STAR program.  
 
Sincerely,  

Ann Bailey, Director
ENERGY STAR Product Labeling Branch

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would like to remind stakeholders that as of December 16, 2019, EPA-recognized certification bodies (CBs) are required to cease certification of new Vending Machines to the Version 3 specification and may only certify Vending Machines to the Version 4.0 specification. Certification bodies may continue submitting administrative modifications to existing Vending Machines certifications to the Version 3 specification until April 29, 2020. After this date, only Vending Machines certified to the Version 4.0 specification will appear on the ENERGY STAR website and certified products list.

CBs must notify EPA by December 15, 2019 of models certified to Version 3.2, but not yet submitted to EPA, along with information on when data will be submitted. Failure to do so will result in QPX blocking submissions of these products to EPA.
 
Please contact EPA at vendingmachines@energystar.gov with any questions regarding the specification. CBs should direct questions concerning the submittal of Version 4.0 certified vending machines to Certification@energystar.gov.
 
Thank you for your support of the ENERGY STAR program.

ENERGY STAR® Fall Lighting Newsletter | 2019

Recap of ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting 

Partner of the Year Application

Choose a Light Guide

Specification Update for Fixtures

Light the Moment Materials

Free ENERGY STAR Marketing Resources

Energizing 2019 Products Partner Meeting in Charlotte, NC

From retail, to efficiency program managers, to product manufacturers, and to builders, the ENERGY STAR Partner Meeting was full of collaboration and thought-provoking conversations. Partners collaboratively evaluated market data and strategies for efficiency programs, discussed technology breakthroughs, and energized each other in the quest for greater adoption of ENERGY STAR certified technologies. The meeting was co-located with ENERGY STAR Residential Homes meetings which brought even more ENERGY STAR players together. Several lighting products partners participated across meetings. EPA presented a panel on "What's so Special About Specialty Bulbs?" that highlighted opportunities to promote and incentivize the sale of specialty lighting. We also heard from experts on the panel "Everyone Gets a Star" about ways to successfully drive sales of ENERGY STAR certified bulbs and deliver energy savings to underserved communities.

Visit the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting website to learn more about these presentations and more.

ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Awards: Applications are Now Live!

EPA and DOE honor organizations that have made outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through energy efficiency during the annual ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Awards. Applications are currently live and can be found here. The deadline for applying will be early December. Applicants will receive notice on whether they received a 2020 award mid-February. 2020 award winners will be recognized at the ENERGY STAR Awards Ceremony in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, April 2, 2020. Learn more about this year's application process and last year's ceremony here: http://www.energystar.gov/about/awards.

Questions? Partners may contact their account manager or email awards@energystar.gov.

Choosing a Light Bulb is as Easy as 1-2-3

Finding the right light bulb just got a whole lot easier with the new and improved ENERGY STAR Choose a Light Guide. Offering consumers a simple path to picking the right light for every room and occasion, the tool addresses three important bulb characteristics.

Users follow simple steps to brighten their homes with energy efficient lighting:

• Choose the shape
• Choose the color
• Choose the brightness

The tool is mobile-friendly, so consumers can identify their desired bulb quickly and on-the-go!

Updates to Lamps, Luminaires, and Fan Specifications

On August 15th 2019, EPA finalized minor adjustments to the ENERGY STAR Luminaires specification, reflected in Version 2.2. Current certifications will not be affected by these changes. Version 2.2 adjustments include: the addition of ANSI/IES LM-79-19 as a new acceptable measurement method, inclusion of products with integral battery packs for emergency light source operation, clarifications for the definition of inseparable "other" luminaire types, and updates to the Qualified Product Exchange forms to simplify model certifications that could be considered more than one luminaire type. One of the most exciting updates in Version 2.2 is the inclusion of personal device charging. Products like portable floor and desk task lights with integrated USB chargers and AC outlets are now included in the scope of the Luminaires specification. The ENERGY STAR specification for Luminaires Version 2.2 and the cover memo with its release can be found at www.energystar.gov/luminaires. There are no new versions currently in development.

Light the Moment

Light the Moment with ENERGY STAR is an annual effort to drive sales and adoption of energy-efficient, ENERGY STAR certified LED bulbs. The focus is on both the emotional and rational aspects of lighting to capture consumer interest and imagination, accompanied by meaningful engagement opportunities for you, our partners. Campaign materials address product benefits while resonating on an emotional level and emphasize what sets ENERGY STAR certified LED bulbs apart from other bulbs, namely:

• Quality: Whatever the moment, there's an ENERGY STAR certified LED light perfect for maximizing the impact.
• Light Distribution: ENERGY STAR LED bulbs light the small, intimate moments AND the big, busy ones.
• Long life: Lasting over 12 years, an ENERGY STAR certified LED bulb will be there for all the special moments.
• Environmental Protection: Protecting the planet for future generations so we can continue to experience these moments for years to come.

Messaging and creative assets are now available at energystar.gov/products/tools_resources and include:

• Campaign messaging
• Example POP
• POP Building Blocks
• Digital Advertising, and more

See the 2020 Outreach Plan Calendar for specifics on tactics and timing for the year to see how you can support the movement.

Contact changetheworld@energystar.gov for more information

.Free ENERGY STAR Marketing Resources!

Check out the ENERGY STAR Lighting Resources page to access factsheets, infographics, marketing tools, and more. Use these resources to engage and educate your consumers, colleagues, and social media followers. You might also learn a thing or two!

For Consumers:

Choose a Light Guide

Renovate with LED Lighting Factsheet

Ask the Expert

Dimmable ENERGY STAR Infographic

Light Bulb Purchasing Guide

Lighting made Easy Infographic

ENERGY STAR Lighting FAQs "Ask the Expert" Video

Light Bulbs Product Finder

Light Fixtures Product Finder

The Energy Source

Partner Resources:

ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting

ENERGY STAR Lighting Training Center

Water Coolers Version 3.0 Discussion Guide

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) welcomes your input on the enclosed ENERGY STAR Version 3.0 Water Coolers Discussion Guide.

EPA is sharing this ENERGY STAR Version 3.0 Water Coolers Discussion Guide to invite stakeholder input on key topics for discussion prior to developing and releasing a Draft 1 Version 3.0 specification. EPA will host a webinar on December 5, 2019, to seek input from stakeholders on the topics outlined below. Please submit feedback and any relevant data to watercoolers@energystar.gov  by December 19, 2019.

Background
The ENERGY STAR program helps businesses and individuals save money and protect the environment by identifying products with superior energy efficiency. EPA monitors market and technology developments, looking for opportunities to more fully serve stakeholders, and to drive increasing energy savings. The ENERGY STAR Unit Shipment Data Summary Report  indicates that ENERGY STAR certified water coolers represent 62% of all units shipped in the United States in 2018. This high level of market share presents an opportunity to review the specification to ensure it continues to recognize top performing products and that the ENERGY STAR label continues to deliver meaningful energy savings to consumers.

Discussion Guide Summary
The Discussion Guide highlights multiple topics for further discussion which are summarized below. More details regarding these topics as well as specific questions are included in the Discussion Guide.

• Energy Savings Potential: Understanding the market and typical use schedules will improve estimates of overall energy savings in this product category. EPA seeks information from stakeholders regarding the market size and lifetime of leased and directly sold units to commercial and residential customers. This information is key to determining energy savings and the extent to which ENERGY STAR can effectively differentiate the more efficient models for a range of purchasers.

• Test Method Scope Considerations: EPA is evaluating the opportunity to introduce criteria based on the “On Mode Test with Water Draw – All Unit Types” and “On Mode Test with Water Draw – On Demand Units Only” which are both included in the current test method. In addition, EPA is considering revising the dispensed temperatures for hot and cold water.  

• Clarifying Definitions and Scope: Products that provide a range of additional features such as sparkling or alkaline water have been added to the ENERGY STAR certified product list under Version 2.0.  EPA seeks to clarify definitions and scope during the development of Version 3.0 such that all partners are clear on product types covered by this specification.

• Alternative Refrigerants and Foams: Across ENERGY STAR product categories, EPA is interested in recognizing products that use alternative, low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants and foams; and, would like to understand the availability of those products.

• Data Assembly: Provided with this discussion guide is a Water Coolers Data Template which stakeholders are requested to use to provide test results for the current test method, as well as data with alternate dispensed water temperatures.

Comment Submittal Process
Stakeholders are encouraged to provide written comments for EPA consideration to watercoolers@energystar.gov by December 19, 2019. All comments will be posted to the ENERGY STAR Water Coolers Product Development website unless the submitter requests otherwise.

Stakeholder Meeting
EPA plans to host a stakeholder webinar on December 5, 2019 from 12:00 to 2:00 pm EST to review the Discussion Guide and address initial stakeholder comments and questions. Stakeholders interested in participating in this discussion should register here by December 4, 2019.

Please direct any specific questions to Tanja Crk, EPA, at Crk.Tanja@epa.gov or 202-566-1037, and Julia Hegarty, ICF, at julia.hegarty@icf.com or 202-862-1163.  

Thank you for your continued support of the ENERGY STAR program.

Sincerely,

Tanja Crk, Product Manager
ENERGY STAR Commercial Food Service, Vending, Water Coolers

Enclosures:
Version 3.0 Specification and Test Method Discussion Guide
Water Cooler Data Template

ENERGY STAR Data Center Storage Version 2.0 Draft 1 Specification

With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing the Draft 1, Version 2.0 ENERGY STAR data center storage specification. Stakeholders are encouraged to submit any comments to storage@energystar.gov by November 29, 2019.

EPA previously released a Discussion Guide for stakeholder review and comment focused on simplifications to the storage program, introducing EPA’s planned approach for differentiating based on active mode, and requesting initial feedback on the development of Emerald V4.0. EPA is now releasing a Draft 1 specification that considers all of the feedback received in response to the Discussion Guide. Note boxes throughout the specification provide EPA’s rationale for proposals. Also attached to this distribution is a data package that includes the EPA dataset, Draft 1 proposed levels, and potential product qualification estimates.

The Draft 1, Version 2.0 specification incorporates the following key elements:

Energy Criteria: Active state energy efficiency requirements have been proposed for Block I/O products optimized for transaction and/or streaming workloads. All Block I/O storage products will need to meet these requirements in order to certify. These requirements are not proposed to apply to File I/O products in Version 2.0, primarily due to an insufficient amount of File I/O product data to determine levels.

Internal Power Supplies (IPS)s: Based on stakeholder feedback, the stringency of the IPS requirements has been increased to align with 80Plus Platinum for single-output IPSs and 80Plus Gold for multi-output IPSs.

Simplified Testing: As proposed in the Discussion Guide, product families will be represented by a single optimal configuration test point per certified workload type. The simplification of test points will reduce test burden and greatly simplify the product family structure.

Comment Submittal
EPA welcomes stakeholder input on the attached Draft 1, Version 2.0 specification. Stakeholders are encouraged to submit any comments to storage@energystar.gov by November 29, 2019. All comments will be posted to the ENERGY STAR Product Development website unless the submitter requests otherwise.

Stakeholder Webinar
EPA will host a webinar to answer any questions on this Draft 1 specification on November 5, 2019 from 1-3 PM Eastern Time. Please register here if you plan on attending.

The exchange of ideas and information between EPA, industry, and other interested parties is critical to the success of ENERGY STAR. Specifications and meeting materials will be distributed via email and posted on the ENERGY STAR website. To track EPA’s progress on this specification, please visit the storage product development website.

Please contact me at Fogle.Ryan@epa.gov or 202-343-9153 or John Clinger, ICF, at John.Clinger@icf.com or 215-967-9407 with questions or concerns about this specification revision. For other Data Center Storage related questions, please contact storage@energystar.gov.

Thank you for your continued support of the ENERGY STAR program.

Sincerely,

Ryan Fogle
EPA Manager, ENERGY STAR for IT and Data Center Products
 
Enclosures:
Draft 1, Version 2.0 Specification
Draft 1 Data Package
 

ENERGY STAR Dehumidifiers 5.0 Effective Date Reminder
 
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would like to remind stakeholders that the effective date for the Version 5.0 ENERGY STAR Dehumidifiers Program Requirements is October 31, 2019. On this date, only products certified to Version 5.0 and submitted by EPA-recognized certification bodies (CBs) to EPA using the Version 5.0 web service will display on our list of certified models.
 
Please contact EPA at dehumidifiers@energystar.gov with any questions regarding the specification. CBs should direct questions concerning the submittal of Version 5.0 certified dehumidifiers to Certification@energystar.gov.
 
Thank you for your support of the ENERGY STAR program.

Register for EPA's Webinar about Room Air Cleaner Labeling Requirements
 
As noted in the ENERGY STAR Room Air Cleaner Version 2.0 Specification Cover Memo, EPA is hosting a webinar for stakeholders Tuesday, October 29th from 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM to review the new room air cleaner ENERGY STAR mark and updated disclaimer text.

During the webinar, EPA will discuss expectations for product labeling using the approved mark and answer any questions. 

EPA encourages manufacturers and retailers to attend. Please register here to attend.

Thank you,
The ENERGY STAR Appliance Team

Room Air Cleaners Final Version 2.0 Program Requirements
 
With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to share the Final ENERGY STAR Version 2.0 Room Air Cleaners Specification. EPA would like to thank the many stakeholders who have invested time and effort to contribute feedback that has informed this specification revision process.

Version 2.0 requirements will become effective on July 17, 2020. Room air cleaner products certifying for ENERGY STAR under the Version 2.0 specification will offer consumers a savings of more than 27% over a conventional model. This specification establishes new requirements to recognize the most efficient products, requires reporting of key metrics for consumers, and has optional criteria for connected functionality in room air cleaners. If all room air cleaners in the United States met these new requirements, the energy cost savings would grow to more than $400 million each year and more than 9 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions would be prevented.

This specification was developed through a process that included release of two draft specifications and one limited topic proposal, along with multiple stakeholder meetings and input from stakeholders. Stakeholder comments, previous drafts of the specification, and related materials are available on the ENERGY STAR Room Air Cleaners Version 2.0 Specification Development webpage.

EPA received a few stakeholder comments in response to the Final Draft specification all requesting clarification on definitions, instructions for significant digits and rounding, and test set up. EPA has made modest clarifying edits to the specification in response. EPA also summarizes these comments and the Agency’s responses in the enclosed comment response document. EPA specifically wants to call out the labeling requirements that were included in the Partner Commitments for the Final Draft. While use of the disclaimer label is not new to the Version 2.0, the label has been updated, and the Agency now hopes to make partners more aware of these requirements by highlighting them. EPA will hold a webinar for stakeholders Tuesday, October 29th from 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM to discuss the room air cleaner labeling requirements. Please register here to attend.

ENERGY STAR Computers Version 8.0 Final Specification

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to share the final Version 8.0 ENERGY STAR Computer Specification. EPA would like to thank the many stakeholders who have invested time and effort to contribute feedback that has informed this product specification process. These Version 8.0 requirements will take effect on July 15, 2020. This letter provides highlights of the new requirements and outlines the transition process.

The Version 8.0 specification will recognize the top performing desktop computer and integrated desktop products on the market. Notebooks and thin clients were not impacted by this specification revision as criteria for these products were amended as part of Version 7.1. ENERGY STAR certified computers will use, on average, approximately 50% less energy than standard desktop computers. If all desktop computers sold in the United States were ENERGY STAR certified, the cost savings would grow to nearly $300 million each year and nearly 5 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions would be prevented, equivalent to the emissions from nearly 500 thousand vehicles.

EPA has made some minor editorial changes to the final specification at the request of stakeholders. In particular, EPA made more clear that thin clients and workstations are not subject to resume time requirements and clarified that in order to obtain the ALLOWANCEProxy adder under Option 1, the desktop computer must meet ECMA 393 full capability. These edits are intended to improve understanding of the requirements. EPA did receive comments on the final draft specification requesting additional leniency on the criteria, particularly those for integrated desktops. EPA considered the requests, which included requests for supplemental adders for touch screen capabilities, but found that performance and market data did not support these changes and they worked against the Agency goals of delivering national energy savings and recognizing leadership products. EPA has provided more detailed responses to these requests in the accompanying comment response matrix.

