Dear ENERGY STAR® Commercial Ovens Partners and Stakeholders:
 
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would like to remind stakeholders that as of August 29, 2022, EPA-recognized certification bodies (CBs) are required to cease certification of new commercial ovens to the Version 2.2 specification and may only certify commercial ovens to the Version 3.0 specification. Certification bodies may continue submitting administrative modifications to existing commercial ovens certifications to the Version 3.0 specification until January 12, 2023. After this date, only commercial ovens certified to the Version 3.0 specification will appear on the ENERGY STAR website and certified products list.

CBs must notify EPA by August 28, 2022, of models certified to Version 2.2, 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 cfs@energystar.gov with any questions regarding the specification. CBs should direct questions concerning the submittal of certified commercial ovens to Certification@energystar.gov.

Thank you for your support of the ENERGY STAR program.
 

Dear ENERGY STAR® Computer Server Partner or Other Interested Stakeholder,

With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing the Draft 1, Version 4.0 Computer Server specification. The deadline to provide comments on this Draft 1 specification is September 9, 2022.

EPA released a Discussion Guide for stakeholder review and comment focused on updating definitions, the addition of storage “heavy” servers, and internal power supply efficiency. EPA has taken the feedback received from that Discussion Guide and incorporated this feedback into the Draft 1 specification. The Draft 1, Version 4.0 specification incorporates the following key elements.

Energy Criteria
Although 2020 market penetration for ENERGY STAR certified computer servers was 25%, improved chipsets have largely caught up to the ENERGY STAR specifications. As such, EPA is proposing more stringent ENERGY STAR criteria for server products. This proposal increases the stringency of the active efficiency criteria by 2-3 times over the previous levels with between 24-34% of products meeting the proposal in each bin. This includes smaller servers as well that are best suited for small businesses.

In addition, for storage “heavy” products, EPA is adding the definition for these products, but has not proposed active state criteria at this time due to a lack of data. As has been done for servers in the past, products may be certified and will be required to report the energy data so that the Agency can consider setting active state criteria in a future revision.

Internal Power Supply Criteria
EPA is proposing to create a four-tiered system for power supplies where power supplies at or above 750 watts are required to meet more stringent requirements than those below 750 watts which have maintained their requirements from Version 3.0. This is true for single and multi-output products.

Comment Submittal
EPA welcomes stakeholder input on the attached Draft 1, Version 4.0 specification. Stakeholders are encouraged to submit any comments to servers@energystar.gov by September 9, 2022. 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 discussion guide on August 16, 2022, from 1-3pm 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 product development website.

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. 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

Enclosures
Draft 1, Version 4.0 specification
Data Savings and Analysis Package

Dear ENERGY STAR® Light Commercial HVAC Partners and Stakeholders:
 
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would like to remind stakeholders that as of August 15, 2022, EPA-recognized certification bodies (CBs) are required to cease certification of new light commercial HVAC to the Version 3.1 specification and may only certify light commercial HVAC to the Version 4.0 specification. Certification bodies may continue submitting administrative modifications to existing light commercial HVAC certifications to the Version 4.0 specification until January 1, 2023. After this date, only light commercial HVAC certified to the Version 4.0 specification will appear on the ENERGY STAR website and certified products list.

CBs must notify EPA by August 14, 2022, of models certified to Version 3.1, 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 LCHVAC@energystar.gov with any questions regarding the specification. CBs should direct questions concerning the submittal of certified light commercial HVAC to Certification@energystar.gov.

Thank you for your support of the ENERGY STAR program.

Dear ENERGY STAR® Computer Partner or Other Interested Stakeholder,

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing an update to the ENERGY STAR Computer test method to allow certain products to ship without an external power supply included and to lay out how they should be tested. This change was requested by stakeholders due to changes in the way laptops are sold.  The changes are reflected in the updated test method. Products that have been certified to Version 8.0 will not be affected by this change and will remain ENERGY STAR certified.

EPA received support from stakeholders for this change. One stakeholder commented that the allowance to ship without an external power supply and test using the revised method should not be limited to power supplies of 30W or less. For power supplies greater than 30W, EPA continues to have concerns, which are shared by some stakeholders, regarding the performance of products not using a power supply designed specifically for that product. As such, EPA has retained the 30W limit. However, EPA is willing to revisit stakeholder interest in this issue as part of the Version 9.0 specification revision process, which is scheduled to launch later this year.

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 amendment. For 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 Rev. July 2022 (includes updated test method)
 

Dear ENERGY STAR® Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers Partners and Stakeholders:
 
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would like to remind stakeholders that as of August 6, 2022, EPA-recognized certification bodies (CBs) are required to cease certification of new commercial refrigerators and freezers to the Version 4.0 specification and may only certify commercial refrigerators and freezers to the Version 5.0 specification. Certification bodies may continue submitting administrative modifications to existing commercial refrigerators and freezers certifications to the Version 4.0 specification until December 21, 2022. After this date, only commercial refrigerators and freezers certified to the Version 5.0 specification will appear on the ENERGY STAR website and certified products list.

CBs must notify EPA by August 5, 2022, of models certified to Version 4.0, 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 cfs@energystar.gov with any questions regarding the specification. CBs should direct questions concerning the submittal of certified commercial refrigerators and freezers to Certification@energystar.gov.

Thank you for your support of the ENERGY STAR program.

 

Dear ENERGY STAR® Room Air Conditioner Brand Owners and Other Interested Parties,

With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is sharing the ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Room Air Conditioner Draft 1 Specification. EPA welcomes stakeholder input on this Draft 1 specification; please provide written comments via email to appliances@energystar.gov no later than September 1, 2022. EPA will hold a stakeholder webinar on August 17, 2022 from 2 to 4 pm EST to discuss this draft with interested parties. Stakeholders interested in attending the webinar should register here.

EPA is proposing to revise the ENERGY STAR certified room air conditioners specification for multiple reasons. The ENERGY STAR market share has grown; in 2020 it was 54%, highlighting the opportunity to recognize a higher level of efficiency. Further, the Department of Energy (DOE) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) to revise the federal efficiency standard for room air conditioners on April 7, 2022 with a proposal of levels that exceed those of the current ENERGY STAR requirements. Accordingly, EPA is proposing new efficiency criteria.

Key elements of the Version 5.0 Draft 1 proposal include:

     Revised Efficiency Criteria

EPA is proposing that to qualify for ENERGY STAR, room air conditioners must be at least 19-50% more efficient than those meeting the 2014 minimum federal efficiency standards, depending on the product class. EPA estimates that room air conditioners that that meet the proposed ENERGY STAR specification will equate to an average national energy cost savings of over $85 million and prevent nearly 2.4 billion pounds of carbon emissions per year. As with all ENERGY STAR products, EPA is working with DOE on this ENERGY STAR revision and will ensure the revision is informed by that regulatory process.

      Optional ‘Connected’ Criteria

EPA is considering revising optional connected criteria for room air conditioners. EPA is seeking to make the connected criteria both more useful to those interested in grid response from room air conditioners and less burdensome to test and meet for brand owners, which together should increase the number of connected products on the market. As such, EPA is proposing and/or seeking feedback on the following:

1. Connectivity protocols, and if brand owners would be open to EPA specifying compliance with specific protocols, and if this would be helpful for utilities and aggregators.

2. Evaluation of connectivity through the examination of documentation and product(s) information, and if this would lead to more connected recognition of more product lines by product brand owners.

3. Connected recognition of wider variety of room air conditioner models, and if this would make reliance on ENERGY STAR connected recognition more useful for utilities and aggregators.

In light of EPA’s current understanding of Demand Response (DR) programs and concerns EPA has received about the complexity of the connected criteria for room air conditioners, EPA is considering simplifying the connected criteria and associated test procedure. EPA believes that utilities have moved towards adopting demand response programs that are not product-specific, and EPA is not aware of any utilities with plans to include room air conditioner-specific demand response programs going forward. 

Furthermore, EPA plans to discontinue the 5% energy use allowance for connected products. This change is based on multiple factors. The first, noted above, is the market shift away from product-specific DR programs. The second is an unintended consequence that EPA has observed from the current credit. EPA has not seen large numbers of ENERGY STAR models certified as connected while the models that do claim the credit are those that need the 5% credit to meet the efficiency criteria. Meanwhile, highly efficient models that are Smart or Wi-Fi capable are not being certified as Connected, working against the program’s intent to deliver both efficiency and performance.