Version 8.0 Transition Timeline and Next Steps
EPA shares partners’ desire for a smooth transition from one ENERGY STAR specification to the next so that consumer expectations are met and ENERGY STAR labeled products fully meet the new requirements upon their effective date. With this in mind, EPA has established the following timeline.

• Effective immediately, manufacturers may elect to have their Certification Body (CB) certify eligible products to the Version 8.0 requirements.
• After March 2, 2020, CBs will be instructed to stop certifying new product submittals to Version 7.1. Note, however, that existing certifications to Version 7.1 will remain valid for the purposes of ENERGY STAR certification until July 15, 2020.
  • Note that the ENERGY STAR test method has not changed substantially and therefore, there will be little need for the retesting of products for Version 8.0. Only the very few products with cyclical behavior, where the test method has changed, are expected to need to be retested. 
• Any computer manufactured as of July 15, 2020, must meet the Version 8.0 requirements to bear the ENERGY STAR mark. All certifications of products to the Version 7.1 specification will be invalid for purposes of ENERGY STAR and CBs will only submit product models certified to Version 8.0 to EPA.

On behalf of the EPA, I would like to thank all stakeholders who provided feedback during this specification revisions process and I look forward to working with you as you certify and market your ENERGY STAR certified computers. Please contact me at Fogle.Ryan@epa.gov or (202) 343-9153 or John Clinger, ICF, at John.Clinger@icf.com or (215) 967-9407 with questions or concerns regarding the specification. For any test method questions, please contact Jeremy Dommu, U.S. Department of Energy, Jeremy.Dommu@EE.Doe.Gov, or (202) 586-9870. For any other Computer related questions, please contact computers@energystar.gov. Thank you for your continued support of the ENERGY STAR program.

Sincerely, 

Ryan Fogle
EPA Manager, ENERGY STAR for IT and Data Center Products

Enclosures:
Version 8.0 Final Specification
Version 8.0 Final Draft Comment Response Document
Version 8.0 Final Data Analysis Package

ENERGY STAR Commercial Dishwashers Version 3.0 Draft 2 Specification

With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing the Draft 2, Version 3.0 ENERGY STAR Commercial Dishwasher Product Specification. This draft includes proposals in response to stakeholder feedback on the Draft 1 specification and additional data provided to EPA.

EPA will hold a webinar to discuss the Draft 2 specification on October 22 from 2pm to 4pm; please RSVP here for the specification webinar.  We encourage stakeholder input on the Draft 2, Version 3.0 ENERGY STAR Commercial Dishwasher Product Specification. Please submit any comments to commercialdishwashers@energystar.gov by November 7, 2019. 

All comments will be posted to the ENERGY STAR product development website unless the submitter requests otherwise.

EPA thanks stakeholders for their performance data and feedback on the Draft 1 specification. The enclosed comment response document contains a summary of comments on the Draft 1 specification and an explanation of EPA’s response in each case. A majority of comments, however, are directly addressed in the note boxes in the Draft 2 specification. Changes resulting from this information in Draft 2 include: revised performance requirements, addition of an energy recovery credit for washing performance, updated definitions including one for energy recovery, and planned data collection for future revisions.

Performance Criteria, Water Consumption: EPA received several comments from stakeholders on the Draft 1 water consumption requirements, on both the need for the requirement and the proposed requirement levels. EPA remains committed to ensuring that user experience is a top priority in product specifications, and thus is proposing to revert to ENERGY STAR commercial dishwasher product specification Version 2.0 water requirements for all dishmachine types. Multiple stakeholders commented that user experience would be negatively impacted if water requirements were made more stringent, due to a decrease in rinseability performance. Rinseability ensures that particles washed off dishware are not redeposited, maintaining proper appearance of clean and sanitized ware. EPA acknowledges that this requirement was historically provided as a substitute for washing performance metrics while the ASTM test procedures were in development. At the same time, protecting against trade-offs between energy efficiency gains and increased water consumption remains a priority. EPA notes that the industry is working on a test procedure that can quantify the relationship between water and rinseability via the NSF 3 standard, and expects to review and reference this test procedure once finalized by industry.

Performance Criteria, Washing Energy: EPA received comments and additional masked data regarding the Draft 1 proposed washing energy requirements. EPA thanks stakeholders for the additional product information, which allowed the Agency to confirm that proposed levels are appropriate, with minor modifications to ensure that multiple manufacturers and product types can meet them.

Performance Criteria, Idle Energy: EPA received comments from stakeholders that the current measurement of idle energy (door closed) omits the energy use in some cases of the internal / external booster heater, and recommended that this be included in the performance metric. EPA received data confirming that the booster heater did have significant power consumption and is measured in the ASTM test procedures (F1696/F1920). EPA is proposing to collect this data through Version 3.0 in order to update the idle energy requirement in a future revision. EPA notes that all existing idle performance data for ENERGY STAR omits this energy and, as such, there is insufficient data to incorporate booster heater idle energy into the existing idle format for Version 3.0.

Energy Recovery Credit: EPA received comments from multiple stakeholders that the current ASTM test procedures for washing energy need special considerations for energy recovery machines. Due to inlet temperature differences between energy recovery machines and conventional machines, the same dishmachine would appear to require additional energy when tested to the energy recovery case. EPA notes that a long term strategy that addresses this issue is to account for the pre-heat energy used by the machines, calculated in ASTM as the primary domestic hot water energy. EPA is proposing to collect this value through Version 3.0 to allow requirements to be developed in this format in a future revision. In the short term, EPA is proposing an energy recovery credit to the washing performance requirement, where dishmachines meeting proposed energy recovery definitions are eligible for a credit based on product water consumption (gal / rack), up to a maximum value.

Scope: Due to lack of product data and no existing certifications for low temp Pot Pan Utensil and Flight Type machines, EPA removed requirements for these configurations and placed them out of scope in Draft 1. EPA received no comments about this scope revision.

Definitions: EPA clarified several definitions, referencing NSF 170-2015 when possible, and included additional definitions based on stakeholder requests and comments. New definitions were constructed for energy recovery, based on user experience benefits for this technology. Stakeholders are encouraged to review the new and revised definitions to ensure they remain reflective of products on the market.

The exchange of ideas and information between the EPA, industry, and other interested parties is critical to the success of ENERGY STAR. Specifications and meeting materials will be distributed via email and posted on the ENERGY STAR website. To track the EPA’s progress on this specification, please visit the product development website.

Please contact me at Crk.Tanja@epa.gov or 202-566-1037 and Dan Baldewicz at Dan.Baldewicz@icf.com  or 518-452-6426 with questions or concerns. For any other commercial dishwasher related questions, please contact commercialdishwashers@energystar.gov.

Thank you for your continued support of the ENERGY STAR program.

Sincerely,

ENERGY STAR Imaging Equipment Version 3.0 Effective Date Reminder
 
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would like to remind stakeholders that the effective date for the Version 3.0 ENERGY STAR Imaging Equipment Program Requirements is October 11, 2019. On this date, only products certified to Version 3.0 and submitted by EPA-recognized certification bodies (CBs) to EPA using the Version 3.0 web service will display on our list of certified models.
 
Please contact EPA at imagingequipment@energystar.gov with any questions regarding the specification. CBs should direct questions concerning the submittal of Version 3.0 certified imaging equipment to Certification@energystar.gov.
 
Thank you for your support of the ENERGY STAR program.

Making Sense of the ENERGY STAR SHEMS Program

Confused about the recently-finalized ENERGY STAR Smart Home Energy Management Systems (SHEMS) Version 1.0 specification? Want to learn more about how it could impact your business or organization? Wondering what a SHEMS is?

To answer all of your questions and help interested device manufacturers, service providers, home builders, energy efficiency program sponsors, and retailers get on board as easily as possible, EPA will be hosting a series of “office hours” about the nascent SHEMS program. The series will consist of four hour-long webinars as noted on the schedule below. Each webinar will include three basic components: (1) general information about the program, (2) information targeted to a specific stakeholder group, and (3) answering questions from session attendees. All stakeholders are invited to attend as many or as few sessions as they would like.

•  October 16, 2019, 1-2pm ET: Making Sense of the ENERGY STAR SHEMS Program for Service Providers and Device Manufacturers

•  October 30, 2019, 1-2pm ET: Making Sense of the ENERGY STAR SHEMS Program for Retailers

•  November 13, 2019, 1-2pm ET: Working Toward Smart Efficiency: an Overview of the SHEMS Specification for Energy Efficiency Program Sponsors

•  December 4, 2019, 1-2pm ET: Making Sense of the ENERGY STAR SHEMS Program for Home Builders

To register for a session, please follow the hyperlink for the relevant session name. Please send additional questions and any requests for material to cover to SmartHomeSystems@energystar.gov.

Thank you for your continued support of ENERGY STAR, and we look forward to making sense of SHEMS

ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2020 Final Recognition Criteria
Please visit here for important correspondence from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concerning the final recognition criteria for ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2020. On the ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2020 Criteria Development web page, you will find the final recognition criteria documents for fourteen eligible product categories, the EPA cover memo, and a stakeholder comment summary with EPA response. The proposed criteria for Dehumidifiers will be shared with stakeholders this fall. The updated HVAC application will be available by January 1, 2020.

Please contact MostEfficient@energystar.gov with any questions.

Thank you for your continued support of ENERGY STAR.

Energy Star Newsletter Summer 2019

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regularly updates ENERGY STAR product specifications. For every specification, product performance data submissions from partners are foundational to the process. Proposed efficiency levels tend to be based on the performance of existing certified models as well as data offered by manufacturers and other stakeholders during the specification process. Establishing requirements that reflect the performance of the highest efficiency models available sometimes requires going beyond the data at hand and anticipating the market. To this end, EPA relies on insights shared by stakeholders and partners to help the Agency anticipate important trends in the market. For more information on EPA’s SOP for ENERGY STAR specification setting click here.

The following information includes some helpful reminders as you prepare for upcoming specification changes and manage your inventory of ENERGY STAR certified products.

Recent and upcoming specification activities include:

•-ENERGY STAR Refrigerated Beverage Vending Machines Final Version 4.0
EPA released the ENERGY STAR Refrigerated Beverage Vending Machines Final Version 4.0 on July 30, 2019. Version 4.0 requirements will become effective on April 29, 2020. This specification establishes updated definitions, scope, and energy and low power mode requirements in alignment with and in response to the Department of Energy (DOE) federal minimum standard that came into effect on January 8, 2019. To review the Version 4.0, please visit the product development webpage, here. Newly certified products will be added to Product Finder under vending machines.

•-ENERGY STAR Commercial Dishwashers Draft 2 Version 3.0
EPA released the ENERGY STAR Commercial Dishwashers Draft 1 Version 3.0 specification on April 3, 2019. The Version 3.0 specification proposes the introduction of a wash energy metric, amendments to the current ENERGY STAR criteria levels, scope changes, and updates to the referenced test methods. Draft 2 is expected for publication and comment soon! For more information on activities performed to date in preparation for this revision, please visit the product development webpage, here. Contact commercialdishwashers@energystar.gov with any questions or comments.

•-ENERGY STAR Commercial Ovens Draft 1 Version 3.0
ENERGY STAR Commercial Ovens Draft 1 Version 3.0 development is underway with anticipated release in winter 2019. As part of a separate but related effort, ENERGY STAR is scoping induction stovetop technology, please contact commercialovens@energystar.gov for details.

•-ENERGY STAR Water Coolers Discussion Guide
ENERGY STAR Water Coolers discussion guide is underway with anticipated release in fall 2019. Contact watercoolers@energystar.gov with any questions or comments.

For more information regarding the ENERGY STAR specification process or additional CFS equipment updates, visit energystar.gov/productdevelopment.

ENERGY STAR Component Inspection Verification Program Update

To ensure consumer confidence in the ENERGY STAR label and to protect the investment of ENERGY STAR partners, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires third-party certification of product models that earn the label. Prior to labeling, products are tested in an EPA-recognized laboratory and reviewed by an EPA-recognized certification body (CB). In addition, post–market verification testing is conducted on a portion of ENERGY STAR certified products. For commercial food service (CFS) product categories, EPA is developing an alternative to post-market testing that involves component inspection, with commercial steam cookers the first to be completed.

Participation in the component inspection verification program will be optional for qualified CFS partners and certification bodies to use as an alternative to traditional energy testing, for verification test purposes only. Recent EPA activities to expand the program include completing a review of the commercial steam cooker program results from 2018, discussing the energy impacts associated with changes in software controls, and reviewing information provided by CBs and partners about existing component verification programs. It is anticipated that ongoing discussions between EPA and stakeholders will lead to a draft CFS component inspection directive by 2019, which will expand upon the current steam cooker directive when finalized. The final directive will apply to an initial subset of CFS products to be determined by EPA, and will clarify the process for onboarding other CFS product categories. Please contact Brian Krausz (Krausz.Brian@epa.gov) with any questions about the CFS component inspection verification program.

The ENERGY STAR Industrial Workshop meeting will be held September 23 through September 24 in Washington, D.C. Energy managers from industrial companies across America are invited to meet in a no-sell environment to learn and discuss proven strategies for reducing energy costs and improving environmental footprints. Join the discussion and gain real-world sustainability best practices for energy efficiency from top U.S. industrial experts. This Workshop would be particularly useful to anyone interested in learning more about ENERGY STAR partnership for buildings. Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) is processing registrations for both the ENERGY STAR workshop and AEE World (formerly WEEC). Registration is required to attend the ENERGY STAR Industrial Workshop. Visit the event page for more details, here.

2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting Recap

Thanks to all who traveled to Charlotte, NC for the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting. Retailers, manufacturers, energy efficiency program sponsors, third-party program implementers, and other stakeholders were all well represented among the 500 people who joined the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for three busy days of meetings and sessions. So much work got done! Meeting participants made productive use of 12 available meeting rooms for more than 220 individual working meetings, collaborating on the best ways to promote sales of ENERGY STAR certified products. In addition to organizing and moderating presentation sessions, ENERGY STAR program staff participated in close to 150 hours of meetings with various ENERGY STAR partners. And 20 different companies brought energy efficiency to life, displaying their ENERGY STAR certified products as part of the Product Expo.

Special thanks to our meeting sponsors, who were ably facilitated by Nationwide Marketing Group. We are especially grateful to Nationwide for enlightening attendees with insights on the independent retailer perspective.   

In case you missed it, here are some additional highlights:

Efficiency Programs and Approaches

• Faced with changing technologies and policies impacting energy efficiency, regional energy efficiency organizations provided insights into new drivers of energy efficiency in their area, which ranged from state carbon goals, gas constraints, and electrification not just of transportation, but also of other end uses such as water heating and heat and cooling systems.

• With a little added focus and some innovative program approaches, there are plenty of cost-effective savings to be had, featuring ENERGY STAR certified products. One increasingly popular approach recognizes low-to-middle income (LMI) audiences as an opportunity audience for energy efficiency, with companies like Walmart experiencing how the ENERGY STAR message can resonate with them. In the face of ongoing uncertainty, sponsors of lighting programs are finding success by focusing on specialty bulbs. Although more challenging, heat pump water heaters present a tremendous opportunity, particularly when you consider leveraging one of the effective midstream, distributor program models currently being piloted (Efficiency Maine, Duke Energy, and Uplight).  And who can say just how much future potential there might be when it comes to smart home energy management systems (ICF, Centerpoint Energy, and Constellation).

• Utility investments in ENERGY STAR certified smart thermostat programs are gaining momentum, as reflected in the 39% jump in sales nationally in 2018 (Baltimore Gas & Electric, Ecobee, and Uplight).
• With the prospect of increased electrification comes the imperative to do it efficiently and a heightened interest in residential space heating. Ductless heat pump mini-splits have the potential to play an important role (Mitsubishi, CLEAResult, the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, and Eversource). Some utilities are grappling with the challenges associated with developing electric vehicle charging programs, while ENERGY STAR charging equipment partners are leveraging the new business opportunity.

• Recognizing the critical role of third-party program implementers, EPA is offering program support tailored for you. Learn more about how your business interests and the ENERGY STAR program might intersect here (Peter Banwell, Dan Cronin, Abi Daken, and Jill Vohr).

• In its fourth year, with more than 15% of the US market served and nearly 70% of the appliance market represented by committed and engaged retailers, the ENERGY STAR Retail Products Platform is ready to grow. The group is working to introduce greater flexibility to better meet the needs of program sponsors seeking to leverage this platform for strategic collaboration with retailers and manufacturers across the country. Contact EPA to learn more about ESRPP and how this powerful midstream platform could work for your energy efficiency programs.

ENERGY STAR Program Developments

• EPA was pleased to unveil the newly finalized ENERGY STAR program for labeling smart home energy management systems (SHEMS). Learn more about how it will work and visions for the future here.

• Progress continues, with valuable input from key stakeholders, on the development of “connected” criteria and a demand response test procedure for residential water heaters. A broad group of stakeholders are participating in bringing ENERGY STAR certified heat pump water heaters with load shifting capability to the market as early as mid-2020.
• Taking to heart input from stakeholders about issues such as timing, EPA is exploring new options for an upcoming revision to the ENERGY STAR specification for central air conditioning/air source heat pumps. Draft 2 is expected to be released for comment before Thanksgiving.
• It continues to be a priority for the ENERGY STAR Program to ensure that energy efficiency in products comes with high performance and attractive features. ENERGY STAR partners like Samsung and BSH continue to innovate to deliver on this promise.

• Applications for 2020 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Awards are now available. The online application system will be available in mid-October, and the deadline for submission will be in early December. For the latest information visit www.energystar.gov/awards.

Outreach and Marketing

• ENERGY STAR partners continue to innovate successful strategies for driving consumer adoption of energy-saving products with added value from ENERGY STAR. Eversource’s innovative “outside-in” approach brings together a trifecta of understanding customer needs, what messages resonate and engage them, and what media channels effectively reach them. The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance featured a cutting edge approach to consumer research and how integrating ENERGY STAR into product messaging made a big difference in consumer interest and adoption. Attendees also learned about ways to optimize outreach around ENERGY STAR as the quintessential ingredient brand.

• Residential heat pump water heaters present a significant efficiency opportunity with a compelling customer savings message. Experts in the field shared insights on effective ways to market them (D&R International, United Illuminating, A.O. Smith).  Featured resources include the online ENERGY STAR product finder which includes specifics on local installers with heat pump water heater experience. The mobile-friendly ENERGY STAR Water Heater Replacement Guide helps potential purchasers determine whether a heat pump water heater is right for their home.

• The ENERGY STAR Program is reinvigorating outreach efforts (C+C, ICF) to raise awareness and demand for  ENERGY STAR certified HVAC with an ambitious media plan set for this fall which include the debut of a new online consumer buying guide, replacement calculator, and product finder. Now is the time to look toward aligning your HVAC programs with ENERGY STAR.

• Nationally coordinated ENERGY STAR product promotions continue throughout this year with big plans for 2020.  Over the past year, they generated a total of 1.3 billion impressions and 3.3 million pageviews reaching a total of more than 100 million households through partner participation. Upcoming fall promotions will feature heating, lighting, smart thermostats and water heaters. Take advantage of marketing materials and messaging available here. For next year’s promotional schedule see the ENERGY STAR Outreach Calendar.
• ENERGY STAR Day 2019 is right around the corner – set for October 22. Join us in the celebration by encouraging your audiences to Save Today, Save Tomorrow, and Save for Good with ENERGY STAR.

Tools and Resources

• Attention web content managers – the ENERGY STAR Program offers a range of free resources designed to enhance the consumer experience on your website. ENERGY STAR certified product lists can be tailored automatically and made available on your website through APIs. Energy-saving advice, maintained by the ENERGY STAR program, can also be automatically tailored and packaged for your use. Product Finders have been updated to offer consumers a one- stop-shop for buying guidance, savings tips, tools, rebates, as well as price and location data – representing an off-the-shelf marketplace that you can readily leverage for your customers.

For access to all of this year’s presentations, please visit www.energystar.gov/partnermeeting and click on the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting Presentations link.

EPA is researching venues and dates in September 2020 for next year’s ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting.

Room Air Cleaners Final Draft Specification Version 2.0
 
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) welcomes your input on the ENERGY STAR Room Air Cleaners Version 2.0 Final Draft Specification. This draft addresses stakeholder feedback on the Draft 1 Specification and a limited topic proposal that were released in March and June 2019, respectively. The proposed effective date of this Version 2.0 Room Air Cleaners Specification is July 17, 2020.
 
EPA highlights key changes in the Final Draft below and provides rationale for these proposed changes in noteboxes throughout the specification. Additionally, EPA responds to comments received on other topics in the accompanying comment response document.

• On Mode Requirements – EPA received stakeholder feedback indicating that the proposed Smoke CADR/W criteria for the lowest size bin may cause products sold at a lower price point to be unable to qualify for the ENERGY STAR label. As a result, EPA reduced the Minimum Smoke CADR/W from 2.1 to 1.9 to increase the selection of certified products that are smaller and less expensive. Stakeholders also shared concern that products with HEPA filters would not be represented in the models meeting the Version 2.0 criteria. EPA reviewed stakeholder and EPA-gathered in-store data and ENERGY STAR Retail Products Platform on-line data and concluded that a good selection of HEPA models in all size bins are eligible for the ENERGY STAR at proposed levels. Finally, EPA clarified that the rated Smoke CADR and the measured operating power be used to calculate CADR/Watt for each product.
• Partial On Mode Requirements – EPA received stakeholder feedback that some room air cleaner products with Wi-Fi capability require additional steps upon shipment to properly set up a network connection to the product. In order to clarify how products with Wi-Fi capability should be tested, the specification now notes that products with this capability should be tested with Wi-Fi enabled and a network connection properly configured. As a result, all products with Wi-Fi capability will be tested with it enabled and configured properly and will be eligible to receive the 1 watt network connected power allowance in Partial On Mode.
• Reporting Requirements – EPA expanded the information that will be reported on the ENERGY STAR certified product list to provide consumers with valuable details about the product (e.g., filter type and model number).
• Optional Connected Criteria – The connected criteria that EPA sought comment on separately are now included in Section 4 of the Final Draft. EPA learned through stakeholder comments that these criteria are somewhat forward looking. However, EPA believes that they provide a level playing field for partners who are interested in providing or incentivizing this functionality and has maintained the criteria as proposed. EPA responded to stakeholder feedback in the accompanying connected criteria comment response document.
• Test Method – EPA has included additional instructions for properly configuring a network connection to ensure this is done in a repeatable manner.

Stakeholders are requested to provide any remaining comments on the Version 2.0 Final Draft Specification no later than September 26, 2019. Please send comments via e-mail to roomaircleaners@energystar.gov. All comments received will be posted to the ENERGY STAR Room Air Cleaners Version 2.0 Specification Development webpage, unless the submitter specifically requests that his or her comments remain confidential.
 
Please contact Park.Ga-Young@epa.gov or (202) 564-1085, or Emmy Feldman, ICF, at Emmy.Feldman@icf.com or (202) 862-1145, with any questions or concerns about the specification. For questions about the test method, please contact Stephanie Johnson, DOE, at Stephanie.Johnson@ee.doe.gov or (202) 287-1943. Thank you for your continued support of the ENERGY STAR program.

ENERGY STAR Computers Version 8.0 Final Draft Specification

With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing the Final Draft, Version 8.0 ENERGY STAR Computer specification and Final Draft, Computers Test Method. EPA thanks stakeholders for the feedback that they provided and has taken that feedback into consideration in developing this draft specification. EPA has included an anticipated effective date of July 15, 2020 for the Version 8.0 specification.

This final draft reflects significant engagement with stakeholders and strikes a reasonable balance across the numerous criteria that make up this specification. In response to stakeholder feedback, EPA has made modest adjustments to a select set of adders including reducing the adder for hard disk drives and notebook storage and adding an adder for higher throughput ports used by higher end content creation products. EPA has also made minor adjustments to the base allowances that account for the changes to the adder values. In addition, EPA has amended the incentive structure for full network connectivity to allow for tiered incentives based on how efficient the alternative low power mode is and to provide access to the incentive by integrated desktops.

Stakeholders may submit any comments on this Final Draft specification to computers@energystar.gov no later than September 24, 2019. All comments will be posted to the ENERGY STAR Product Development website unless the submitter requests otherwise.

The exchange of ideas and information between EPA, industry, and other interested parties is critical to the success of ENERGY STAR. Specifications and meeting materials will be distributed via email and posted on the ENERGY STAR website. To track EPA’s progress on this specification, please visit the computers product development website.

Please contact me at Fogle.Ryan@epa.gov or (202) 343-9153 or John Clinger, ICF, at John.Clinger@icf.com or (215) 967-9407 with questions or concerns regarding the specification. For any test method questions, please contact Jeremy Dommu, U.S. Department of Energy, Jeremy.Dommu@EE.Doe.Gov, or (202) 586-9870. For any other Computer related questions, please contact computers@energystar.gov. Thank you for your continued support of the ENERGY STAR program.

Sincerely,

Ryan Fogle
EPA Manager, ENERGY STAR for IT and Data Center Products

Enclosures:
Final Draft, Version 8.0 Specification
Final Draft, Computers Test Method
Draft 2, Comment Response Matrix

Join us in celebrating ENERGY STAR Day on Tuesday, October 22, 2019!

Each year, ENERGY STAR Day brings together the Environmental Protection Agency and its partners in celebrating the value of saving energy, saving money, and protecting the climate. For ENERGY STAR Day 2019, we are bringing back our aspirational theme from 2018: Save Today, Save Tomorrow, Save for Good with ENERGY STAR. The idea is simple. With ENERGY STAR certified products, you can save today with rebates and other deals, save tomorrow with energy savings, and save for good – for all the good things you want in your life and for a healthier planet for you and your family.
 

This year we will use social media to raise awareness of the benefits of ENERGY STAR certified products, with a particular focus on providing energy-saving opportunities to underserved audiences that need it the most. Our goal? To ensure that energy savings with ENERGY STAR is accessible and affordable for everyone.

How to Participate 

Make your voice heard on social media on Tuesday, October 22, 2019.

Join us by raising awareness and offering opportunities for your audience to save for good with ENERGY STAR. Help amplify our message to the entire country.

Let's see how far our collective voice can reach! 

• When: Tuesday, October 22 (ALL DAY)
• Where: Social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.)
• How: Use the hashtag #ENERGYSTARDay to join the conversation!

Find sample social media, a video, and graphics in our ENERGY STAR Day Toolkit! We have added social images and sample posts specific to product types, such as lighting, appliances, smart thermostats, water heaters, and more to support participation regardless of the ENERGY STAR certified products you want to promote.

If you have any initiatives that provide opportunities for saving energy to those that need it the most, such as income-qualified programs and/or special deals on ENERGY STAR certified products, we invite you to promote these initiatives on ENERGY STAR Day. EPA will feature them on our ENERGY STAR Day landing page, energystar.gov/SaveForGood.
 

What will EPA be doing?

Throughout October, EPA will be conducting paid outreach through a mix of media, including broad outreach to amplify the celebration of energy-savings, as well as targeted outreach to underserved audiences based on our customer segmentation data. All outreach will drive traffic to an ENERGY STAR Day web page featuring Product Finder and a showcase of partner initiatives.

If you have questions, please contact your ENERGY STAR Regional Account Manager by emailing eeaccountmanager@energystar.gov. If you are a retail or manufacturer partner, please reach out to changetheworld@energystar.gov. We look forward to your participation in another successful ENERGY STAR Day celebration!

The ENERGY STAR Communications Team

For more information, visit: www.energystar.gov

SHEMS Final Version 1.0 Specification

With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to share the Version 1.0 ENERGY STAR SHEMS Program Requirements and Method to Determine Field Performance. EPA would like to thank the many stakeholders who contributed to the development of this specification. The specification is effective immediately and service providers may begin certifying their products once they have the required field data and have signed an ENERGY STAR Partnership Agreement.

The Version 1.0 specification establishes required energy-saving SHEMS features designed to deliver cost savings as well as user convenience. These features include reliable occupancy-based control of connected devices, user feedback and display of energy use data, limiting the standby power of required devices, and the inclusion of an ENERGY STAR certified connected thermostat. The specification requires periodic submission of statistical analysis of field data gathered from installations of the certified SHEMS package. EPA will use this data to affirm specification compliance, develop a performance metric, and assess energy savings potential in the coming years.

We are excited about the potential for the ENERGY STAR label to help service providers increase the demand for qualifying SHEMS packages in an increasingly competitive market where consumers seek purchase advice and guidance. More than 90 percent of American households recognize the ENERGY STAR label, three-fourths of purchasers of ENERGY STAR products indicate the label was influential and four of five purchasers would recommend ENERGY STAR products to friends. More than 700 utilities and other energy efficiency program sponsors, reaching roughly 95 percent of U.S. households in all 50 states, leverage ENERGY STAR to deliver greater energy efficiency. The estimated annual market value of ENERGY STAR product sales is more than $100 billion. 

This specification was developed through rigorous engagement with stakeholders including working groups, three draft specifications, and numerous meetings. EPA received several comments and letters of support in response of the Final Draft specification. In response to comments received, EPA made several minor editorial changes and clarified the expectations for water heater connectivity and the applicability of the marketing requirements to packages marketed to end users. Additional comments are addressed in the accompanying comment response document. EPA appreciates all comments and letters of support.

Next Steps

The effective date for the Version 1.0 SHEMS specification is September 3, 2019. Service providers new to the ENERGY STAR program may submit a Partnership Agreement to join@energystar.gov to initiate the application process for the SHEMS program. For information about this process, please visit www.energystar.gov/join. Existing partners or applicants do not need to take any action to indicate their intention to certify SHEMS products.  

Certification bodies (CBs) may submit applications for EPA recognition. EPA expects to announce the first set of recognized CBs in late September. Third-party laboratories interested in obtaining EPA recognition for the ENERGY STAR SHEMS program may also submit an application for EPA recognition. Laboratories are eligible for expedited recognition if they are already accredited to IEC 62301 and recognized by EPA for testing other product categories. First-party labs can be recognized and conduct testing if they participate in a witnessed or supervised testing program run by an EPA-recognized CB. For more information, please visit www.energystar.gov/3rdPartyCert. EPA will host a mandatory webinar for CBs seeking recognition for this category on September 4, 2019 from 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Eastern Time. Interested CBs may register for the mandatory webinar here.

Third-Party Certification

SHEMS service providers may certify their SHEMS packages once they have compiled their initial field data submission. EPA has clarified in the Method to Determine Field Performance that platform capabilities that do not impact energy saving algorithms are not required to be present in the field data submission for initial certification.

All new products must be certified by an EPA-recognized certification body before being marketed as ENERGY STAR. Upon meeting all certification requirements, a CB will notify the Partner that the product is ENERGY STAR certified and will submit certified product data to EPA for listing on the ENERGY STAR website. For more information on the Third-Party Certification program please visit www.energystar.gov/3rdpartycert. After certification, partners will submit statistical analysis of field data gathered from installations of the certified SHEMS package to EPA every 6 months and will update their product listing if any required element of the SHEMS package changes.