      Refrigerant Type Reporting

EPA is proposing a reporting requirement for the refrigerant type to allow consumers to easily identify products with lower-GWP refrigerants.

      Sound Performance Reporting

Informed by stakeholders that increasing room air conditioner efficiency can be reasonably achieved by increasing fan speeds with a resulting effect on noise, EPA is proposing a reporting requirement for the indoor sound pressure performance at the lowest operational cooling level, which may be preferred by consumers sleeping or working in proximity to the units.   

Stakeholders are requested to provide any comments on the Version 5.0 Draft 1 specification no later than September 1, 2022. Please send comments via e-mail to appliances@energystar.gov. All comments received will be posted to the ENERGY STAR Room Air Conditioner Version 5 development page, unless the submitter specifically requests that comments remain confidential.
Please direct any specific questions to Park.Ga-Young@epa.gov or (202) 564-1085, or Steve Leybourn at Steve.Leybourn@icf.com or (202) 862-1566.  

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

Ga-Young Park
Product Manager for Appliances
ENERGY STAR Labeled Products

Enclosures:
ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Room Air Conditioner Draft 1 Specification
ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Room Air Conditioner Draft 1 Data & Analysis Package

Dear ENERGY STAR® Water Heater Brand Owner or Other Interested Party:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to distribute the Final Version 5.0 ENERGY STAR® Water Heater specification and the Final Version 1.2 ENERGY STAR Connected Residential Water Heaters Test Method to Validate Demand Response. 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 5.0 requirements will be effective on April 18, 2023. All connected products should use the new version of the test method immediately.

Gas water heaters meeting this specification can save between $19 and $88 per year of average use, depending on the water heater type and capacity. Please see the accompanying data package for details. If all gas water heaters sold in the US met these criteria, the energy cost savings would grow to $28 billion per year, and 55 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions would be prevented.

This specification was developed through a process that included the release of a draft specification and holding individual meetings with numerous industry stakeholders to receive feedback. The themes from the Draft 1 comments were repeated in the latest comment period. EPA received comments asking for both lower and higher UEF levels from different stakeholders. Those calling for lower levels typically were in favor of no changes to the current Version 4.0 UEF levels, though some were interested in adding a higher tier recognition for products with a UEF above 1.00. Some commentors were only interested in slightly lower levels than proposed by EPA. Those calling for higher UEF criteria were typically asking for a level higher than 1.00, requiring a heat pump level of efficiency. EPA has retained the suggested levels for Further details and EPA’s responses can be found in the Final Draft Comment Response Matrix.

EPA made one change in the final specification, removal of NOx reporting requirements for all gas water heater types, which was our intention in the Final Draft. Numerous commentors requested we do so, typically citing added certification burden on manufacturers as a concern. While there were partners that appreciated NOx reporting, EPA does not believe it adds enough value to include.

EPA received extensive feedback both supporting and opposing the possibility of sunsetting gas products in the near future. Many stakeholders opposing sunsetting gas products cite EPA’s guiding principles, with specific comments made about the availability of units and the cost effectiveness of ENERGY STAR products after that change. Many stakeholders are interested in keeping the products available to consumers who may not financially be able to make the upgrades necessary for a heat pump water heater, and in maintaining existing utility programs that reference the ENERGY STAR certification for their program offerings. Some also challenged the conventional wisdom that electrification of water heating is the least costly path to decarbonization, which was the primary argument of those supporting the sunset. Those supporting the sunset referred to the urgency of decarbonization and to the Biden administration’s commitment to it.

Stakeholder comments, previous drafts of the specification, and related materials are available on EPA's ENERGY STAR website at www.energystar.gov/specifications. Click on the “View the Version 5.0 Development Process” link for Water Heaters.

Test Method to Validate Demand Response
The Final ENERGY STAR Connected Residential Water Heaters Test Method to Validate Demand Response, Version 1.2 remains unchanged from the final draft release of the document. EPA and DOE remain involved in the development a related industry document that may have an impact on the test method: proposed AHRI Standard 1430, Demand Flexible Water Heaters. AHRI, DOE, and EPA are committed to as much alignment as possible, and do not anticipate problems with achieving it.  However, as the AHRI standard is not yet final, we have not changed the ENERGY STAR Test Method at this time. Once the standard is finalized, we will revisit alignment as needed.

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 5.0 requirements, including recognition as connected. 

• As of November 23, 2023, CBs will be instructed to stop certifying new product submittals to Version 4.0. Note, however, that existing certifications will remain valid for purposes of ENERGY STAR qualification until April 18, 2023.

• Any water heater manufactured as of April 18, 2023, must meet Version 5.0 requirements to bear the ENERGY STAR mark. All certifications of products to the Version 4.0 specification will be invalid for purposes of ENERGY STAR qualification and the product finder will only include models certified to Version 5.0.

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 water heaters. Please direct any questions regarding the specification and its timeline to Abigail Daken, EPA, at daken.abigail@epa.gov or (202) 343-9375, and Ned Bent, ICF, at ned.bent@icf.com, or (571) 842-4917. For marketing or webpage questions, please contact Nate Jutras at jutras.nathaniel@epa.gov or (202) 738-3515. For test procedure inquiries, please contact Julia Hegarty, U.S. Department of Energy, at julia.hegarty@ee.doe.gov or (240) 597-6737. Thank you for your continued support of the ENERGY STAR program.

Abigail Daken
EPA Product Manager, ENERGY STAR for HVAC and Connected

Enclosures:

ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Water Heaters Final Specification and Partner Commitments
ENERGY STAR Connected Residential Water Heaters Test Method to Validate Demand Response, Version 1.2
ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Water Heaters Final Draft Comment Response Matrix
ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Water Heaters Final Data Package

Dear ENERGY STAR® Partners and other Stakeholders:  

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to share both an update on ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2022 and proposed recognition criteria for 2023. Stakeholders are invited to provide written comments on these proposed criteria no later than August 15, 2022, to MostEfficient@energystar.gov.   

ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2022 

As of June 2022, 3308 models from 258 ENERGY STAR partners meet the ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2022 recognition criteria. The number of models and partners per category is noted in the following table: 

ENERGY STAR Most Efficient enjoys robust utility support and is leveraged by 37 energy efficiency program sponsors, serving over 8.4 million households (or roughly 23.2 million consumers). These rebate programs feature one or more product categories covered by ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2022 and reflect a diverse geographic spread, including one water utility in California.    

ENERGY STAR Most Efficient is also leveraged for retailer incentives as part of the ENERGY STAR Retail Products Platform (ESRPP), an innovative, nationally coordinated, market transformation initiative. ESRPP retailers now represent 822 appliance storefronts in current program sponsors’ service areas. In 2022, there are 13 efficiency program sponsors participating in ESRPP currently serving nearly 15% of U.S. households.  

EPA provides consumers with information about recognized products through a special view of the ENERGY STAR Product Finders. Consumers can now directly access ENERGY STAR Most Efficient models through a filter on the popular ENERGY STAR Products Finders and are also highlighted in the search results as having earned the ENERGY STAR Most Efficient recognition. In addition to highlighting ENERGY STAR Most Efficient models on the ENERGY STAR website, EPA is also sharing information on ENERGY STAR Most Efficient models with Amazon to be featured in their Climate Pledge Friendly program. The UPC codes recently added for all ENERGY STAR products currently enable the Amazon listings. 

2023 Product Categories and Recognition Criteria  

In light of an unexpected budget cut, EPA is pursuing a limited update of the ENERGY STAR Most Efficient criteria for 2023. EPA completed a review of the data associated with currently recognized models and found in all cases that the current criteria would adequately recognize the best of ENERGY STAR for another year. As such, EPA is extending the 2022 efficiency criteria into 2023 for ceiling fans, clothes washers, computer monitors, dehumidifiers, dishwashers, dryers, refrigeration products, room air conditioners, vent fans, and windows. EPA is proposing changes to the CAC/ASHP and geothermal heat pump criteria to ease the recognition processes. In response to sustained stakeholder interest and in service to consumers seeking ENERGY STAR Most Efficient products, EPA proposes to add recognition for room air cleaners in 2023. Televisions will not be recognized in 2023.    

Ceiling Fans: EPA proposes to maintain the current criteria for ceiling fans into 2023. Savings offered by the current criteria are significant, 67% for a 52-inch fan, the most common size on the market.   