Please note that ENERGY STAR partnership as a SHEMS service provider is limited to organizations that own and/or license a brand name under which they provide the SHEMS service in the United States and/or Canada. Partnership is not available to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), in this case including original service providers that do not own a consumer-facing service brand. It is typical for hardware and service OEMs to work with ENERGY STAR partners to gather required field data and test data.

On behalf of EPA, we appreciate your participation in the development of this specification and look forward to working with each of you as you certify and promote your SHEMS products. Please contact Abigail Daken at daken.abigail@epa.gov or (202) 343-9375 and Taylor Jantz-Sell (returning January 2020) at jantz-sell.taylor@epa.gov or (202) 343-9042 with specific questions. General questions can be sent to smarthomesystems@energystar.gov.

Thank you for your continued support of the ENERGY STAR program.

Join Us for the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting

Charlotte, North Carolina | September 10-12

Get excited for the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting! The ENERGY STAR team has developed a session specifically geared for lighting partners. This session is meant to help partners learn about the latest market insights and specialty bulbs. It's not too late to register! Visit the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting page to register and for other meeting information.

View the latest agenda to start planning your time in Charlotte and make sure to join ENERGY STAR for the following sessions on September 12:

ENERGY STAR Lighting Updates & What's So Special About Specialty Bulbs?
September 12, 12:45 - 1:45pm

This session will address how ENERGY STAR can help partners seize persisting market potential in the lighting market. We will dive into recent research on specialty bulb market share and remaining savings potential. Join us in exploring how utilities incentivize consumers to look for the ENERGY STAR when purchasing LED specialty bulbs and learn about ENERGY STAR resources that lighting programs can use to promote these bulbs.

Moderator: Jessica Lorenz

Speakers:
Dan Rogers, ICF
Tom Cohen, Greenlite
Daniel Cote, CLEAResult

The ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting is also a great time to set up networking meetings and interact with other ENERGY STAR stakeholders. The schedule for this year's meeting opens the opportunity for even more networking than in previous years. One-on-one networking rooms are now available. Learn how you can reserve meeting rooms HERE.

Key Meeting Reminders:

Meeting location: The Westin Charlotte
601 South Collete Street
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
(704) 375-2600

https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/cltcw-the-westin-charlotte/

Rooms in the ENERGY STAR room block are limited and available on a first come, first served basis. Please make your arrangements as soon as possible.

Updates on meeting will be provided as they become available and will also be posted on the ENERGY STAR meetings page at https://www.energystar.gov/partnermeeting.

Dear ENERGY STAR^® Partners and Stakeholders,

2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting Update – 3 DAYS LEFT TO REGISTER

EPA is pleased to provide you with the following updates for the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting, which will be held September 10 – 12, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

1. Time Sensitive! JUST 3 DAYS LEFT TO REGISTER - ONLINE REGISTRATION CLOSES AUGUST 21
2. Reminder!  HOTEL ROOM BLOCK ALMOST SOLD OUT
3. New!  LOCAL TRANSPORTATION
4. New!  ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM SPONSORS – YOU’RE INVITED! FITTED FOR THE FUTURE: A DISCUSSION ON EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES
5. CO-SPONSORS

Meeting Location: The Westin Charlotte
601 South College Street
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
(704) 375-2600
https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/cltcw-the-westin-charlotte/

For full meeting details, please visit the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting webpage.

JUST 3 DAYS LEFT TO REGISTER – ONLINE REGISTRATION EXTENDED TO AUGUST 21

Register Now!
 
Online registration is open for just 3 more days, through Wednesday, August 21.
 
To register, please click on the link above or visit the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting page and click on the green “Register Today” button.
 
Reminder: As of August 14, we are no longer able to accept cancellations and registration refunds, under any circumstances, due to hotel commitments.
 
*The $309 per person registration fee includes optional breakfast, lunch, and meeting breaks for the duration of the meeting. This fee is remitted in its entirety to the hotel to cover the cost of food and beverages provided. EPA and its contractors do not keep any portion of the fee for any purpose. If you require a kosher meal, please indicate this in the "special requirements" field during registration.
 
All attendees, including ENERGY STAR Expo exhibitors, must pay the meeting registration fee if they wish to partake of the food and beverages provided by the Westin Charlotte for meeting attendees. Registration fees are not included in ENERGY STAR Product Expo booth payments.

HOTEL ROOM BLOCK ALMOST SOLD OUT
The ENERGY STAR room block for the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting is almost sold out.
 
Although space is limited, the Westin Charlotte may still have rooms at the discounted ENERGY STAR meeting rate of $219/night available on certain dates. There may also be rooms available at the standard (non-discounted) rates. 
 
To explore all your accommodation options at the Westin Charlotte, please call reservations directly at 866-837-4148.
 
If your preferred dates are not available at the Westin, the following nearby venues may have availability:

• Courtyard by Marriott Charlotte City Center
• Aloft Charlotte Uptown at the EpiCentre
• Charlotte Marriott City Center

• LOCAL TRANSPORTATION 
  Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) is approximately 7 miles from the Westin Charlotte.
  
  Suggested options for getting to and from the Westin include:

• Airport Taxi (one-way): approximately $25
• Uber/Lyft (one-way): approximately $16
• Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) Bus (one-way): approximately $3 – the Westin is located at the College St. & Stonewall St. stop  

• More information on how to access the Westin by plane, train, bus, or car can be found here.

ENERGY STAR Luminaires Version 2.2 Final Specification
 
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized minor adjustments to the ENERGY STAR Luminaires specification, reflected in a Version 2.2 (V2.2). Current certifications will not be affected by these changes. Comments received in response to the proposed adjustments were minimal. The final V2.2 specification and EPA’s response to comments received are posted at www.energystar.gov/luminaires.
 
Finalized adjustments include:

      1.    Personal Device Charging: products such as portable floor and desk task lights with integral USB chargers and AC outlets
             are no longer excluded from the scope of the Luminaires specification.
      2.    New Method of Measurement: ANSI/IES LM-79-19 is now an acceptable method of measurement for new
             product certifications.
      3.    Integral Battery Packs: Section 1.1 now clearly indicates that products with integral battery packs intended for emergency
             light source operation in the event of loss of normal power are not excluded for the purposes of ENERGY STAR certification.
      4.    Inseparable Other SSL Luminaires: A formal definition for inseparable “other” now clarifies that solid state (LED) luminaire
             types not otherwise itemized in the directional scope must be measured with luminaire photometry. Clarification was also added
             to express that directional types that are called out in the specification can be separable or inseparable. The
             exemption of inseparable other products from Color Angular Uniformity and Luminaire Serviceability requirements was
             always intended and is now explicitly stated as well.
      5.    Qualified Product Exchange form: EPA has updated the Qualified Product Exchange forms to simplify the certification of
             models that could be considered more than one luminaire type (e.g. recessed downlight and downlight SSL retrofit) so long as
             they meet all relevant requirements for each luminaire type.

EPA appreciates your contribution to the development of this specification and welcomes individual inquiries; please contact Peter Banwell, EPA, at (202) 343-9408 or banwell.peter@epa.gov or Daniel Rogers, ICF, at (908) 233-0554 or lighting@energystar.gov. Thank you for your support of ENERGY STAR.

Sincerely,

Taylor Jantz-Sell 
ENERGY STAR Lighting Program Manager
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Products Partner Meeting Update - ONLINE REGISTRATION EXTENDED UNTIL AUGUST 21

EPA is pleased to provide you with the following updates for the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting, which will be held September 10 – 12, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

1. ACT NOW! ONLINE REGISTRATION EXTENDED TO AUGUST 21
2. ACT NOW!  HOTEL ROOM BLOCK ALMOST SOLD OUT
3. UPDATED! AGENDA AND AGENDA COMPANION DOCUMENT UPDATED
4. CO-SPONSORS

For full meeting details, please visit the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting webpage.

ACT NOW! ONLINE REGISTRATION EXTENDED TO AUGUST 21

Register Now!
 
Online registration has been extended through Wednesday, August 21.
 
To register, please click on the link above or visit the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting page and click on the green “Register Today” button.
 
Please note: As of August 14, we are no longer able to accept cancellations and registration refunds, under any circumstances, due to hotel commitments.
 
*The $309 per person registration fee includes optional breakfast, lunch, and meeting breaks for the duration of the meeting. This fee is remitted in its entirety to the hotel to cover the cost of food and beverages provided. EPA and its contractors do not keep any portion of the fee for any purpose. If you require a kosher meal, please indicate this in the "special requirements" field during registration.
 
All attendees, including ENERGY STAR Expo exhibitors, must pay the meeting registration fee if they wish to partake of the food and beverages provided by the Westin Charlotte for meeting attendees. Registration fees are not included in ENERGY STAR Product Expo booth payments.

ACT NOW! HOTEL ROOM BLOCK ALMOST SOLD OUT
The ENERGY STAR room block for the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting is almost sold out.
 
Although space is limited, the Westin Charlotte may still have rooms at the discounted ENERGY STAR meeting rate of $219/night available on certain dates. There may also be rooms available at the standard (non-discounted) rates. 
 
To explore all your accommodation options at the Westin Charlotte, please call reservations directly at 866-837-4148.
 
If your preferred dates are not available at the Westin, the following nearby venues may have availability:

• Courtyard by Marriott Charlotte City Center
• Aloft Charlotte Uptown at the EpiCentre
• Charlotte Marriott City Center

• ---

UPDATED! AGENDA AND AGENDA COMPANION DOCUMENT
The 2019 ENERGY STAR Product Partner Meeting preliminary agenda and agenda companion document with detailed session descriptions have been updated with some minor schedule changes. A version of this companion document with speaker information will be circulated to those registered by August 21 immediately in advance of the meeting. Please note that these documents are still subject to change.

Please contact partnermeeting@energystar.gov with any questions.

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you in Charlotte!

 
The ENERGY STAR Team

1 WEEK REGISTRATION & SLEEPING ROOM REMINDER

EPA is pleased to provide you with the following updates for the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting, which will be held September 10 – 12, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

URGENT & TIME SENSITIVE!
1. JUST 1 WEEK LEFT TO REGISTER – ONLINE REGISTRATION CLOSES ON AUGUST 14
2. SLEEPING ROOM CUT-OFF REMINDER
REMINDERS:
3. ONE-ON-ONE NETWORKING SESSIONS: SIGN UP INSTRUCTIONS
4. PRELIMINARY MEETING AGENDA AND AGENDA COMPANION DOCUMENT
5. MEETING CO-SPONSORS

JUST 1 WEEK LEFT TO REGISTER – ONLINE REGISTRATION CLOSES ON AUGUST 14
The Westin Charlotte is pleased to offer attendees a full breakfast, lunch, and breaks throughout the meeting for a cost of $309 per person.

Registration for the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting is open for just 1 more week until August 14, 2019. To register, please visit the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting online registration page.
 
 Benefits of registering online before August 14 include:

• Receipt of all final meeting materials one week prior to the meeting (these are only sent to attendees who registered);
• Advance notice to your peers that you will be attending the meeting, allowing them to connect with you in advance to arrange one-on-one networking sessions and other meetings;
• Inclusion of your name and organization in the online meeting participant list that is updated in real time on the online meeting registration page, and distributed via email to all registered attendees immediately prior to the meeting; and
• Pre-printed name badges for faster onsite check-in.

After August 14th, attendees can only register for the meeting onsite.  After August 14th, cancellations and registration refunds cannot be accepted under any circumstances, due to hotel commitments.
 
All attendees, including ENERGY STAR Expo exhibitors, must pay the meeting registration fee if they wish to partake of the food and beverages provided by the Westin Charlotte for meeting attendees. Registration fees are not included in ENERGY STAR Product Expo booth payments.

*This per person fee is remitted in its entirety to the hotel to cover the cost of food and beverages provided. EPA and its contractors do not keep any portion of the fee for any purpose. If you require a kosher meal, please indicate this in the "special requirements" field during registration.

SLEEPING ROOM CUTOFF REMINDER
Sleeping rooms at The Westin Charlotte are going fast. Rooms are limited and available on a first come, first served basis, so please make your arrangements as soon as possible. The hotel’s cut-off for reserving rooms in the ENERGY STAR room block is August 24, 2019.

Meeting location: The Westin Charlotte
601 South College Street
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
(704) 375-2600
https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/cltcw-the-westin-charlotte/
 
To book your rooms at The Westin Charlotte

• Go to 2019 ENERGY STAR Partner Meetings to link to a personalized web site for the ENERGY STAR room block (recommended).
• Call reservations directly at 866-837-4148 and refer to “ENERGY STAR” 

Sleeping room rates (all applicable state and local taxes are additional):

• $219/night - double
• Rates will be available 3 days prior and 3 days after the event, subject to availability at the time of reservation.

ONE-ON-ONE NETWORKING SESSIONS: SIGN-UP INSTRUCTIONS 
As in past years, EPA is offering attendees a number of rooms to conduct independent meetings over the meeting dates. For information on scheduling a meeting room, please see the one-on-one networking session guidelines. Please note that in order to provide all partners equal access to these rooms, EPA has limited the initial number of slots available to each requester, with additional slots offered subject to availability.  
 

PRELIMINARY MEETING AGENDA AND AGENDA COMPANION DOCUMENT
EPA is pleased to provide an updated preliminary agenda and a companion document with detailed session descriptions. A version of this companion document with speaker information will be circulated closer to the meeting. Please note that these documents are still subject to change.

Please contact partnermeeting@energystar.gov with any questions.

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you in Charlotte!

 
The ENERGY STAR Team

ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2020: Proposed product categories and recognition criteria

The ENERGY STAR program continues to recognize the highest performers in energy efficiency for recognized products by extending and expanding the ENERGY STAR Most Efficient designation for 2020. 

Energy efficiency advocates throughout North America can continue to raise the bar on energy efficiency by leveraging ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2020 product information  that helps consumers find and purchase the “best of the best” among recognized product categories.

2020 Product Categories and Recognition Criteria 
For 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) intends to continue to highlight all 14 of the product categories currently eligible for ENERGY STAR Most Efficient recognition, and introduce room air conditioners to the portfolio for a total of 15 categories. The proposed criteria for dehumidifiers will be shared with stakeholders this fall. 
The proposed recognition criteria for 2020 were based on an analysis of currently certified ENERGY STAR models as well as engineering analysis conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy. The results of the analysis indicated that for many categories existing recognition criteria remain reflective of the “best of the best.” As a result, Most Efficient 2019 efficiency criteria is being extended into 2020 for boilers, furnaces, central air conditioners and air source heat pumps, dishwashers, geothermal heat pumps (GHP), refrigerators/freezers, televisions, and ventilation fans. In addition to adding criteria for room air conditioners, additional product sub-types are also being proposed for recognition for refrigerator/freezer and windows*. The monitor criteria has also been revised and modest revisions are being proposed to ceiling fan and dryer criteria. Lastly, it is being proposed to allow partners to indicate the availability of consumer features such as soil sensing on the ENERGY STAR Most Efficient product list for dishwashers, refrigerators, and dryers.

Additional information regarding the roll out of ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2020 recognition will be provided with the finalization of these criteria. Products recognized in 2019 that meet the ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2020 criteria will automatically receive recognition.

Find details on the proposal and individual product criteria on the ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2020 Criteria Development web page. 

A stakeholder webinar will be held on August 7, 2019 from 2 to 4 pm EST to discuss the proposed recognition criteria. To participate in this webinar, please register here by August 6th. Please share written comments no later than August 22, 2019 with MostEfficient@energystar.gov. It is expected that recognition requirements will be finalized in August.

For more information, contact MostEfficient@energystar.gov or in Canada, contact Erin Sullivan by e-mail at erin.sullivan@canada.ca or by phone at 613 947-1219.

*The Most Efficient residential windows specification for Canada is developed and published by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). For 2020, the qualifying criteria will be more stringent and include sliding glass doors. For further information, please contact Erin Sullivan by e-mail at erin.sullivan@canada.ca.

ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2020 Recognition Criteria
 
This is a reminder that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the ENERGY STAR Most Efficient proposed recognition criteria for 2020 on July 22nd. Comments are due August 22, 2019 and may be submitted to MostEfficient@energystar.gov.
 
EPA will hold a stakeholder webinar on August 7, 2019 from 2pm to 4pm Eastern Time to discuss the proposed 2020 recognition criteria. To participate in this webinar, please register here by August 6th.
 
Thank you for your continued support of ENERGY STAR.

ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting - SHEMS Sessions

EPA is pleased to invite you to the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting, which will be held September 10 – 12, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Content on ENERGY STAR Smart Home Energy Management Systems will be focused on Day 2 of the meeting, September 11th, with the sessions below. This meeting is a great networking opportunity and rooms are available to reserve for private meetings. Stakeholders interested in connecting with attendees of the concurrent Residential New Construction Partner Meeting can contact Brice Lang at lang.brice@epa.gov. Additional details for the meeting are available at www.energystar.gov/partnermeeting, including the full agenda. Register before August 14th.
 
Smart Home Energy Management Systems (SHEMS) 1 of 2: Building Towards a Future Vision
(Concurrent) 1:45 – 2:45 P.M.

ENERGY STAR certified SHEMS is the first step in building a future that incorporates varied interests into one platform for energy management. How do we continue working towards a shared vision for ultimate home energy management? How do we encourage best practices for whole home integration that will delight consumers? What other initiatives are needed to get closer to this future vision? This session will cover the program to date as well as explore the vision for the future. 

SHEMS Final Draft Version 1.0 Specification
 
With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to share the Final Draft of the ENERGY STAR SHEMS Version 1.0 Specification and Partner Commitments and the Final Draft Method to Determine Field Performance. The Agency appreciates the considerable effort stakeholders have put into helping us develop this specification. All materials related to EPA’s development of the specification can be found at www.energystar.gov/SHEMS. EPA anticipates finalizing the SHEMS Version 1.0 Specification by the end of August 2019.

The Final Draft specification reflects comments received in response to Draft 2 and subsequent stakeholder discussions. Stakeholders were generally supportive of the requirements proposed in the Draft 2 specification. EPA has made minor modifications to address remaining concerns. Revisions included in the Final Draft include:

Partner Commitments
Given the complexity and fast-moving market associated with SHEMS, EPA has added a partner commitment that anticipates regular communication with partners to gather program insights, monitor market developments, and work toward the development of a metric and future specification versions. 

EPA has clarified the partner commitment on marketing SHEMS. The intent behind this partner commitment is to ask service providers that opt to partner with the ENERGY STAR program and leverage the ENERGY STAR label for SHEMS to prioritize the ENERGY STAR offering over similar non-conforming offerings. The approach EPA has taken with the ENERGY STAR SHEMS specification allows absolute flexibility in terms of which elements of the package the customer opts to purchase or not, but we are asking ENERGY STAR partners not to pro-actively offer and market competing packages that fall short of the ENERGY STAR specification (e.g. a package with an ENERGY STAR thermostat and lighting or a smart plug but not both). Given the care that was taken to limit the prescribed elements of the specification, we anticipate that service providers interested in participating in the program that have existing SHEMS offerings will simply adapt them to add any missing device (i.e. there is no restriction on the range of additional devices that may be included). We believe this approach is reasonable as an expectation of our partnership as it avoids undermining the objectives of the ENERGY STAR SHEMS specification while preserving consumer choice. 
 
Definitions
In response to stakeholder suggestions, EPA has made minor revisions to the definitions of Transient Occupancy Device, Home Energy Sub Metering System, and Time of Use (TOU) Pricing. Per stakeholder request, the correction to the definition of Home Energy Sub Metering System now includes non-invasive disaggregation devices.

EPA has included new definitions of “compatible,” “SHEMS-specific hub,” and "Away time" (in the Method to Determine Field Performance). These definitions were added in order to provide additional clarity about the capabilities service providers are expected to deliver in order to include encouraged devices in the ENERGY STAR listing for a certified SHEMS package, the devices for which standby power must be measured and reported, and how to identify away hours.

Eligibility Criteria
EPA has included several small edits and clarifications in the eligibility criteria section, including:

• Requiring service providers to recommend to their customers that persistent occupancy devices be installed in high-traffic areas of the home for best results.
• Clarifying that the service must be capable of controlling the required and, as applicable, the encouraged devices in the certified package.
• Encouraging development of systems supporting load building and advanced variable rate structures.

Method to Determine Field Performance
EPA has made several adjustments and added optional fields per stakeholder comment, including:

• Clarified the method for rounding calculated statistics and the rounding precision.
• Added two optional statistics to be reported for savings metric development: average power during non-away time, and average reduction in power during away hours.
• Added an optional field in SHEMS Market Evolution to record the number of installations in each state.

Note boxes throughout the specification provide context for edits made in the Final Draft. The accompanying comment response document addresses comments that were not addressed in the specification or method to determine field performance.
 
Comment Submittal
Any final comments may be submitted to smarthomesystems@energystar.gov by August 12, 2019. All comments received will be posted to the ENERGY STAR Product Development website, unless the submitter specifically requests otherwise.
 
Please contact Taylor Jantz-Sell at (202) 343-9042 or Jantz-Sell.Taylor@epa.gov (until August 9th) with any specific questions or concerns, or Abigail Daken at (202) 343-9375 or daken.abigail@epa.gov.
 
Thank you for your continued support of the ENERGY STAR program.
 
Sincerely,

2.5 WEEK REGISTRATION & SLEEPING ROOM REMINDER

EPA is pleased to provide you with the following updates for the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting, which will be held September 10 – 12, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

URGENT & TIME SENSITIVE!
1. JUST 2.5 WEEKS LEFT TO REGISTER – ONLINE REGISTRATION CLOSES ON AUGUST 14
2. SLEEPING ROOM CUT-OFF REMINDER
REMINDERS:
3. ONE-ON-ONE NETWORKING SESSIONS: SIGN-UP INSTRUCTIONS
4. UPDATED PRELIMINARY MEETING AGENDA AND AGENDA COMPANION DOCUMENT
5. MEETING CO-SPONSORS
6. GREEN MEETINGS
7. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

JUST 2.5 WEEKS LEFT TO REGISTER – ONLINE REGISTRATION CLOSES ON AUGUST 14
The Westin Charlotte is pleased to offer attendees a full breakfast, lunch, and breaks throughout the meeting for a cost of $309 per person.

Registration for the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting is open for just 2.5 more weeks until August 14, 2019. To register, please visit the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting online registration page.
 
 Benefits of registering online before August 14 include:

• Receipt of all final meeting materials one week prior to the meeting (these are only sent to attendees who registered);
• Advance notice to your peers that you will be attending the meeting, allowing them to connect with you in advance to arrange one-on-one networking sessions and other meetings;
• Inclusion of your name and organization in the online meeting participant list that is updated in real time on the online meeting registration page, and distributed via email to all registered attendees immediately prior to the meeting; and
• Pre-printed name badges for faster onsite check-in.

After August 14th, attendees can only register for the meeting onsite.  After August 14th, cancellations and registration refunds cannot be accepted under any circumstances, due to hotel commitments.
 
All attendees, including ENERGY STAR Expo exhibitors, must pay the meeting registration fee if they wish to partake of the food and beverages provided by the Westin Charlotte for meeting attendees. Registration fees are not included in ENERGY STAR Product Expo booth payments.

*This per person fee is remitted in its entirety to the hotel to cover the cost of food and beverages provided. EPA and its contractors do not keep any portion of the fee for any purpose. If you require a kosher meal, please indicate this in the "special requirements" field during registration.

SLEEPING ROOM CUTOFF REMINDER
Sleeping rooms at The Westin Charlotte are going fast. Rooms are limited and available on a first come, first served basis, so please make your arrangements as soon as possible. The hotel’s cut-off for reserving rooms in the ENERGY STAR room block is August 24, 2019.

Meeting location: The Westin Charlotte
601 South College Street
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
(704) 375-2600
https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/cltcw-the-westin-charlotte/
 
To book your rooms at The Westin Charlotte

• Go to 2019 ENERGY STAR Partner Meetings to link to a personalized web site for the ENERGY STAR room block (recommended).
• Call reservations directly at 866-837-4148 and refer to “ENERGY STAR” 

Sleeping room rates (all applicable state and local taxes are additional):

• $219/night - double
• Rates will be available 3 days prior and 3 days after the event, subject to availability at the time of reservation.

ONE-ON-ONE NETWORKING SESSIONS: SIGN-UP INSTRUCTIONS
As in past years, EPA is offering attendees a number of rooms to conduct independent meetings over the meeting dates. For information on scheduling a meeting room, please see the one-on-one networking session guidelines. Please note that in order to provide all partners equal access to these rooms, EPA has limited the initial number of slots available to each requester, with additional slots offered subject to availability.  

UPDATED PRELIMINARY MEETING AGENDA AND AGENDA COMPANION DOCUMENT
EPA is pleased to provide an updated preliminary agenda and a companion document with detailed session descriptions. A version of this companion document with speaker information will be circulated closer to the meeting. Please note that these documents are still subject to change.
 

The EPA opening plenary will be the first session on the first day of the meeting, and the ensuing sessions will address a range of timely topics, challenges, opportunities, and trends related to ENERGY STAR certified appliances, electronics, electric vehicle chargers, HVAC, lighting, smart home energy management systems, smart thermostats, and water heaters.  This structure offers attendees the advantage of being able to participate in relevant sessions, while allowing for additional networking time between those sessions that are of interest to you.  

GREEN MEETINGS

EPA is working with The Westin Charlotte to make the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting as resource efficient as possible. In 2019, offerings include a range of guest room conservation measures, as well as facility energy efficiency, water conservation, and recycling programs. Additional information on The Westin Charlotte’s environmental program can be found here.
 
In order to reduce waste and limit printing and shipping costs associated with meeting materials, EPA invites meeting participants to join the effort to go paperless for the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting. As in past years, EPA will email all attendees who register online between July 16 - August 14 the final meeting materials a week before the meeting. Each individual can choose to print only those materials they deem most critical.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Updates on the meeting will be provided as they become available and will also be posted on the ENERGY STAR meetings page at https://www.energystar.gov/partnermeeting.

Please contact partnermeeting@energystar.gov with any questions.

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you in Charlotte!

 
The ENERGY STAR Team

EPA (Climate Protection Partnerships Division) - ENERGY STAR
1200 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20460 US

The ENERGY STAR® Appliance Newsletter July 2019

Table of Contents

• Maintaining Momentum on Appliance Promotions
• See You in Charlotte for Partner Meeting
• Update Your ENERGY STAR Sales Training with 2019 Savings & Messaging
• ENERGY STAR Day is October 22 - Join Us!
• Appliance Specification Updates​

Maintaining Momentum on Appliance Promotions

Thank you to all our participating partners! From social media and Twitter Chats to in-store signage and digital advertising, we appreciate the many ways you participated to help more customers save energy, save money, and help protect the environment by choosing ENERGY STAR.  

Our latest marketing materials are always available for partner use any time of the year. And, to all our laundry partners, don’t forget to check out our heat pump dryer video! This short, animated video takes viewers step-by-step through the drying process, showcasing why this technology is definitely one to consider for their next purchase. We encourage you to share the video on your website, with sales associates, through social media, or through any of your other customer outreach channels.
 

See You in Charlotte for Partner Meeting
Mark your calendars for the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting! This year’s meeting will take place Tuesday, September 10 – Thursday, September 12 in Charlotte, NC.

This year, the EPA opening plenary will be the first session on the first day of the meeting, and the ensuing sessions will address a range of timely topics, challenges, opportunities, and trends related to ENERGY STAR certified appliances, electronics, electric vehicle chargers, HVAC, lighting, smart home energy management systems, smart thermostats, and water heaters.

Meeting location: The Westin Charlotte
601 South College Street
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
(704) 375-2600
www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/cltcw-the-westin-charlotte/ (link is external)

To book your rooms at The Westin Charlotte:

• Call reservations directly at 866-837-4148 and refer to “ENERGY STAR” or
• Go to 2019 ENERGY STAR Partner Meetings(link is external) to link to a personalized web site for the ENERGY STAR room block.

EPA is pleased to provide an updated preliminary agenda and an initial agenda companion document with detailed session descriptions. Key appliance-focused sessions include:

• ENERGY STAR Products: Energy Efficiency and High Performance - During this session, manufacturers across several product categories will discuss how the latest advancements in energy efficiency technology go hand-in-hand with other high-performance benefits.
• Making Laundry Better with Heat Pump Dryers - Join this panel discussion with leading partners to see why ENERGY STAR certified heat pump dryers offers a promising energy-saving opportunity for consumers. Panelists will share their most recent technological innovations and how they are communicating the benefits of heat pump dryers everywhere from online outreach to the store floor.
• Fitted for the Future: A Discussion on Emerging Technologies - This industry panel will speak to products that are at the forefront of technological advances motivating exciting trends and opportunities for increased energy savings, with a focus on categories where reaching the next level of savings has been challenging. Note: this session is by invitation only for utilities/energy efficiency program sponsors.

​EPA will again be scheduling individual meetings with partners. If you would like to meet with EPA during the meeting, please contact appliances@energystar.gov and let us know your schedule. We will do our best to accommodate your requests.

The latest updates on hotel reservations and meeting registration will be provided as they become available and will also be posted on the ENERGY STAR meetings page at www.energystar.gov/partnermeeting

Update Your ENERGY STAR Sales Training with 2019 Savings & Messaging

Arm your sales associates with the latest savings and product messaging for your ENERGY STAR certified appliances. The following 2019 appliance training materials are available online:

• Sales Associate Trainings for Clothes Washers, Clothes Dryers, Dishwashers, Refrigerators/Freezers, and Room Air Conditioners
• ENERGY STAR Most Efficient Sales Associate Training

Be sure to visit the ENERGY STAR Training Center in August for the latest update to the Appliance Consumer Messaging Guide. Looking for graphics or messaging about our appliance promotions? You can always find the most recent updates on our Marketing Materials page.
 

ENERGY STAR Day is October 22 – Join Us!

Save the date for ENERGY STAR Day on October 22, 2019. This year we are building on last year’s theme of Save Today, Save Tomorrow and Save for Good with both broad audience engagement complimented by a more targeted effort to provide the benefits of saving energy to those that need it the most, the underserved. 

The ENERGY STAR Day toolkit and a wide variety of marketing materials for lighting and smart thermostats – from digital assets, such as web tools, infographics, and social media images and posts, along with point-of-sale materials, fact sheets, and more are available on our marketing materials page at www.energystar.gov/marketing_materials.
 

Appliance Specification Updates

Dehumidifiers: Dehumidifiers Version 5.0 is now available for early certification and will go into effect on October 31, 2019. The updated specification includes new product category definitions (portable and whole-home), new product capacity ranges, and criteria in terms of a new efficiency metric, the Integrated Energy Factor (IEF). As of June 3, 2019, CBs will no longer certify new products to Version 4.0. Details regarding the development process can be found on the Dehumidifiers Specification Version 5.0 webpage.

Room Air Cleaners: On March 18, 2019, EPA released the draft 1 Room Air Cleaner Version 2.0 Specification and invited stakeholder written comments. EPA reviewed and published the draft 1 comments and on June 27, 2019 released a limited topic proposal on adding connected criteria to the Version 2.0 specification. EPA is currently reviewing all stakeholder comments and is working on the final draft of the Room Air Cleaner Version 2.0 Specification. All comments and additional details can be found on the Room Air Cleaner Specification Version 2.0 webpage.

Dishwashers: EPA plans to launch a specification revision for this category later this year.  If you are not already a dishwasher contact for your organization and would like to receive communications related to dishwashers, please update your contact information via MESA.

EPA also plans to launch specification development efforts for a set of new appliance products.  If you are interested in receiving communications related to any of the products below please fill in this form or send an email to appliances@energystar.gov with your name and indicate which of the following products are of interest.

Microwaves: In Q4 2019, EPA plans to launch a new product specification for microwave ovens.

Miscellaneous Refrigeration Products: In Q3 2019, EPA plans to launch a new product specification for miscellaneous refrigeration products.

Portable Air Conditioners: In Q3 2019, EPA plans to launch a new product specification for portable air conditioners.

EPA (Climate Protection Partnerships Division) - ENERGY STAR
1200 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20460 US

Refrigerated Beverage Vending Machines Version 4.0 Final Specification
 
With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to share the Final Version 4.0 ENERGY STAR Refrigerated Beverage Vending Machine product specification. EPA would like to thank the many stakeholders who have invested time and effort to contribute feedback that has informed this specification revision process.
 
The Version 4.0 requirements will become effective on April 29, 2020. Vending machine products certifying for ENERGY STAR under the Version 4.0 specification will use, on average, approximately 9% less energy than standard vending machine products. This specification establishes updated definitions, scope, and energy and low power mode requirements in alignment with and in response to the DOE federal minimum standard that came into effect on January 8, 2019. If all refrigerated beverage vending machines sold in the United States were ENERGY STAR certified, the energy cost savings would grow to nearly $7 million and more than 150 million pounds of annual greenhouse gas emissions would be prevented.
 
This specification was developed through a process that included release of two draft specifications and a final draft specification, along with multiple webinars, stakeholder meetings, and close engagement with stakeholders. No comments were received on the final draft specification. A minor change was made to the final specification to ensure consistency across ENERGY STAR product specifications and with DOE terminology such that ‘represented value’ is replaced with ‘certified rating’ and the unit sampling plan language defers to DOE’s sampling requirements. Stakeholder comments, previous drafts of the specification, and related materials are available on the product development website.
 
Timeline and Next Steps
EPA shares partners’ desire for a smooth transition from one ENERGY STAR specification to the next, so that consumers can expect ENERGY STAR labeled products to fully meet the latest requirements upon their effective date. With this in mind, EPA has established the following timeline:

• Effective immediately, manufacturers may elect to have their Certification Body (CB) certify their eligible products to the Version 4.0 requirements.
• As of December 16, 2019, CBs will be instructed to stop certifying new product submittals to Version 3.1 and 3.2. Note, however, that existing certifications will remain valid for purposes of ENERGY STAR qualification until April 29, 2020.
• Any vending machines manufactured as of April 29, 2020, must meet Version 4.0 requirements to bear the ENERGY STAR mark. All certifications of products to the Version 3.1 and 3.2 specification will be invalid for purposes of ENERGY STAR qualification and the Product Finder will only include models certified to Version 4.0.

ENERGY STAR partnership as a manufacturer is limited to organizations that own and/or license a brand name under which they sell eligible products in the United States and/or Canada. Partnership is not available to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) that do not sell directly to consumers or end users. OEMs may certify products on behalf of the ENERGY STAR brand owners/licensees; however, the brand owner must be the ENERGY STAR partner associated directly with the certified product models, since only partners are authorized to use the ENERGY STAR certification mark. 
 
EPA thanks stakeholders who provided feedback during the specification revision process and looks forward to working with you as you certify and market your energy efficient vending machines. Please direct any questions regarding the specification and its timeline to Tanja Crk at EPA, Crk.Tanja@epa.gov or (202) 566-1037. Please direct questions about the test procedure to Stephanie Johnson at DOE, Stephanie.Johnson@ee.doe.gov  or (202) 287-1943. For any other vending machine related questions, please contact vendingmachines@energystar.gov.
 
Thank you for your continued support of the ENERGY STAR program.
 
Sincerely,

Tanja Crk, Product Manager
ENERGY STAR Commercial Food Service
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Enclosures:
    Final Version 4.0 ENERGY STAR Refrigerated Beverage Vending Machines Specification
    Data Packet Version 4.0 Final

ENERGY STAR Luminaires Version 2.2 Draft Specification
 
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to make minor adjustments reflected in the ENERGY STAR Luminaires Version 2.2 Draft Specification to support several new market developments and provide clarification on two requirements. Current certifications will not be affected by these changes.
 
The proposed changes include:

1.   Personal Device Charging: Products such as portable floor and desk task lights with integral USB chargers and AC
      outlets are currently excluded from the Luminaires specification. Because consumers may carry upwards of three devices
      when they travel, table and floor lights with AC outlets and/or USB charging ports are now prevalent in hotel guestrooms and
      retailers are increasingly selling these for use in homes. Unlike other functionality (e.g., voice assistance, audio speakers, and UV
      disinfection), EPA is able to propose the inclusion of integral AC outlets and USB charging ports because a federal standard exists
      that limits the amount of power consumed by the external power supplies used to enable USB charging functionality.
2.   New Method of Measurement: The IES has updated LM-79 since the release of the Luminaires V2.1 specification. EPA
      has evaluated it for consistency and is including it as an acceptable method of measurement for new product certifications.
3.   Integral Battery Packs: Products with integral battery packs intended for emergency light source operation in the event of loss
      of normal power are not excluded for the purposes of ENERGY STAR certification. This was always intended and is now
      explicitly stated in Section 1.1.
4.   Inseparable Other SSL Luminaires: EPA has included a formal definition for inseparable “other” to clarify that solid state
      (LED) luminaire types not otherwise itemized in the directional scope must be measured with luminaire photometry.
      Clarification was also added to express that directional types that are called out in the specification can be separable or
      inseparable. The exemption of inseparable other products from Color Angular Uniformity and Luminaire Serviceability
      requirements was always intended and is now explicitly stated as well. 

Partners and stakeholders are encouraged to submit comments on the draft to lighting@energystar.gov by August 5, 2019. Please indicate “ENERGY STAR Luminaires V2.2 Draft Specification Comments” in the email subject line. Comments received will be posted to the ENERGY STAR website unless otherwise requested.

EPA appreciates your contribution to the development of this specification and welcomes individual inquiries; please contact me with questions, comments or concerns at (202) 343-9042 or jantz-sell.taylor@epa.gov or lighting@energystar.gov. Thank you for your support of ENERGY STAR.

Sincerely,

Proposed ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2020 Recognition Criteria
 
Please visit here for important correspondence from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concerning the proposed recognition criteria for ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2020. On the ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2020 Criteria Development web page, you will find the proposed recognition criteria documents for fourteen product categories and the EPA cover memo. The proposed criteria for Dehumidifiers will be shared with stakeholders this fall.
 
EPA will hold a stakeholder webinar on Wednesday, August 7th from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM Eastern Time to discuss the proposed 2020 recognition criteria. Please register for this webinar here. Please contact MostEfficient@energystar.gov with any questions.
 
Thank you for your continued support of ENERGY STAR.

Online Registration Now Open and One-on-One Networking Rooms Available! September 10 – 12, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

EPA is pleased to provide you with the following updates for the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting, which will be held September 10 – 12, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

1. New! ONLINE MEETING REGISTRATION NOW OPEN – PLEASE REGISTER ASAP!
2. New! ONE-ON-ONE NETWORKING SESSIONS: SIGN-UP INSTRUCTIONS

REMINDERS:
3.  AGENDA COMPANION DOCUMENT AND UPDATED PRELIMINARY MEETING AGENDA
4. ENERGY STAR EXPO
5. LOCATION AND HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
6. CO-SPONSORSHIP & EVENING EVENTS
7. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

ONLINE MEETING REGISTRATION NOW OPEN – PLEASE REGISTER ASAP!
Registration for the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting is now open! To register, please visit the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting Page and click on the red registration link.
 
The Westin Charlotte is pleased to offer attendees a full breakfast, lunch, and breaks throughout the meeting for a cost of $309 per person.
 
IMPORTANT: Please note that the online system will be available until August 14, 2019. EPA strongly encourages partners to register well in advance of this date. Benefits of registering early include:

• Receipt of all final meeting materials one week prior to the meeting (these are only sent to attendees who registered);
• Advance notice to your peers that you will be attending the meeting, allowing them to connect with you in advance to arrange one-on-one networking sessions and other meetings;
• Inclusion of your name and organization in the online meeting participant list that is updated in real time on the online meeting registration page, and distributed via email to all registered attendees immediately prior to the meeting; and
• Pre-printed name badges for faster onsite check-in.

After August 14th, attendees will only be able to register for the meeting onsite.  Please also note that after August 14th, cancellations and registration refunds cannot be accepted under any circumstances, due to hotel commitments.
 
*This per person meal fee is remitted in its entirety to the hotel. EPA and its contractors do not keep any portion of the fee for any purpose. If you require a kosher meal, please indicate this in the "special requirements" field during registration.
 
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ONE-ON-ONE NETWORKING SESSIONS: SIGN-UP INSTRUCTIONS
As in past years, EPA is offering attendees a number of rooms to conduct independent meetings over the meeting dates. For information on scheduling a meeting room, please see the one-on-one networking session guidelines. Please note that in order to provide all partners equal access to these rooms, EPA has limited the initial number of slots available to each requester, with additional slots offered subject to availability.  
 
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AGENDA COMPANION DOCUMENT AND UPDATED PRELIMINARY MEETING AGENDA
EPA is pleased to provide an updated preliminary agenda and a companion document with detailed session descriptions. A version of this companion document with speaker information will be circulated closer to the meeting. Please note that these documents are still subject to change.
 

The EPA opening plenary will be the first session on the first day of the meeting, and the ensuing sessions will address a range of timely topics, challenges, opportunities, and trends related to ENERGY STAR certified appliances, electronics, electric vehicle chargers, HVAC, lighting, smart home energy management systems, smart thermostats, and water heaters.  This structure offers attendees the advantage of being able to participate in relevant sessions, while allowing for additional networking time between those sessions that are of interest to you.  As a reminder, the 2019 ENERGY STAR Residential New Construction Partner Meeting will take place at the same location from September 11 – 12.

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ENERGY STAR EXPO  
The ENERGY STAR Expo is now closed.
 
Exhibitors who have signed up for the ENERGY STAR Product Expo will be working with FERN for all their exhibitor-specific needs. While there is no upfront cost to exhibit at the meeting, exhibitors’ costs for the booth package, set-up, labor, and materials associated with their booths will be handled directly with FERN.  FERN will bill exhibitors for all labor and material associated with their booths.
 
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LOCATION AND HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
Meeting location: The Westin Charlotte
601 South College Street
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
(704) 375-2600
https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/cltcw-the-westin-charlotte/
 
To book your rooms at The Westin Charlotte:

• Call reservations directly at 866-837-4148 and refer to “ENERGY STAR” or
• Go to 2019 ENERGY STAR Partner Meetings to link to a personalized web site for the ENERGY STAR room block.

Sleeping room rates (all applicable state and local taxes are additional):

• $219/night - double
• Rates will be available 3 days prior and 3 days after the event, subject to availability at the time of reservation.

The hotel’s cut-off date for reserving rooms in the ENERGY STAR room block is August 24, 2019. Rooms are limited and available on a first come, first served basis so please make your arrangements as soon as possible.
 
Information about The Westin Charlotte’s Green Meeting’s Initiative can be found here.  

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CO-SPONSORSHIP & EVENING EVENTS

EPA is grateful to Nationwide Marketing Group and other ENERGY STAR partners for their generous support of food and beverage and audio/visual offerings at the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting (2019 ESPPM) and the 2019 ENERGY STAR Residential New Construction Partner Meeting (2019 ESRPM).
 
2019 ESPPM & 2019 ESRPM Co-Sponsors  
Nationwide Marketing Group (Facilitating Co-Sponsor)
Best Buy Co., Inc.
Samsung Electronics America
Greenlite Lighting Corporation
GE Lighting 
Honeywell International, Inc. 
Resideo Technologies, Inc.
Signify
Technical Consumer Products. Inc. (TCP)
A. O. Smith
Cree Lighting
Kenmore
L'Image Home Products, Inc.
Top Build Home Services
Altair Lighting
Broan - NuTone, LLC
Entergy Arkansas, LLC
Feit Electric
 

Note: No EPA funds will be used for food and beverage offerings associated with the 2019 ESPPM and ESRPM or related events and activities.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Updates on the meeting will be provided as they become available and will also be posted on the ENERGY STAR meetings page at https://www.energystar.gov/partnermeeting.

Please contact partnermeeting@energystar.gov with any questions.

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you in Charlotte!
 
The ENERGY STAR Team

EPA (Climate Protection Partnerships Division) - ENERGY STAR
1200 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20460 US

ENERGY STAR Computers Version 8.0 Draft 2
 
With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing the Draft 2, Version 8.0 ENERGY STAR Computer specification and test method. EPA thanks stakeholders for the feedback that they provided and has taken that feedback into consideration in developing this draft specification. Stakeholders are encouraged to submit any comments to computers@energystar.gov by August 16, 2019.
 
The Draft 2, Version 8.0 specification incorporates the following key elements:
 
Energy Criteria:
EPA is adjusting the category system, base allowances, and functional adders in Draft 2. EPA has developed separate criteria for integrated desktops as these products most commonly use notebook components, which serve a distinct customer end use. In addition, EPA has adjusted the desktop base allowances to account for the change in product mix. Finally, EPA has adjusted the adders to better take into account the updated mode weightings. These updated levels continue to target the top quartile of the market, while also allowing products with fewer feature sets, and lower energy consumption, improved means to achieve ENERGY STAR certification. EPA has released an updated data package, which includes the new dataset.
 
Power Supply Criteria:
In Draft 2, EPA is proposing to reintroduce 80Plus Bronze or equivalent requirements for those products with a nameplate rating of less than 500W. However, EPA is also proposing a 10% load requirement of 0.80 for all internal power supplies.
 
Resume Time
Stakeholders noted in their Draft 1 comments that there has been inconsistent testing of resume time in the Version 7.1 specification and requested amendments to the sleep mode definition to exclude resume time. In Draft 1, the Department of Energy proposed an addition to the test method to help define how to test for resume time. This has been removed in Draft 2 and EPA has added a requirement for resume time for notebooks and desktops, while removing it from the sleep mode definition. Manufacturers will self-declare that the product can meet this requirement.
 
Full Network Connectivity
As part of the June 18 stakeholder meeting, a new proposal for full network connectivity was shared by stakeholders. EPA assessed the proposal and has reintroduced an incentive for those desktop products that meet the full connectivity. In addition, the Agency has increased the energy consumption allowance from 2 watts to 2.5 watts.
 
­Comment Submittal
EPA welcomes stakeholder input on the attached, Draft 2, Version 8.0 specification. Stakeholders are encouraged to submit any comments to computers@energystar.gov by August 16, 2019. All comments will be posted to the ENERGY STAR Product Development website unless the submitter requests otherwise.
 
Stakeholder Webinar
EPA will host a webinar to answer any questions on this Draft 2 specification on July 25, 2019 from 1-3 PM Eastern Time. Please register here if you plan on attending.
 
The exchange of ideas and information between EPA, industry, and other interested parties is critical to the success of ENERGY STAR. Specifications and meeting materials will be distributed via email and posted on the ENERGY STAR website. To track EPA’s progress on this specification, please visit the computers product development website.
 
Please contact me at Fogle.Ryan@epa.gov or (202) 343-9153 or John Clinger, ICF, at John.Clinger@icf.com or (215) 967-9407 with questions or concerns regarding the specification. For any test method questions, please contact Jeremy Dommu, U.S. Department of Energy, Jeremy.Dommu@EE.Doe.Gov, or (202) 586-9870. For any other Computer related questions, please contact computers@energystar.gov. Thank you for your continued support of the ENERGY STAR program.
 