Clothes Washers: No changes are proposed to the current criteria for clothes washer types. The ENERGY STAR Most Efficient list includes 20 base models from 6 brands, providing consumers with a good selection of models with superior energy and water efficiency.  

Computer Monitors:  EPA proposes to maintain the current criteria into 2023 as the number of models in the market is steady since the last update. Recognized models demonstrate significant energy savings and there has been no technology update due to the chip shortage. 

Dehumidifiers:  EPA proposes to maintain the current criteria for dehumidifiers into 2023. 227 portable models meet these rigorous criteria, offering consumers significant savings of 22% over conventional models. Nine whole-home dehumidifiers meet the criteria with a savings of 25% over conventional models.  

Dishwashers: In light of the ongoing revision of the ENERGY STAR Dishwasher specification, EPA will maintain the current recognition criteria into 2023. Currently, the ENERGY STAR Most Efficient list includes 34 base models from 12 brands.  

Dryers: No changes are proposed to the criteria for dryers. The ENERGY STAR Most Efficient list includes 30 base models from 8 brands, representing both heat pump and hybrid heat pump technologies. EPA encourages partners to complete optional fields for technology type when certifying products to make it easier for utilities to incentivize these technologies in the market. 

Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps and Ductless Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps: EPA proposes to maintain the current criteria for CAC and Heat Pumps. The Agency will simplify the criteria to allow EPA to nominate products automatically from products certified to ENERGY STAR Version 6.1, eliminating the need for an application.​ The current criteria set in 2022 account for the revised ENERGY STAR specification, and reward certification to the V6.1 cold climate heat pump criteria.  ​Inclusion of optional installation capabilities in Version 6.1 allows automatic recognition of units that meet the criteria as ENERGY STAR Most Efficient​. The inclusion of compressor staging (single, dual, multi-stage, variable capacity) in QPX allows automatic recognition of dual and multistage units. EPA believes this change will ease participation in ENERGY STAR Most Efficient for partners.​ 

Geothermal Heat Pumps: EPA also intends to move away from use of an application for Geothermal Heat Pumps for ENERGY STAR Most Efficient recognition. In light of the truly superior efficiency of these products, EPA proposes to recognize all models that meet the current ENERGY STAR criteria.   

Refrigerators-Freezers and Freezers: EPA proposes to maintain the current criteria for refrigerators and freezers. There are 204 base models from 49 brands of standard size refrigerators, which represents 20% of the standard size market. For compact refrigerators, there are 44 base models from 24 brands that meet the proposed criteria representing 5% of the market. There are 12 upright freezer and chest freezer base models from 5 brands that meet the criteria.  

Room Air Cleaners: EPA proposes to add Room Air Cleaners to the portfolio in 2023. EPA proposes this expansion due to the rich savings offered by this higher level of efficiency, 65% to more than 70%, over the level used in numerous state standards. There has been a tremendous growth in shipments over the past couple of years due to both COVID + wildfires​ making it more important to highlight greater efficiency for consumers. Lastly, stakeholders like the ESRPP have requested this expansion consistently in the last few years. 

Room Air Conditioners: No changes are proposed for the current criteria for room air conditioners. Available models stayed steady from last year, and there are currently 13 base models from 6 brands meeting the proposed criteria, which represents 2% of the market.  

Ventilating Fans: EPA proposes to maintain the 2022 criteria for ventilating fans into 2023. The current efficiency criteria are met by an appropriate subset of products, just 2.3% of HVI’s product list; however, a very small number of those fans are currently recognized as ENERGY STAR Most Efficient. This is due to a lack of reported data for the noise criteria as measured at 0.25 in wtg. static pressure for bathroom/utility fans. EPA encourages partners to submit this data and contact EPA with questions regarding how to do so.  

Windows and Sliding Glass Doors: No changes are proposed for the 2023 residential window or sliding door recognition criteria. While high performance window products are widely available, they are still a relatively small slice of the total market. EPA will consider revising the criteria next year after the Version 7.0 Window, Door and Skylight specification is finalized. 

The proposed ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2023 criteria for the full suite of products is summarized below. In addition to meeting these recognition criteria, products must be certified as ENERGY STAR by an EPA-recognized certification body. Additional detail for each product category is included in the recognition criteria documents as well as the stakeholder slide deck accompanying this letter.   

[1] For purposes of this requirement, the manufacturer shall test the dryer according to the provisions in the DOE test procedure in 10 CFR 430, Subpart B, Appendix D2, but where the drying temperature setting can be chosen independently of the program, it shall be set to the maximum. At the time of certification, for each basic model the manufacturer shall report per this criteria section the energy performance (CEF), the cycle program name, the temperature setting, the dryness setting, as well as any settings enabled by default, and the time taken to complete the energy test cycle (as defined in the ENERGY STAR Version 1.1 specification, Section 5C).

EPA will provide additional information regarding the roll out of ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2023 recognition with the finalization of these criteria.
 
In light of the minimal changes proposed to the 2023 ENERGY STAR Most Efficient criteria, EPA is distributing a slide deck that relays data associated with this year’s review rather than sharing this information via a stakeholder webinar. This document as well as the criteria documents can be found here. Please share written comments no later than August 15, 2022, with MostEfficient@energystar.gov. Unless the commenter asks otherwise, all comments will be posted to the ENERGY STAR Most Efficient criteria development page. EPA plans to finalize these recognition requirements in the coming months.
 
Thank you for your support of the ENERGY STAR program.  
 
Sincerely,

Ann Bailey, Director
ENERGY STAR Product Labeling

Enclosures: 
ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2023 Proposals with Rationale 
 
 

As you are likely aware the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published its final rules pertaining to definitions and standards for General Service Lamps, and their policy for the enforcement of the 45 lumen-per-watt backstop.
 
The ENERGY STAR Program is currently processing the market implications of the new standard. Should EPA decide to go forward with a proposal to sunset or otherwise alter relevant ENERGY STAR specifications, we would do so through our usual open and transparent process with timing established in consultation with our partners. Given the prospect that utility rebate programs will still be running in 2023, we would not expect any such action to be effective before the end of next year.
 
Thank you for your support of ENERGY STAR.
For more information, visit: www.energystar.gov

Dear ENERGY STAR Small Network Equipment (SNE) Brand Owners and Other Interested Parties:

This letter serves as a reminder that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s sunset of the ENERGY STAR specification for SNE products takes effect July 13, 2022. All SNE partners must cease use of the ENERGY STAR name and ENERGY STAR mark in association with all SNE products, including on products, web pages, and other collateral materials as of this date.

EPA appreciates the efforts of SNE product partners to advance a cleaner environment through the ENERGY STAR Program and applauds your success in moving the market towards greater energy efficiency. Please send any questions to networking@energystar.gov. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Ann Bailey, Chief
ENERGY STAR Labeling Branch
US Environmental Protection Agency

Dear ENERGY STAR® Residential Dishwasher Partners or Other Interested Stakeholders,
 
With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to share the Final Draft ENERGY STAR Version 7.0 Residential Dishwashers 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. The effective date for this ENERGY STAR Dishwashers specification will be July 6, 2023. 

EPA appreciates stakeholders’ feedback on the Draft 2 specification. Responses to stakeholder comments are reflected in the final draft specification as well as in the accompanying Draft 2 Comment Response Matrix.

The Final Draft ENERGY STAR Version 7.0 Residential Dishwashers specification maintains the criteria proposed in Draft 2, including the proposed minimum energy and water efficiency requirements as well as a cleaning index threshold of 65. Given that the current ENERGY STAR market share for dishwashers is near 100%, instituting these changes is important to preserving the consumer value associated with the label. In recognition of simultaneous testing requirements associated with forthcoming changes to 10 CFR 430, Subpart B, Appendix C1 and ENERGY STAR, EPA has extended the transition period for Version 7.0 revision to 12 months.  

Any final comments on the Version 7.0 Final Draft specification may be submitted no later than June 30, 2022 to appliances@energystar.gov. All comments received will be posted to the ENERGY STAR Residential Dishwashers Version 7.0 Specification Development webpage, unless the submitter specifically requests that their comments remain confidential.
 
Please contact Ga-Young Park, EPA, at Park.Ga-Young@epa.gov or (202) 564-1085, or Steve Leybourn, ICF, at Steve.Leybourn@icf.com or (202) 862-1566, with any questions or concerns about the specification. Thank you for your continued support of the ENERGY STAR program.
 
Best Regards,

Ga-Young Park
Product Manager for Appliances
ENERGY STAR for Residential Dishwashers

 

Dear ENERGY STAR® Televisions Stakeholders:
 
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would like to remind stakeholders that as of June 2, 2022, EPA-recognized certification bodies (CBs) are required to cease certification of new Televisions to the Version 8.0 specification and may only certify Televisions to the Version 9.0 specification. Certification bodies may continue submitting administrative modifications to existing Television certifications to the Version 8.0 specification until October 20, 2022. After this date, only Televisions certified to the Version 9.0 specification will appear on the ENERGY STAR website and certified products list.

CBs must notify EPA by June 2, 2022 of models certified to Version 9.0, 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 televisions@energystar.gov with any questions regarding the specification. CBs should direct questions concerning the submittal of certified televisions to Certification@energystar.gov

Dear ENERGY STAR® Computer Partner or Other Interested Stakeholder,

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing an update to the ENERGY STAR Computer test method to allow certain products to ship without an external power supply included and to lay out how they should be tested. This change was requested by stakeholders due to changes in the way laptops are sold.  The changes will be reflected in an updated test method, and products that have been certified to Version 8.0 will not be affected by this change and will remain ENERGY STAR certified.

The changes made to the test method in Section 5.1.C (newly added) is as follows:

C) Notebooks and Slates/Tablets shall be tested using the external power supply (EPS) shipped with the product. If the UUT is designed with the intention of utilizing an EPS that is 30W or less, but does not include a pre-packaged EPS, then test the UUT as follows:
1) Test the UUT with an EPS sold and recommended by the manufacturer; or,
2) If the manufacturer does not recommend and EPS that it sells, test the UUT with an EPS recommended by the manufacturer in the manufacturer materials; or,
3) If the manufacturer does not recommend any EPS, test the UUT with an EPS that meets the parameters specified by the UUT manufacturer and minimally complies with the applicable Federal energy conservation standard. The input voltage shall be within ±1 percent of the UUT manufacturer specified voltage.

EPA welcomes stakeholder input on this proposed amendment. Stakeholders are encouraged to submit any comments to computers@energystar.gov by July 1, 2022. 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. Materials associated with this amendment are posted to the ENERGY STAR 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 amendment. For 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:
ENERGY STAR Draft Test Method for Computers

Dear ENERGY STAR® Room Air Cleaner Partner or Other Interested Stakeholder,
 
This letter serves to inform stakeholders that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has updated the ENERGY STAR Version 2.0 Room Air Cleaners Specification. This update, which takes effect upon publication of this letter, adds a testing option for purposes of dust and pollen Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) reporting. Specifically, for reporting measured dust CADR and pollen CADR performance values, the average of tests on three units of the same model may be used. No changes have been made to testing and reporting of results for smoke CADR performance. The revised text adding this testing option is highlighted in attachment. Table 1.

In addition, EPA added a clarifying statement to the requirement for ozone emitting models. This clarification explicitly allows the use of test results from a Nationally Recognized Test Laboratory (NRTL) measured per UL 867 Ed. 5.0 to be used to confirm that a model meets this requirement to prevent the need for retesting ozone emissions. See 3.2.1 in attachment.

These updates do not impact models currently certified as ENERGY STAR. The updated specification and related materials are available on the ENERGY STAR Room Air Cleaners Version 2.0 Specification Development webpage.

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 any other questions pertaining to Room Air Cleaners, please contact roomaircleaners@energystar.gov.

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

Ga-Young Park
ENERGY STAR for Room Air Cleaners

Enclosures:
ENERGY STAR Room Air Cleaners Final Version 2.0 Program Requirements (Rev. May 2022)

Dear ENERGY STAR partners and stakeholders, 

We are pleased to share with you a new report to Congress on the ENERGY STAR Program. This report highlights how the program has evolved and expanded since the 2009 realignment of responsibilities between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE). The joint report was written in response to a request from Congress to review the 2009 EPA-DOE Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Improving the Energy Efficiency of Products and Buildings and the extent to which expected efficiencies for ENERGY STAR home appliances have been achieved. EPA and DOE find that the realignment of roles that resulted from the 2009 MOU facilitated program improvements to the benefit of American consumers, ENERGY STAR partners, including the appliance industry, and the environment. These improvements include:

• Nine ENERGY STAR appliance specification updates in order to keep product specifications up to date with a changing marketplace;
• Two new appliance product categories – residential clothes dryers and commercial clothes washers to the program to expand savings opportunities for consumers;
• The launch of the ENERGY STAR Most Efficient recognition program to highlight super-efficient products, including refrigerators, clothes washers, dishwashers, clothes dryers, room air conditioners, and dehumidifiers as part of an integrated effort to enable consumers to identify the top performing products;
• Revised test procedures for home appliances that reflect advancements in the home appliance market;
• Third-party certification to support the integrity of the ENERGY STAR label;
• A sophisticated, consumer-oriented ENERGY STAR Product Finder tool that leverages a single, integrated database of product testing results;
• Updated ENERGY STAR Products Program Strategy and Guiding Principles;
• A more effective consumer education strategy integrated across all product categories and coordinated nationally throughout the year, as well as an evolution in the design of utility rebate programs (i.e., the ENERGY STAR Retail Products Platform).
• The formalization of the product specification setting process into a standard operating procedure, providing additional transparency, clarity and increased stakeholder participation.

The ENERGY STAR Products Program has grown to include more than 75 product categories and to partner with 2,000 manufacturers, 1,850 retailers, 800 energy efficiency program administrators and others seeking to help consumers select products that can save them money and help protect the environment. Americans purchased more than 300 million products earning the ENERGY STAR label in 2018 with a market value of more than $100 billion. An average of 800,000 ENERGY STAR certified products was sold every day in 2018, bringing the total to more than 6 billion products sold since 1992.  Since its inception, ENERGY STAR and its partners have helped American families and businesses save more than 4 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity and achieve over 3.5 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas reductions, equivalent to the annual emissions of more than 750 million cars.

Thank you for the role you have played in the continued success of the ENERGY STAR program,

Ann Bailey, Chief
ENERGY STAR Products Labeling Branch

Dear ENERGY STAR® Light Commercial HVAC Brand Owner or Other Interested Party:

This letter serves to inform stakeholders that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has updated the ENERGY STAR Version 4.0 Light Commercial HVAC Specification.

As indicated in the March 28th release of the Version 4.0 specification, the Certified Cold Climate Light Commercial Heat Pumps energy efficiency criteria for Very Small CUHP Single Package and Split System, as well as Very Small VRF Air-Cooled Heat Pumps, required one additional stakeholder comment period until April 19. EPA received no comments on the cold climate proposal, and as a result, the criteria are unchanged in this revised final specification. The notebox in the previous version of the specification indicating the cold climate proposal was not yet finalized has now been removed and this update serves as notice that the full specification is final.

These Version 4.0 requirements will still be effective on January 1, 2023. The updated specification and related materials are available on the ENERGY STAR Light Commercial HVAC Specification Development webpage.

Please direct any questions to Abigail Daken, EPA, at daken.abigail@epa.gov or 202-343-9375, and Emmy Feldman, ICF, at emmy.feldman@icf.com or 202-862-1145. For test procedure inquiries, please contact Catherine Rivest, U.S. Department of Energy, at (202) 586-7335 or catherine.rivest@ee.doe.gov.

Thank you for your continued support of ENERGY STAR.

Sincerely,

Abigail Daken, Product Manager
ENERGY STAR for HVAC

Enclosures:
ENERGY STAR Light Commercial HVAC Version 4.0 Specification Rev. April 2022

   Specification Updates

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 and data offered by manufacturers and other stakeholders during the specification development 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, you can view EPA’s ENERGY STAR specification Standard Operating Procedure on Revising or Establishing an ENERGY STAR Product Specification.
 
The following information includes some helpful reminders as you prepare for upcoming specification changes and manage your inventory of ENERGY STAR certified products. For more information regarding the ENERGY STAR specification process or additional CFS equipment updates, visit www.energystar.gov/productdevelopment.  For milestones on these and other upcoming specification revisions in 2022, visit the ENERGY STAR Products Plan.
 