Sincerely,

Ryan Fogle
EPA Manager, ENERGY STAR for IT and Data Center Products

Enclosures:
Draft 2, Version 8.0 Specification
Draft 2, Computers Test Method
Draft 1, Comment Response Matrix
Data Package

ENERGY STAR Data Center Storage Version 2.0 Discussion Guide
 
With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking your early input specific to the revision of the ENERGY STAR Data Center Storage specification. To this end, EPA has developed a Discussion Guide that highlights an initial list of priority areas for this specification revision, key questions for stakeholders, and next steps in the revision process. EPA looks forward to working with stakeholders to develop the Version 2.0 specification that will recognize efficiency gains in the data center storage market.
 
This Discussion Guide focuses on the following areas:

• Simplification of the configuration structure, system ranges, and testing data requirements.
• Removal of family variation allowances and the current approach to certifying systems with multiple device types.
• Revision of requirements for internal power supplies, number of required capacity optimizing methods, and minimum efficiency requirements.
• Request for additional information on the status of the Vdbench tool and any unforeseen impacts of Emerald V4 on ENERGY STAR Version 2.0.
• Request for non-certified product data.

Stakeholder suggestions on any other issues to be considered during the Version 2.0 specification revision process are welcomed, in particular on those topics raised in the Discussion Guide.
 
EPA will host a webinar to engage with stakeholders on this Discussion Guide on July 24, 2019 from 1-3 PM Eastern Time. Please register here. Stakeholders are encouraged to provide written comments via email to storage@energystar.gov, no later than August 12, 2019. Specifications and meeting materials will be distributed via email and posted on the ENERGY STAR website, unless directed otherwise. To track EPA’s progress on this specification, please visit the product development website. 
 
Please contact me at Fogle.Ryan@epa.gov or (202) 343-9153 or John Clinger, ICF, at John.Clinger@icf.com or (215) 967-9407 with questions or concerns about this specification revision. For other Data Center Storage related questions, please contact storage@energystar.gov.
 
Thank you for your continued support of the ENERGY STAR program. 
 
Sincerely,

Ryan Fogle
EPA Manager, ENERGY STAR for IT and Data Center Products
 
Enclosures:
Version 2.0 Discussion Guide

Save the Date for Fall Promotions: Lighting, Smart Thermostats & ENERGY STAR Day

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is excited to announce plans and materials for three ENERGY STAR promotions this fall: Lighting, Smart Thermostats, and ENERGY STAR Day.

Light the Moment

EPA is gearing up for another successful promotion of ENERGY STAR certified LED bulbs based on the learnings from our 2018 fall and 2019 spring promotions targeting underserved audiences with the aspirational Light the Moment call-to-action, combined with the practical benefits of low-cost, energy- and money-saving messaging. Light the Moment 2018 garnered 2 million impressions and more than 400,000 video views exceeding industry benchmarks. Also, visitors spent more than 2.4 minutes on the landing page featuring participating partner programs – almost 1 minute longer than that page's average of 1:55.

The Fall Light the Moment promotion will continue this trend with the goal of capitalizing on remaining opportunities to replace old, less efficient lighting with ENERGY STAR certified LED bulbs.

To that end, it will once again focus on underserved households, including Spanish speaking and elderly audiences by leveraging targeted media services and channels, such as GroundTruth and Instagram, plus EPA’s own customer segmentation data.

Smart Thermostats

This fall, we are introducing a fresh approach to promoting ENERGY STAR certified smart thermostats. Given our goal of increased adoption, we believe targeting eco-conscious homeowners who have not yet made the switch from programmable to smart would provide the most effective results. As such, we are planning a messaging and media strategy with a focus on environmental benefits that engages at key points along the customer journey to purchase.

Our promotional creative will thus lead with environmentally-focused messaging that plays off of the dual benefits of ENERGY STAR smart thermostats: “A Perfect Climate Inside and Out” and  “Perfect for Everywhere You Live”. Stay-tuned for a full suite of updated marketing materials.

MEDIA MIX THAT ENGAGES ALONG THE PATH TO PURCHASE

AWARENESS
Display and Video Advertising: Draw eco-conscious consumers in on the benefits of making the switch.

Paid Social: Leverage Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to capture attention and influence purchase.

RESEARCH
Paid Search: Engage highly qualified consumers who are actively researching Smart Thermostats and primed for purchase. 

Content Marketing: Leverage popular

ENERGY STAR Day

Save the date for ENERGY STAR Day on October 22, 2019. This year we are building on last year’s theme of Save Today, Save Tomorrow and Save for Good with both broad audience engagement complimented by a more targeted effort to provide the benefits of saving energy to those that need it the most, the underserved. 

The ENERGY STAR Day toolkit and a wide variety of marketing materials for lighting and smart thermostats – from digital assets, such as web tools, infographics, and social media images and posts, along with point-of-sale materials, fact sheets, and more are available on our marketing materials page at energystar.gov/marketing_materials.

Get Materials

As always, we look forward to your participation, and let us know how we can be of assistance as you plan your own marketing activities. If you have questions, please contact your ENERGY STAR Regional Account Manager by emailing eeaccountmanager@energystar.gov. If you are a retail or manufacturer partner please reach out to changetheworld@energystar.gov.

The ENERGY STAR Communications Team

ENERGY STAR® is the simple choice for energy efficiency. For more than 25 years, people across America have looked to EPA’s ENERGY STAR program for guidance on saving energy, saving money, and protecting the environment. Behind each blue label is a product, building, or home that is independently certified to use less energy and cause fewer of the emissions that contribute to climate change. Visit www.energystar.gov today.

Room Air Cleaners Limited Topic Proposal Version 2.0

As part of the ENERGY STAR Room Air Cleaner specification revision, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering adding optional criteria for connected functionality. The objective is to define a set of minimum requirements an air cleaner would have to meet in order to be identified as “connected” on the ENERGY STAR Product Finder.
 
EPA released Draft 1 of the Version 2.0 Air Cleaner specification on March 18, 2019 for stakeholder review. In response to stakeholder comments, EPA is now releasing a limited topic proposal providing opportunity for comment specifically on the potential connected criteria before releasing a Final Draft Version 2.0 specification. Stakeholders may provide comments to EPA no later than July 15, 2019.
 
Proposed Optional Connected Criteria
 
EPA received feedback from stakeholders recommending that EPA consider establishing criteria for connected functionality in room air cleaners. The focus of the optional criteria EPA is proposing is open access and energy consumption reporting. These criteria reflect a simplified version of optional connected criteria found in numerous ENERGY STAR specifications. Most notably, these criteria do not address demand response. Consistent with conversations earlier in this specification development process, EPA does not plan to develop optional demand response criteria for this product category at this time.
 
While EPA anticipates that early entrants in providing connected functionality will focus on providing capabilities through a product specific app, in the long term, users have more energy saving opportunities for products that participate in a service provider managed smart home package. The proposed criteria include capabilities that are important for connecting to such smart home packages. This proposal addresses energy reporting by requiring that it be available to third parties through use of open standards and provision of interface documentation. EPA is developing an ENERGY STAR Smart Home Energy Management System specification, that will recognize smart home packages that deliver energy savings. You can find more information here.
 
Stakeholders are encouraged to share feedback on the relevance of these features for air cleaners on the market today and in the near future, as well as thoughts on how air cleaners are envisioned to support smart energy management services. Lastly, EPA seeks information on the prevalence of Wi-Fi in today’s products and whether functions such as filter alerts and product management are being offered through a manufacturer’s app.

Proposed additions to the Version 2.0 specification follow below.

***** 

4. Optional Connected Criteria
 
4.1.1     To be recognized as connected, a room air cleaner shall include the base room air cleaner plus all elements (hardware, software) required to enable communication in response to consumer-authorized energy related commands (not including third-party remote management which may be made available solely at the discretion of the manufacturer).
 
4.1.2     The specific design and implementation of the connected room air cleaner is at the manufacturer’s discretion provided it is interoperable with other devices via open communications protocol and enables economical, consumer-authorized third-party access to the functionalities provided for in Section 4.4. The capabilities shall be supported through one or more means, as identified in Section 4.2.2. A product that enables economical and direct, on-premises, open- standards based interconnection is the preferred option for meeting this requirement, but alternative approaches are also acceptable.
 
4.1.3     The product must continue to comply with the applicable product safety standards – the addition of the functionality described below shall not override existing safety protections and functions. The appliance must meet manufacturer’s internal minimum performance guidelines, e.g., air cleaning.
 
4.2      Communications
 
4.2.1     Open Standards – Communication with entities outside the connected room air cleaner that enables connected functionality (Section 4.4) must use, for all communication layers, standards that are:

A. Included in the Smart Electric Power Alliance Catalog of Standards, and/or

B. Included in the NIST Smart Grid framework Tables 4.1 and 4.2, and/or

C. Adopted by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) or another well-established international standards organization such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), or Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). 
 

4.2.2     Communications Hardware Architecture – Communication with entities outside the connected room air cleaner that enables connected functionality (Section 4.4) shall be enabled by any of the following means, according to the manufacturer’s preference:
 

A. Built-in communication technology

B. Manufacturer-specific external communication module(s) and/or device(s)

C. Open standards-based communication port on the appliance combined with open standards-based communications module

D. Open standards-based communication port(s) on the appliance in addition to A, B or C, above

If option B or C is used, the communication module/device(s) must be easy for a consumer to install and shipped with the appliance, provided to the consumer at the time of sale, or provided to the consumer in a reasonable amount of time after the sale.

 
4.3       Open Access
 
4.3.1     To enable interconnection with the product, in addition to Section 4.2.1 that requires open-standards, an interface specification, API or similar documentation shall be made available to interested parties that at a minimum, allows transmission, reception, and interpretation of the following information:
 

A. Energy Consumption Reporting specified in Section 4.4 (must include accuracy, units, and measurement interval). 
 

4.4       Energy Consumption Reporting
 
4.4.1     In order to enable simple, actionable energy use feedback to consumers and consumer authorized energy use reporting to third-parties, the product shall be capable of transmitting energy consumption data via a communication link to energy management systems and other consumer authorized devices, services, or applications. This data shall be representative of the product’s interval energy consumption. It is recommended that data be reported in watt-hours for intervals of 15 minutes or less, however, representative data may also be reported in alternate units and intervals as specified in the product manufacturer’s interface specification or API detailed in Section 4.3.
 
4.4.2     The product may also provide energy use feedback to the consumer on the product itself. On-product feedback, if provided, may be in units and format chosen by the manufacturer (e.g., $/month).
 
4.5       Information to Consumers
 
4.5.1     If additional modules, devices, services, and/or infrastructure are part of the configuration required to activate the product’s communications capabilities, prominent labels, or other forms of consumer notifications with instructions shall be displayed at the point of purchase and in the product literature. These shall provide specific information on what consumers must do to activate these capabilities (e.g. “This product has Wi-Fi capability and requires Internet connectivity and a wireless router to enable interconnection with an Energy Management System, and/or with other external devices, systems or applications.”).

***** 

If you have comments or concerns about this proposal, please submit them by July 15, 2019, to roomaircleaners@energystar.gov. Please direct any specific questions to Katharine Kaplan, EPA, at kaplan.katharine@epa.gov or (202) 343-9120, Emmy Feldman, ICF, at Emmy.Feldman@icf.com or (202) 862-1145, and Steve Leybourn at ICF, Steve.Leybourn@icf.com or (202) 862-1566.

Thank you for your continued support of ENERGY STAR.
 
Sincerely,

Katharine Kaplan, Manager
ENERGY STAR Product Development and Program Administration

Refrigerated Beverage Vending Machines Final Draft Version 4.0 Specification
 
With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing the Final Draft, Version 4.0 ENERGY STAR Refrigerated Beverage Vending Machine Product Specification. EPA appreciates the time and effort stakeholders have contributed to this specification development process.  Any remaining comments on the Final Draft Version 4.0 product specification may be submitted via email to vendingmachines@energystar.gov by July 15, 2019. This specification is anticipated to take effect in April 29, 2020. 
 
EPA received a limited set of comments on the Draft 2 and hosted a follow-on webinar and subsequent individual stakeholder meetings to ensure the Agency fully understood these comments. Comments reiterated concerns about the stringency of the proposed levels, placement restrictions for refrigerants under UL 541, and the effective date of the specification. The latest list of products in DOE’s Compliance Certification Management System suggests that the industry is leveraging and implementing more advanced technologies and strategies allowing them to meet the proposed eligibility criteria by a significant margin. As such, EPA has retained the Draft 2 levels in this Final Draft. All comments and EPA’s responses can be found in noteboxes throughout the Final Draft specification as well as the comment response document that accompanies this letter. EPA has also updated the data package for this specification to include the latest data available in DOE's CCMS.
 
Comment Submittal
Any remaining comments on the Final Draft Version 4.0 product specification may be submitted via email to vendingmachines@energystar.gov by July 15, 2019. All comments will be posted to the ENERGY STAR Product Development website unless the submitter requests otherwise.
 
The exchange of ideas and information between the EPA, industry, and other interested parties is critical to the success of ENERGY STAR. Specifications and meeting materials will be distributed via email and posted on the ENERGY STAR Product Development website.
 
Please contact me at Crk.Tanja@epa.gov or (202) 566-1037 with questions or concerns. For questions on the test method, please contact Stephanie Johnson at Stephanie.Johnson@ee.doe.gov or (202) 287-1943. For any other vending machine related questions, please contact vendingmachines@energystar.gov.

Thank you for your continued support of the ENERGY STAR program.
 
Sincerely,

ENERGY STAR Spring Lighting Newsletter | 2019

Save the Date – 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting

Congratulations to the 2019 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Award Winners!

Earth Day Recap

Light the Moment, with ENERGY STAR! Updates

Lighting Specification Updates

Free ENERGY STAR Marketing Resources!

Save the Date – 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting

Mark your calendars – the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting is just around the corner! This year's meeting will take place in Charlotte, North Carolina from September 10th – 12th. Join product partners and residential new construction partners from around the country to discuss the latest market insights, new energy efficiency program models, and cutting-edge technology.

As you plan your travel, schedule time to hear expert speakers dive into important lighting industry topics. On Thursday, September 12th join us for the following sessions:

• What's So Special About Specialty Bulbs? Learn about the energy savings potential of ENERGY STAR certified LED specialty bulbs and how utilities incentivize consumers to look for the ENERGY STAR when purchasing specialty bulbs.
• Making Fixtures a Focus. Learn how ENERGY STAR partners are capturing energy efficiency savings with stylish and functional ENERGY STAR certified fixtures.

The ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting is a rare opportunity to meet with utilities, implementers, manufacturers, and retailers – all in one place! Meeting rooms will be available to Partners for independent working meetings. Stay tuned for additional information.

Congratulations to the 2019 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Award Winners!

Each year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy honor organizations that have made outstanding contributions to protect the environment through superior energy efficiency achievements during the ENERGY STAR Awards.

This year, over 183 award winners from across the country were recognized for their outstanding feats in energy efficiency, in categories including: energy management, energy efficiency program delivery, product brand owner, retailer, and more. The awards ceremony was held on April 11th at the Washington Hilton in Washington, DC.

Congratulations to ENERGY STAR Lighting Partners Eaton, GE Lighting, Globe Electric Company (USA) Inc., Greenlite Lighting Corporation, and L'Image Home Products; we loved getting to watch you shine!

Earth Day Rundown

For Earth Day this year, we let people know that they didn’t have to do anything crazy to celebrate –  just take the ENERGY STAR pledge! Between our twitter chat with our partners, and consumer-oriented ad materials, we saw:

• 50,000 people reached through ENERGY STAR Facebook posts.
• More than 10,000 visits to our Earth Day pledge page representing an estimated 7.4 million pounds of GHG emissions saved with a pledge to choose ENERGY STAR certified products.

Thanks to everyone who pledged, shared, and tweeted to help us put Earth Day in the spotlight.