Recent and upcoming specification activities include:

• ENERGY STAR Final Version 3.0 Water Coolers Final Specification

The ENERGY STAR Final Version 3.0 Specification was published on June 23, 2021, and became effective March 23, 2022. Any water cooler manufactured as of March 23, 2022, must meet Version 3.0 requirements to bear the ENERGY STAR mark. All certifications of products to the Version 2.0 specification will be invalid for purposes of ENERGY STAR certification and the ENERGY STAR Product Finder will only include models certified to Version 3.0. After March 23, 2022, products placed under new contracts as ENERGY STAR should be certified to the Version 3.0 specification. For more information, please contact CFS@energystar.gov. 

• ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers Final Specification

The ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers Final Specification was published on March 22, 2022, and will become effective on December 22, 2022. ENERGY STAR certified commercial refrigerators and freezers under the Version 5.0 specification will offer consumers, on average, energy savings of up to 24 percent. This specification establishes updated performance levels for a subset of product classes previously in scope, expands scope to include service over the counter and chef base classes, and aligns with current industry test methods, terms, and definitions. If all commercial refrigerators and freezers sold in the United States were ENERGY STAR certified to Version 5.0, the energy cost savings would grow to more than $200 million each year and more than 5 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions would be prevented. Please visit the Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers Specification Version 5.0 product development webpage to view all materials supportive of the specification revision process.  For more information, please contact CFS@energystar.gov. 

• ENERGY STAR Version 3.0 Commercial Ovens Final Specification

The ENERGY STAR Version 3.0 Commercial Ovens Final Specification was published on April 12, 2022, and will become effective on January 12, 2023. ENERGY STAR certified commercial ovens under the Version 3.0 specification will offer users, on average, energy savings of up to 30 percent. This specification establishes updated performance levels for a subset of product categories previously in scope, expands scope to include large electric combination ovens (≤ 40 pans), small electric combination ovens (≥ 3 pans), small gas combination ovens (≥ 5 pans), and electric 2/3-size combination ovens (with a pan capacity ≥ 3 and ≤ 5), and newly proposed water consumption criteria for combination ovens in steam and convection modes during cooking periods. If all commercial ovens sold in the United States were ENERGY STAR certified to Version 3.0, the energy cost savings would grow to nearly $250 million each year and more than 4.5 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions would be prevented. Please visit the Commercial Ovens Specification Version 3.0 product development webpage to view all materials supportive of the specification revision process. For more information, please contact CFS@energystar.gov.

• Electric Cooktops Version 1 Draft 1

As a reminder, the ENERGY STAR Version 1.0 Commercial Electric Cooktop Discussion Guide was released on February 24, 2021. The discussion guide highlighted specific topics, including the scope and test methodology for electric cooktop technology, including commercial induction products, not currently covered under the ENERGY STAR program. EPA expects to release a Draft 1 of the specification in Q2 of 2022. This product development webpage will host future specification drafts, comments, data packages, and responses to comments. For more information, please contact CFS@energystar.gov.

Dear ENERGY STAR® Oven Partners and Other Interested Stakeholders:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to share the Final Version 3.0 ENERGY STAR Commercial Ovens product specification. EPA would like to thank the many stakeholders who have invested time and resources to contribute feedback that has informed this specification revision process.

The Version 3.0 requirements will take effect on January 12, 2023. ENERGY STAR certified commercial ovens under the Version 3.0 specification will offer users, on average, energy savings of up to 30 percent. This specification establishes updated performance levels for a subset of product categories previously in scope, expands scope to include large electric combination ovens (≤ 40 pans), small electric combination ovens (≥ 3 pans), small gas combination ovens (≥ 5 pans), and electric 2/3-size combination ovens (with a pan capacity ≥ 3 and ≤ 5), and newly proposed water consumption criteria for combination ovens in steam and convection modes during cooking periods. If all commercial ovens sold in the United States were ENERGY STAR certified to Version 3.0, the energy cost savings would grow to nearly $250 million each year and more than 4.5 billion pounds of 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, two webinars, multiple stakeholder meetings, and additional input from various industry stakeholders including manufacturers, utilities, and affiliated groups. Stakeholder comments, previous drafts of the specification, and related supporting materials are available on the commercial ovens product development webpage. One last comment was received on the final draft in support of the specification and can be found on this webpage. No changes were made from the final draft to the final specification.

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 3.0 requirements.
• On August 29, 2022, CBs will be instructed to stop certifying new product submittals to Version 2.2. Note, however, that existing certifications will remain valid for purposes of ENERGY STAR certification until January 12, 2023.
• Any commercial oven products manufactured as of January 12, 2023, must meet Version 3.0 requirements to bear the ENERGY STAR mark. All certifications of products to the Version 2.2 specification will be invalid for purposes of ENERGY STAR certification and CBs will only submit product models certified to Version 3.0 to EPA.

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 commercial ovens. If you have any questions or concerns about the specification or partnership process, please contact me at Crk.Tanja@epa.gov or 202-650-7522 and Adam Spitz at Adam.Spitz@icf.com or 916-231-7685 with questions or concerns. For any other commercial ovens related questions, please contact cfs@energystar.gov.

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

Sincerely,

Tanja Crk, Product Manager
ENERGY STAR Commercial Food Service

Enclosures:
ENERGY STAR Version 3.0 Commercial Ovens Final Specification
ENERGY STAR Version 3.0 Commercial Ovens Final Data Package

Dear ENERGY STAR® Computer Server Partner or Other Interested Stakeholder,

With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is launching the development of the Version 4.0 ENERGY STAR Computer Server specification. This Discussion Guide 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 4.0 specification that will recognize efficiency gains in the computer server market. The deadline to provide comments on this Discussion Guide is May 6, 2022.

The Discussion Guide focuses on the following areas:

• Updated and new definitions
• Potential treatment of Storage “heavy” Servers
• Revisions to the SERT tool
• Internal Power Supply Efficiency  

Stakeholder suggestions on any other issues to be considered during the specification revision process are welcomed.

Comment Submittal
Stakeholders are encouraged to submit any comments to servers@energystar.gov by May 6, 2022. 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 discussion guide on April 19 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 product development website.

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. 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

Enclosures
Discussion Guide

Dear ENERGY STAR® Oven Partners and Other Interested Stakeholders:

With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing the ENERGY STAR Version 3.0 Commercial Ovens Final Draft Specification, which includes revisions responsive to stakeholder feedback to Version 3.0 Draft 2.

EPA received written and verbal feedback since the Draft 2 was released. The Agency provides responses in two locations: note boxes throughout the Version 3.0 Final Draft specification and the Version 3.0 Draft 2 comment matrix. Though leading specification revisions are highlighted below, stakeholders are encouraged to review the details in all supporting materials to the product specification including the Version 3.0 Final Draft data package and Version 3.0 Draft 2 comment matrix.

Changes Reflected in Version 3.0 Final Draft
 

• Criteria Levels: Based on the input provided by stakeholders in response to the proposed water consumption criteria for combination ovens in steam and convection modes during cooking periods, expressed in gallons per hour per pan (gal/hr/pan), the Agency has converted the units to gallons per pan (gal/pan). The specifics are outlined in the note boxes and Section 3.F. within the Final Draft specification.

Comment Submittal
EPA welcomes stakeholder input on the ENERGY STAR Version 3.0 Commercial Ovens Final Draft Specification. Any final comments can be sent to cfs@energystar.gov by March 28, 2022.

All product specification drafts including supporting documents are posted to the ENERGY STAR Commercial Ovens Version 3.0 Product Development website. Submitted stakeholder comments are also posted to this webpage unless the submitter requests otherwise.

Please contact me at Crk.Tanja@epa.gov or 202-650-7522 and Adam Spitz, ICF, at Adam.Spitz@icf.com or 916-231-7685 for questions or concerns.

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

Sincerely,

Tanja Crk, Product Manager
ENERGY STAR Commercial Food Service

Enclosures:
ENERGY STAR Version 3.0 Commercial Ovens Final Draft Specification
ENERGY STAR Version 3.0 Commercial Ovens Final Draft Data Package
ENERGY STAR Version 3.0 Commercial Ovens Draft 2 Comment Matrix

Dear ENERGY STAR® Light Commercial HVAC Brand Owner or Other Interested Party:

With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to share the final ENERGY STAR Version 4.0 Light Commercial HVAC Specification with stakeholders. EPA would like to thank the many stakeholders who have invested time and effort to contribute feedback that has informed this specification revision process.

EPA revised this specification in response to the forthcoming increase in stringency of federal minimum efficiency requirements for HVAC equipment that will go into effect on January 1, 2023. As the 2023 requirements are more stringent than those posed by the current Version 3.1 specification, EPA sought to update the ENERGY STAR criteria for Light Commercial HVAC products in parallel.

Version 4.0 requirements will be effective on January 1, 2023. Light Commercial HVAC equipment certifying to ENERGY STAR under the Version 4.0 specification will offer a savings of more than 12% over a conventional model. If all Light Commercial HVAC products in the United States met these new requirements, the energy cost savings would grow to more than $3 billion each year and more than 125 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions would be prevented.

This specification was developed through a process that included the release of two draft specifications. Stakeholder comments, previous drafts of the specification, and related materials are available on the ENERGY STAR Light Commercial HVAC Version 4.0 Specification Development webpage.

EPA received only one comment in response to the Final Draft specification, which supported the IEER levels for commercial unitary air conditioners (CUACs) and commercial unitary heat pumps (CUHPs) and supported recognition of cold climate performance for very small CUHPs. In addition, the comment urged EPA to consider several additional changes in future specifications, which are addressed in the “Considerations for Future Revisions” section of the final specification.  

EPA received no comments on the very small cold climate heat pump proposal, and we have included the criteria unchanged in the final specification. Given the difference between the first draft and the final draft for these criteria, EPA will wait until April 19 to consider them final. Any stakeholders with further comments may submit them to LCHVAC@energystar.gov until that time. All comments will be posted unless the submitter requests otherwise.

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 August 15, 2022, CBs will be instructed to stop certifying new product submittals to Version 3.1. Note, however, that existing certifications will remain valid for purposes of ENERGY STAR qualification until January 1, 2023.
• Any Light Commercial HVAC product manufactured as of January 1, 2023, must meet Version 4.0 requirements to bear the ENERGY STAR mark. All certifications of products to the Version 3.1 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.

Need for Amendment in the Next 12 Months
EPA expects to revisit this specification in the next 12 months but will avoid triggering recertification of products due to this amendment. Specifically, EPA expects to:

• Consider updating the specification to reference a single test method and one set of criteria (SEER2, EER2, and HSPF2),
• Review the criteria and revise the test method for small and large VRF products, based on anticipated DOE action, and
• Add cold climate recognition for unitary products.

Please direct any questions to Abigail Daken, EPA, at daken.abigail@epa.gov or 202-343-9375, and Emmy Feldman, ICF, at emmy.feldman@icf.com or 202-862-1145. For test procedure inquiries, please contact Catherine Rivest, U.S. Department of Energy, at (202) 586-7335 or catherine.rivest@ee.doe.gov.

Thank you for your continued support of ENERGY STAR.

Sincerely,
 Abigail Daken, Product Manager
ENERGY STAR for HVAC

Enclosures:
ENERGY STAR Light Commercial HVAC Version 4.0 Specification

Dear ENERGY STAR®  Water Coolers Stakeholders:
 
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would like to remind stakeholders that the effective date for the Version 3.0 ENERGY STAR Water Coolers Program Requirements (finalized June 23rd, 2021) is March 23rd, 2022. 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 watercoolers@energystar.gov with any questions regarding the specification. CBs should direct questions concerning the submittal of Version 3.0 certified Water Coolers to Certification@energystar.gov.
 
Thank you for your support of the ENERGY STAR program.
 

Dear ENERGY STAR® Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Partners and Other Interested Stakeholders:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to share the Final Version 5.0 ENERGY STAR Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers product specification. EPA would like to thank the many stakeholders who have invested time and resources in an effort to contribute feedback that has informed this specification revision process.

The Version 5.0 requirements will become effective on December 22, 2022. ENERGY STAR certified commercial refrigerators and freezers under the Version 5.0 specification will offer consumers, on average, energy savings of up to 24 percent. This specification establishes updated performance levels for a subset of product classes previously in scope, expands scope to include service over the counter and chef base classes, and aligns with current industry test methods, terms, and definitions. If all commercial refrigerators and freezers sold in the United States were ENERGY STAR certified to Version 5.0, the energy cost savings would grow to more than $200 million each year and more than 5 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions would be prevented.

This specification was developed through a process that included release of a discussion guide, a draft specification, and the final draft specification, three webinars, stakeholder meetings, and additional input from various industry stakeholders including manufacturers, utilities, and affiliated groups. Stakeholder comments, previous drafts of the specification, and related materials are available on the commercial refrigerators and freezers product development webpage.  

Comments received on the final draft and responses can be found in the accompanying comment response document. No changes were made from the final draft to the final specification that impact scope of eligible products or certification criteria under Sections 2 and 3, respectively. In response to a stakeholder request, EPA revised the ENERGY STAR definition for doors to include drawers. EPA has adopted Department of Energy’s (DOEs) definition for doors, which subsumes drawers, and includes it under Section 1.A.23. For additional clarity, the words ‘Doors or Drawers’ are removed from the chef base section in Table 1.  

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 5.0 requirements.
• On August 6, 2022 CBs will be instructed to stop certifying new product submittals to Version 4.0. Note, however, that existing certifications will remain valid for purposes of ENERGY STAR certification until December 22, 2022.
• Any commercial refrigeration products manufactured as of December 22, 2022, must meet Version 5.0 requirements to bear the ENERGY STAR mark. All certifications of products to the Version 4.0 specification will be invalid for purposes of ENERGY STAR certification and CBs will only submit product models certified to Version 5.0 to EPA.

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 commercial refrigerators and freezers. If you have any questions or concerns about the specification or partnership process, please contact me at Crk.Tanja@epa.gov or 202-650-7522 and Adam Spitz at Adam.Spitz@icf.com or 916-231-7685 with questions or concerns. For any other commercial refrigerators or freezers related questions, please contact cfs@energystar.gov.

Thank you for your continued support of ENERGY STAR.

Best Regards,

  Tanja Crk, Product Manager
ENERGY STAR Commercial Food Service

Enclosures:
ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers Final Specification
ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers Final Draft Comment Matrix
ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers Final Data Packet
 

Dear ENERGY STAR Partners and Industry Colleagues,

Greetings from ENERGY STAR

Building the Market for EV Chargers

Attention - Manufacturers of DC Fast Chargers

Completing Your Certification for “Connected” Recognition

2021 - Year of the EVs

What We've Been Up To

Contact List
The past year was filled with exciting announcements, and positive market trends for EV adoption and EV charging infrastructure growth. As we expand our efforts to increase awareness around the benefits of energy efficient EV charging, we’re celebrating the following accomplishments from 2021:  

• EPA finalized the ENERGY STAR Version 1.1 Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) specification to include DC fast chargers up to 350 kW in scope.
• We have been actively engaging with federal and state agencies and organizations to increase awareness and adoption of ENERGY STAR certified EV charging stations.
• Our list of qualified products added several new EVSE manufacturers, including ABB and Electrify America, and now includes 28 leading manufacturers, for a total of more than 200 unique Level 1 and Level 2 AC models carrying the ENERGY STAR label.
• We continue to engage with utilities across the country to increase awareness about the benefits of incorporating ENERGY STAR certified EV charging stations into their EV charging programs.

This newsletter provides a summary of these and other recent activities, and is a means to thank our partners for their participation and engagement in our efforts.
As always, please reach out to us at any time, either via evse@energystar.gov or the contacts listed at the end of this newsletter.

Sincerely,  
Peter Banwell

Building the Market for Certified EV Chargers 

Over the past several months, a number of utilities across the country have adopted ENERGY STAR certification as a requirement for participating in their rebate and incentive programs - highlighting energy efficiency and safety as key components of their programs.

In addition to utilities, EPA has been actively engaging with government agencies and organizations to increase awareness and share best practices related to ENERGY STAR certified EV charging stations. At the federal level, the General Services Administration (GSA) and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Office and Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), have incorporated  ENERGY STAR as procurement requirements for their programs (visit the GSA and FEMP websites to learn more how requirements were incorporated). Similarly, the state of Maryland Green Purchasing Committee has adopted language to require AC EV chargers purchased by the Department of Government Services to be ENERGY STAR certified, while incorporating future requirements for the purchase of certified DC fast chargers as they become commercially available. Finally, the USGBC has included points in their LEED v4.1 Building Design and Construction rating system to recognize ENERGY STAR certified chargers in new constructions and major renovations.

Attention - Manufacturers of DC Fast Chargers: 

If you have not already, it is time to begin the process of certifying DC EVSE to the ENERGY STAR DC EVSE specification! The DC EVSE requirements were finalized and in effect as of March 2021. The new requirements recognize the most efficient DC EV chargers on the market. The test method developed by EPA, with input from industry, accounts for product efficiency with numerous real-world variables, including charge rate, voltage, and temperature.