Light the Moment, with ENERGY STAR! Updates

Use ENERGY STAR Light the Moment marketing materials to engage your customers at events, in-store, and online to encourage the purchase of ENERGY STAR certified LED bulbs. Check out our suite of marketing materials, such as seasonal social media graphics, sample posts, event kits, posters, and more, to help us spread the word about the benefits of ENERGY STAR certified LED lighting. We also have a Light the Moment Event Kit to help you engage consumers at retail or other events, filled with fun activities leveraging social media.

Please contact your ENERGY STAR account manager or changetheworld@energystar.gov with any questions.

Lighting Specification Updates

Smart Home Energy Management Systems:  EPA is working with stakeholders to define a smart home system that saves energy, while delivering cost savings and convenience. On June 11, EPA released the ENERGY STAR Smart Home Energy Management Systems (SHEMS) Draft 2 Version 1.0 Specification 1.0. Your engagement is critical to the success of this program. The comment period for Draft 2 Version 1.0 closes on July 11. EPA will also host a webinar to answer any questions on the Draft 2 specification and/or method on June 24, 2019 from 1-3pm Eastern Time. Please register here if you plan on attending. EPA hopes to complete the specification this August.

ENERGY STAR lighting partners operating in the connected product and smart home space are encouraged to participate in the process. If you are not already receiving the emails on this topic and would like to be added to the distribution list to receive updates, send your contact information to SmartHomeSystems@energystar.gov.

Learn more at: www.energystar.gov/SHEMS.

Did you know?

Filament style lamps, including 2200K vintage style ST shapes, have been able to earn the ENERGY STAR since the release of the ENERGY STAR specification for Lamps Version 2.0 on December 31, 2015.

As of May 1, 2019, 726 filament style lamps from 41 brands have earned the ENERGY STAR, including a variety of shapes (A, B, BA, C, CA, G, and ST) and color appearances (2200K up to 5000K). Filament style lamps are some of the most efficient ENERGY STAR lamps available with nearly 175 products producing 100 lumens per watt. Additionally, certified products are available to replace 15-, 25-, 40-, 60- and 100-watt incandescent products.

Luminaires: EPA is working on proposing minor adjustments to the ENERGY STAR Luminaires specification, reflected in a Version 2.2. This update will include a provision for the certification of table top lamps with USB chargers. Current certifications will not be affected by these changes. The ENERGY STAR specification for Luminaires Version 2.2 and the cover memo with its release will be available at www.energystar.gov/luminaires.

Free ENERGY STAR Marketing Resources!

Check out the ENERGY STAR Lighting Resources page to access factsheets, infographics, marketing tools, and more. Use these resources to engage and educate your consumers, colleagues, and social media followers. You might also learn a thing or two!

For Consumers:

Choose a Light Guide

Renovate with LED Lighting Factsheet

Ask the Expert

Dimmable ENERGY STAR Infographic

Light Bulb Purchasing Guide

Lighting made Easy Infographic

ENERGY STAR Lighting FAQs "Ask the Expert" Video

Light Bulbs Product Finder

Light Fixtures Product Finder

Partner Resources:

ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting

ENERGY STAR Lighting Training Center                      

Help Us Keep Our Mailing List Up to Date no longer wish to receillighting@energystar.gov.
As always please feel free to send us any questions or suggested topics for our next newsletter.

SHEMS Package Public Info
 
EPA wanted to introduce and gather input on the types of information we intend to build into the ENERGY STAR Product Finder for SHEMS Packages. This information, once final, would be the official public listing of certified SHEMS packages on energystar.gov. Please send questions and feedback to Smarthomesystems@energystar.gov by July 20th 2019.

REMINDER: SHEMS Draft 2 Stakeholder Webinar Monday, June 24th 
EPA is hosting a webinar to answer any questions on the Draft 2 specification and/or method on June 24, 2019 from 1-3pm Eastern Time. (It will likely not go for two full hours.) Please register here if you plan on attending.
 
Additionally, we wanted to let you know about a great in-person opportunity to network and discuss the SHEMS program and opportunities for collaboration among our stakeholders: The 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting, which will be held September 10 – 12, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Two sessions on SHEMS will be held in the afternoon of September 11th. Key information below, and updates on the meeting will be posted at www.energystar.gov/partnermeeting.

1. AGENDA COMPANION DOCUMENT AND UPDATED PRELIMINARY MEETING AGENDA
2. Time Sensitive! ENERGY STAR EXPO – DEADLINE JULY 12
3. Time Sensitive! CO-SPONSORSHIP & EVENING EVENTS  – DEADLINE JULY 12
4. MEETING REGISTRATION
5. LOCATION AND HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
6. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 
 
Please contact Taylor Jantz-Sell at (202) 343-9042 or Jantz-Sell.Taylor@epa.gov with additional questions or concerns regarding the SHEMS program. For questions pertaining to the Method to Determine Field Performance, please contact Abigail Daken at (202) 343-9375 or daken.abigail@epa.gov. 

Thank you for your continued support of the ENERGY STAR program.
 
Sincerely,

Taylor Jantz-Sell & Abigail Daken

Co-Leads, ENERGY STAR Smart Home Energy Management Systems
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Products Partner Meeting Update – Agenda Companion Document and Updated Preliminary Agenda Available

EPA is pleased to provide you with the following updates for the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting, which will be held September 10 – 12, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

1. New! AGENDA COMPANION DOCUMENT AND UPDATED PRELIMINARY MEETING AGENDA
REMINDERS:
2. Updated and Time Sensitive! ENERGY STAR EXPO – DEADLINE JULY 12
3. Updated and Time Sensitive! CO-SPONSORSHIP & EVENING EVENTS  – DEADLINE JULY 12
4. MEETING REGISTRATION
5. LOCATION AND HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
6. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

AGENDA COMPANION DOCUMENT AND UPDATED PRELIMINARY MEETING AGENDA
EPA is pleased to provide an updated preliminary agenda and an initial companion document with detailed session descriptions. A version of this companion document with speaker information will be circulated closer to the meeting. Please note that these documents are still subject to change.
 

This year, the EPA opening plenary will be the first session on the first day of the meeting, and the ensuing sessions will address a range of timely topics, challenges, opportunities, and trends related to ENERGY STAR certified appliances, electronics, electric vehicle chargers, HVAC, lighting, smart home energy management systems, smart thermostats, and water heaters.  This structure offers attendees the advantage of being able to participate in relevant sessions, while allowing for additional networking time between those sessions that are of interest to you.  As a reminder, the 2019 ENERGY STAR Residential New Construction Partner Meeting will take place at the same location from September 11 – 12.

ENERGY STAR EXPO  – DEADLINE JULY 12
Reserve your booth ASAP - a few spots are still available for the ENERGY STAR Expo!

EPA is offering ENERGY STAR retailer and manufacturing partners the opportunity to showcase their ENERGY STAR certified products at the meeting.  If you are interested in exhibiting your ENERGY STAR certified appliances, electronics, electric vehicle chargers, HVAC, lighting, smart home energy management systems, smart thermostats, and water heaters during the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting, please send an email to Kelly Schneider, ICF, at Kelly.Schneider@icf.com no later than July 12, 2019.
 
To accommodate as many requests as possible, exhibitors may initially only sign-up for one booth.  If additional space is available after July 12, EPA will release the additional booths to those exhibitors that have requested multiple booths.
 
Please note that the ENERGY STAR Product Expo will be in the center section of the main ballroom, where all the meals and breaks will also take place. The booths will be placed around the perimeter of the room to allow for easy interaction with other stakeholders. The ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting and the ENERGY STAR Residential New Construction Partner Meeting will host their main sessions in the ballroom sections on either side of the ENERGY STAR Product Expo.   
 
Exhibitors will be working with an exhibitor services company for all their exhibitor-specific needs.  While there is no upfront cost to exhibit at the meeting, exhibitors’ costs for the booth package, set-up, labor, and materials associated with their booths will be handled directly with the expo services provider.   
 

CO-SPONSORSHIP & EVENING EVENTS – DEADLINE JULY 12

EPA is grateful to Nationwide Marketing Group and other ENERGY STAR partners for their generous support of food and beverage and audio/visual offerings at the 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting (2019 ESPPM) and the 2019 ENERGY STAR Residential New Construction Partner Meeting (2019 ESRPM).
 
2019 ESPPM & 2019 ESRPM Co-Sponsors (as of June 12, 2019)
Nationwide Marketing Group (Facilitating Co-Sponsor)
Samsung Electronics America
Greenlite Lighting Corporatio
Phillips Lighting/Signify
L'Image Home Products, Inc.
A. O. Smith
 
We are forwarding the below information on behalf of Nationwide Marketing Group:

Nationwide Marketing Group is proud to be the Facilitating Co-Sponsor of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2019 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting (2019 ESPPM) and the 2019 ENERGY STAR Residential New Construction Partner Meeting (2019 ESRPM). In this capacity, we are pleased to offer all our fellow ENERGY STAR partners the opportunity to join us in supporting these important meetings.
 
This opportunity is open until the earlier of July 12, 2019, or until co-sponsorship goals are met.
 
To sign up, please go to this registration page: https://2019esmeetingscosponsorship.eventbrite.com

Questions or additional information? Contact: Richard Weinberg, Sr VP, Business Services, rick.weinberg@nationwidegroup.org, 336.714.5095

Partner-hosted events and activities offered in conjunction with the ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting offer value-added networking opportunities for program stakeholders after each day’s sessions have ended. EPA is happy to share information on any partner-hosted events or activities offered to all attendees in future meeting materials and communications. Interested partners should email Elizabeth.Caiafa@icf.com.

Please note: No EPA funds will be used for food and beverage offerings associated with the 2019 ESPPM or related events and activities. 
 

SHEMS Version 1.0 Draft 2 Specification
 
With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing Draft 2 of the ENERGY STAR SHEMS Version 1.0 Specification, the ENERGY STAR SHEMS Partner Commitments, and the Draft 2 Method to Determine Field Performance. EPA thanks stakeholders for participating in the SHEMS stakeholder meeting on April 12 and submitting written feedback which has informed the proposed changes in these subsequent draft documents. All materials related to EPA’s development of the specification can be found at www.energystar.gov/SHEMS.

In addition to meeting the relevant performance specifications, ENERGY STAR partners are subject to a set of partner commitments which address proper use of the label and certain additional reporting requirements. As part of this distribution, EPA is sharing the standard ENERGY STAR Partner Commitments as adapted for this category. In particular, EPA hopes to make clear how labeling will work given the unique nature of the SHEMS category.

EPA received feedback from utility stakeholders questioning the timing of this specification given a lack of data to demonstrate incremental energy savings to the consumer over a currently labeled product or service such as connected thermostats. In going forward now, our intent is to lay the foundation for energy management with smart home devices as this market develops and to pave the way for more holistic home energy management in the future. The data collected through this first phase of the program will be used to develop a savings metric which will allow the program to set objective savings targets for SHEMS going forward. EPA has carefully considered utility stakeholder program needs in designing the specification by requiring capabilities to support water heater control, time of use pricing, and basic grid services and included a specific list of encouraged products that present additional opportunities for energy efficiency and demand response for service providers to prioritize for integration. While it is impractical for the specification to require integration with all priority devices at this time, we recognize the importance of making service providers aware that utilities are unlikely to support packages that do not go beyond the minimum requirements. In addition to developing integrations with additional devices, EPA encourages service providers to engage in formal industry processes with device manufacturers to develop best practices and ensure interoperability.
 
Note boxes throughout the specification provide context for edits made in Draft 2 largely based on the comments received. The accompanying comment response document addresses comments that were not addressed in the specification. The Draft 2 specification and method incorporate edits to the following key elements.
 
Definitions
EPA revised a handful of definitions including service/device package, hub, idle and standby states, and included a new definition for Time of Use Pricing.
 
Eligibility Criteria
EPA has included many small edits and clarifications in the eligibility criteria section, including:

• Clarifying the minimum number of occupancy-based commands required and the level of detail required for reporting energy consumption.
• Clarifying requirements for marketing and sale of required devices.
• Indicating an intent to revisit standby power requirements in future revisions.
• Clarifying demand response reporting requirements in a new section, 4.4.C).
• Making minor updates to applicable test methods in Table 2. 

Method to Determine Field Performance
EPA has made minor edits based on comments that arose during the Draft 1 webinar and through written feedback, including:

• Proposing that the reporting of installations by climate zone and number of away hours by month be mandatory rather than optional.
• Explicitly allowing for a pre-market test group to be a suitable population of analysis for the first 6-month period of analysis to be submitted to attain ENERGY STAR certification.
• Specifying a minimum sample size for data submission.
• Adding two fields corresponding to the number of installations with poor connectivity and the lighting load in nighttime/vacation mode.

To address questions and support better understanding of how the specification will roll out for third party certification and package listings will be displayed on the ENERGY STAR web site, EPA will be releasing a separate overview of anticipated public data elements for stakeholders to review and provide feedback on shortly after the release of Draft 2.
 
Comment Submittal
EPA encourages stakeholders to submit any additional written comments on the structure or approaches proposed in the Draft 2 documents during this comment period so that EPA can move forward with Final Draft documents in a timely manner. Any written comments should be submitted no later than July 11, 2019. Please send comments via email to smarthomesystems@energystar.gov. All comments received will be posted to the ENERGY STAR Product Development website, unless the submitter specifically requests otherwise.
 
Stakeholder Webinar
EPA will host a webinar to answer any questions on the Draft 2 specification and/or method on June 24, 2019 from 1-3pm Eastern Time. Please register here if you plan on attending. Please contact Taylor Jantz-Sell at (202) 343-9042 or Jantz-Sell.Taylor@epa.gov with additional questions or concerns. For questions pertaining to the Method to Determine Field Performance, please contact Abigail Daken at (202) 343-9375 or daken.abigail@epa.gov.
 
Thank you for your continued support of the ENERGY STAR program.
 
Sincerely,

Dear ENERGY STAR Partners,

The Environmental Protection Agency is pleased to announce the kick-off of our 2019 cooling season promotions featuring ENERGY STAR. There is still time for partners to get involved. The promotions include a range of products and best practices that your customers can use  to save energy, save money, and protect the climate all summer long. ENERGY STAR offerings are highlighted below and everything you need to get involved can be found on the marketing materials web page.

Brand New! Cooling Season Ask the Expert Video

ENERGY STAR is excited to release a brand new Ask the Expert video, featuring tips and best practices for saving energy this summer. Both home owners and renters at every economic level can benefit from energy efficient product purchases and practices, and this video will give them the blueprint for achieving their energy saving goals.           

ENERGY STAR Certified Smart Thermostats - The Smart Choice Made Simple

Properly using your thermostat is a great way to save energy in the summertime, and an ENERGY STAR certified Smart Thermostat makes saving simple. During the cooling season ENERGY STAR will work with partners to educate consumers on the benefits of certified smart thermostats, showing them what differentiates ENERGY STAR models from others on the market. Similar to the room air conditioner promotion, ENERGY STAR will showcase cute and cuddly pets in 15-second videos, showing how a certified model can help everyone in your home save energy and stay comfortable all summer long.

ENERGY STAR will reach homeowners in markets with active smart thermostat programs via an integrated campaign including multiple creative assets placed on YouTube/GDN and through social media, including Facebook and Instagram.

To further support partner outreach efforts, ENERGY STAR has created a suite of educational assets including point-of-sale materials, info-graphics, web widgets, and retail fact sheets to aid in the promotion of this popular product. All assets can be found on the marketing materials web page.

Save The Date! Cooling Season Twitter Chat

ENERGY STAR is excited to join our partners to educate consumers on the best ways to save energy, save money, and protect the environment this summer. Join us for our Cooling Season Twitter Chat on Thursday, June 27th at 2 pm ET, and show the Twitterverse how your organization can help everyone save energy. Just follow the hashtag #ENERGYSTARChat.

The ENERGY STAR team is excited to work with you to promote ENERGY STAR this cooling season. Please let us know your interest in participating, as well as your promotional plans, so we can best coordinate our efforts.