EPA has heard from manufacturers that are currently undergoing various stages of the certification process and a list of ENERGY STAR certified DC EVSE is expected to be available in Q2 2022.

ENERGY STAR certified DC EV chargers provide significant savings opportunities - but the benefits don't stop there!  Recent consumer studies have shown that the ENERGY STAR logo is one of the most highly recognized and influential symbols consumers look for when making sustainable purchases. Other studies have shown that co-branding with the ENERGY STAR label can lead to increased web traffic where the logo is displayed, and can result higher adoption of energy efficient practices and customer satisfaction over time.  Learn more at www.energystar.gov/partner_resources/awareness.

Utilities, states, and other organizations with infrastructure funding opportunities are interested in requiring and/or incentivizing ENERGY STAR certification for DC EVSE for participation in their programs. Certifying your DC EVSE now will demonstrate that your products are energy efficient, meet industry safety requirements, and ensure they can participate in programs that require ENERGY STAR.

In order to certify your DC charging stations, you will want to follow these steps (step #3 can be done simultaneously with #1 and #2):

• Confirm you are eligible by reviewing the ENERGY STAR Partner commitments and product specifications
• Complete a Partnership Application and Participation Form and send the forms to join@energystar.gov
• Contact an EPA-recognized laboratory and certification body. Products must be certified by an EPA-recognized Certification Body (CB). There are two options for testing DC EVSE: In-house laboratory testing and testing in a third-party EPA-recognize laboratory. More information on both of these options can be found on slides 17-19 in this presentation. A list of currently recognized Labs and CBs, and their contact information can be found here.
• Once the CB certifies a product, it will automatically be uploaded to the ENERGY STAR Qualified Product List (QPL).

Completing Your Certification for “Connected” Recognition

Utilities’ demand response programs are asking for networked EV chargers, and some are requiring that chargers meet EPA’s definition of “connected.”  For example, Snohomish Public Utility District No. 1 and the Energy Trust of Oregon have requirements.  To qualify for these incentives, manufacturers that had AC EV chargers certified as connected capable on the ENERGY STAR website will need to work with their certification body to update their listings to reflect if the charger meets our newly updated requirements.  Please contact us for more information on this process at evse@energystar.gov.
 
What steps must manufacturers take to ensure that products are listed as connected functionality capable (including those products previously certified as connected capable under Version 1.0)?

Check if your EVSE meets the updated connected criteria in Section 3.10 of the final specification

Ask your EPA-recognized certification body to update the listing 

Provide necessary documentation to the certification body to verify compliance

2021 – The Year of EVs

2021 was a breakthrough year for EVs, with several manufacturers announcing new EV models entering the market and big plans for vehicle electrification over the next decade.
Further, the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) secured $5 billion in formula funding for states with a goal to build a national charging network, and $2.5 billion for communities and corridors to support rural charging, and increase EV charging access in disadvantaged communities. 

With more EVs on U.S. roads, the benefits are becoming more compelling for a wider audience of manufacturers, policymakers, and drivers alike. Research studies and consumer data show that EV owners save on both fuel and vehicle maintenance costs, while contributing to significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, even after accounting for the emissions from electricity used for charging. 

You can learn more about EV savings and best practices for EV charging in the Ask the Experts ‘Tips on Electric Vehicles and Chargers with ENERGY STAR’ linked below.
 
ENERGY STAR Ask the Experts | Products

What We've Been Up To...
 
You may be interested in the following updated resources highlighting ENERGY STAR EV chargers:

• ENERGY STAR –  AC + DC Fast EV Chargers

ENERGY STAR EV Chargers – Sample Procurement Language

Additional Resources

• ENERGY STAR EV Charger Product Finder

Looking for rebates? Check out the EV incentive finder here.

Dear ENERGY STAR® EVSE Brand Owner, Certification Body, or Other Interested Party:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be hosting a webinar on Thursday, April 7, 2022, from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM Eastern to discuss the ENERGY STAR Version 1.1 EVSE connected functionality criteria. EPA encourages all EVSE brand owners and certification bodies to attend. Please register for the webinar here.

EPA released the Version 1.1 EVSE Specification on March 31, 2021. This specification includes all current criteria for both AC and DC EVSE, as well as optional connected functionality criteria in Section 3.10. These connected criteria seek to identify products that provide consumer amenity and grid services through connection to other systems. EVSE that comply with these criteria are identified on the ENERGY STAR website as being ‘Connected Capable’.

The connected criteria were updated in the Version 1.1 Specification with the intention of making this designation more useful to utilities and other organizations. The updated criteria largely built upon the criteria in Version 1.0, with the addition of more prescriptive product capabilities. As a result of the changes to these criteria, brand owners that previously had AC EVSE certified as connected capable on the ENERGY STAR website prior to March 2021 need to work with their certification body to update their listings to reflect if the charger meets the updated requirements.

Since March 2021, when the Version 1.1 Specification took effect, EPA has received a number of inquiries from utilities requesting a list of products that meet the connected criteria. Upon speaking with several manufacturers, EPA realized there may be some confusion regarding the criteria. As a result, EPA is hosting this webinar to review the requirements, answer stakeholder questions, and encourage brand owners to certify their products as ‘Connected Capable’.

All materials related to the Version 1.1 Specification development effort (stakeholder comments, previous drafts of the specification and test method, etc.) are available on the ENERGY STAR Version 1.1 EVSE Specification Development webpage.

Thank you for your continued support of ENERGY STAR.

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that 93 U.S. manufacturing plants earned the agency’s ENERGY STAR certification in 2022. ENERGY STAR certified plants are verified to be among the most energy-efficient plants within their industries. Together, they prevented more than 5 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from the industrial sector, which is responsible for nearly a third of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

"As these companies demonstrate, improving energy efficiency serves to confront climate change while strengthening our economy,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Manufacturing plants that reduce energy consumption as part of the transition to a zero-emissions future save money and create the resiliency needed for the long-term health of their operations, our economy, and our planet.”

Thanks to their superior energy performance over a single year, these plants avoided nearly 90 trillion Btus of energy consumption and prevented emissions equal to the annual energy use of nearly 650,000 American homes. Since the first plants were certified in 2006, ENERGY STAR certified plants have cumulatively saved manufacturers more than $7 billion on energy bills when compared to average-performing facilities.

Energy efficiency cuts energy waste and is an essential action for achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 for both the United States’ Long-Term Strategy and the sustainability of the manufacturing  sector. 

To assess energy performance, plants use EPA’s ENERGY STAR energy performance indicators (EPIs), or, in the case of petroleum refineries, the Solomon Associates Energy Intensity Index (Solomon-EII™) scoring system. Plants must score 75 or higher on these 100-point scales—indicating that they are more energy efficient than at least 75% of similar facilities nationwide—to be eligible for ENERGY STAR certification. ENERGY STAR certification is available for 20 manufacturing sectors, from cement and steel to glass and commercial bakeries.

All ENERGY STAR certified manufacturing plants in 2022:
*Represents first-time certification

Alabama:

Argos USA, Calera (cement manufacturing)

Georgia-Pacific, Brewton Containerboard & Bleached Board (integrated paper mill)*

Honda Development & Manufacturing of America, LLC, Lincoln (automobile assembly)

Honda Development & Manufacturing of America, LLC, Lincoln (automobile engine)

Tuscaloosa Organic Baking Co., LLC (commercial bread and roll baking)

Arizona:

Bimbo Bakeries USA, Inc., Phoenix (commercial bread and roll baking)

CalPortland, Rillito (cement manufacturing)

Drake Cement, LLC, Paulden (cement manufacturing)

Holsum Bakery of Tolleson, LLC (commercial bread and roll baking)

Mesa Organic Baking Co., Inc. (commercial bread and roll baking)

Salt River Materials Group, Clarkdale (cement manufacturing)

Arkansas:

Flowers Baking Co. of Batesville, LLC (commercial bread and roll baking)

California:

Ardagh Glass Inc., Madera (container glass manufacturing)

Bimbo Bakeries USA, Inc., Escondido (commercial bread and roll baking)

Bimbo Bakeries USA, Inc., San Luis Obispo (commercial bread and roll baking)

Bimbo Bakeries USA, Inc., Placentia (commercial bread and roll baking)*

Flowers Baking Co. of Modesto, LLC (commercial bread and roll baking)

J.R. Simplot Company, Helm (nitrogenous fertilizer)

Colorado:

GCC, Pueblo (cement manufacturing)

Mile Hi Companies, Denver (commercial bread and roll baking)

Rocky Mountain Bottle Company, Wheat Ridge (container glass manufacturing)*

Delaware:

AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, Newark (pharmaceutical)

Florida:

CEMEX USA, Miami (cement manufacturing)

Flowers Baking Co. of Bradenton, LLC (commercial bread and roll baking)*

Titan America LLC, Medley (cement manufacturing)

Georgia:

Honda Development & Manufacturing of America, LLC, Tallapoosa (automobile transmission)

Illinois:

Marathon Petroleum Corporation, Robinson (petroleum refining)

TreeHouse Foods, Inc., South Beloit (cookie & cracker baking)

Indiana:

General Motors Company, Roanoke (automobile assembly)

Honda Development & Manufacturing of America, LLC, Greensburg (automobile assembly)

Klosterman Baking Company, Morristown (commercial bread and roll baking)

PepsiCo, Indianapolis Gatorade Hotfill Facility (juice production)

Tate & Lyle, Lafayette (corn refining)

Iowa:

Bimbo Bakeries USA, Inc., Dubuque (commercial bread and roll baking)

Koch Fertilizer Ft. Dodge, LLC (nitrogenous fertilizer)*

Kentucky:

Bimbo Bakeries USA, Inc., London (commercial bread and roll baking)

TreeHouse Foods, Inc., Princeton (cookie & cracker baking)

Louisiana:

ExxonMobil Fuels & Lubricants, Baton Rouge (petroleum refining)

Flowers Baking Co. of New Orleans, LLC (commercial bread and roll baking)

Marathon Petroleum Corporation, Garyville (petroleum refining)

Maine:

Lepage Bakeries Park Street, LLC, Lewiston (commercial bread and roll baking)*

Michigan:

AbbVie, Wyandotte (pharmaceutical)

General Motors Company, Flint (automobile assembly)*

Minnesota:

Bimbo Bakeries USA, Inc., Fergus Falls (commercial bread and roll baking)

Flint Hills Resources, Pine Bend (petroleum refining)

Lamb Weston/RDO Frozen, Park Rapids (frozen fried potato processing)

Marathon Petroleum Corporation, Saint Paul Park (petroleum refining)

Mississippi:

Georgia-Pacific, New Augusta (pulp mill)

North Carolina:

Bimbo Bakeries USA, Inc., Gastonia (commercial bread and roll baking)

Nebraska:

Koch Fertilizer Beatrice, LLC (nitrogenous fertilizer)

New Jersey:

AbbVie, Branchburg (pharmaceutical)

Ardagh Glass Inc., Bridgeton (container glass manufacturing)

Nevada:

Flowers Baking Co. of Henderson, LLC (commercial bread and roll baking)

New York:

Bimbo Bakeries USA, Inc., Olean (commercial bread and roll baking)

Bimbo Bakeries USA, Inc., Auburn (commercial bread and roll baking)

TreeHouse Foods, Inc., Tonawanda (cookie & cracker baking)

Ohio:

Bimbo QSR Ohio, LLC. – Airport, Zanesville (commercial bread and roll baking)*

Bimbo QSR Ohio, LLC. – Eastpointe, Zanesville (commercial bread and roll baking)

Honda Development & Manufacturing of America, LLC, Anna (automobile engine)

Honda Development & Manufacturing of America, LLC, East Liberty (automobile assembly)

Honda Development & Manufacturing of America, LLC, Marysville (automobile assembly)

Honda Development & Manufacturing of America, LLC, Russells Point (automobile transmission)

Klosterman Baking Company, Cincinnati (commercial bread and roll baking)

Klosterman Baking Company, Springboro (commercial bread and roll baking)

Marathon Petroleum Corporation, Canton (petroleum refining)

Oklahoma:

Koch Fertilizer Enid, LLC (nitrogenous fertilizer)

Oregon:

Dave’s Killer Bread, Inc., Milwaukie (commercial bread and roll baking)

Pennsylvania:

Bimbo Bakeries USA, Inc., Reading (commercial bread and roll baking)

O-I, Brockway (container glass manufacturing)*

Puerto Rico:

Merck & Co., Inc., Las Piedras (pharmaceutical)

South Carolina:

Argos USA, Harleyville (cement manufacturing)

South Dakota:

GCC, Rapid City (cement manufacturing)

Tennessee:

Beiersdorf North America, Cleveland (pharmaceutical)

Buzzi Unicem USA, Chattanooga (cement manufacturing)

Crown Bakeries, Dickson (commercial bread and roll baking)

Crown Bakeries, Nashville (commercial bread and roll baking)

Nissan North America, Decherd (automobile engine)

Nissan North America, Smyrna (automobile assembly)

Tate & Lyle, Loudon (corn refining)

Texas:

AbbVie, Waco (pharmaceutical)

ExxonMobil Fuel & Lubricants, Beaumont (petroleum refining)*

Flowers Foods, Inc., El Paso (commercial bread and roll baking)

Flowers Baking Co. of Houston, LLC (commercial bread and roll baking)

Flowers Baking Co. of Tyler, LLC (commercial bread and roll baking)

Utah:

Bimbo Bakeries USA, Inc., Salt Lake City (commercial bread and roll baking)

TreeHouse Foods, Inc., Odgen (cookie & cracker baking)

Virginia:

Flowers Baking Co. of Norfolk, LLC (commercial bread and roll baking)

Titan America LLC, Troutville (cement manufacturing)

Washington:

Bimbo Bakeries USA, Inc., Kent (commercial bread and roll baking)*

Marathon Petroleum Corporation, Anacortes (petroleum refining)

Wisconsin:

Bimbo Bakeries USA, Inc., Milwaukee (commercial bread and roll baking)

Bimbo Bakeries USA, Inc., La Crosse (commercial bread and roll baking)

Wyoming:

J.R. Simplot Company, Rock Springs (nitrogenous fertilizer)*

About the ENERGY STAR Industrial Program
Since 2006, the ENERGY STAR Industrial Program has annually certified manufacturing plants for performing within the top 25% of energy performance in their industries nationwide. More than 230 plants have achieved this distinction since 2006. For more information, see: ENERGY STAR plant certification. For a list of all certified plants, see: ENERGY STAR Certified Building and Plant Locator. To learn more about how EPA and industry work together, see: Industrial Energy Management.

About ENERGY STAR
ENERGY STAR® is the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency, providing simple, credible, and unbiased information that consumers and businesses rely on to make well-informed decisions. Thousands of industrial, commercial, utility, state, and local organizations—including about 40 percent of the Fortune 500®—rely on their partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to deliver cost-saving energy efficiency solutions. Since 1992, ENERGY STAR and its partners helped American families and businesses avoid more than $450 billion in energy costs and achieve 4 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas reductions. More information about the impacts of ENERGY STAR can be found at: ENERGY STAR Impacts.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to share the 2022 ENERGY STAR Products Specification Development Plan. The ENERGY STAR Product Labeling Program identifies and promotes products that reduce greenhouse gas emissions by meeting the highest energy efficiency specifications across more than 75 product categories. Each year, EPA identifies ENERGY STAR product specifications that warrant revision. When resources allow, the Agency also considers new product categories to add to the portfolio. EPA weighs many considerations when flagging specifications for revision, including market penetration of ENERGY STAR certified models, changes in Federal minimum efficiency standards, and technological advancements. New product categories must deliver meaningful national savings while maintaining their intended performance and efficiency must be able to be tested and verified. 

In 2021, EPA completed revisions to ENERGY STAR specifications for residential water heaters, central air conditioning and air source heat pumps, water coolers, and small network equipment as well as expanded the scope in ENERGY STAR specifications for residential clothes washers and refrigerators, imaging equipment, and electric vehicle supply equipment. 

In 2022, EPA plans to make progress on revisions across 15 product types through its traditional open and transparent specification development process.  The Agency also plans to initiate specifications for two new product types. You will find the 2022 ENERGY STAR Products Specification Development Plan as well as Quarterly Updates to this plan on the ENERGY STAR Partner Resources page. 

Thank you for your support of ENERGY STAR.  If you have any questions about this plan, please contact me, Katharine Kaplan, at kaplan.katharine@epa.gov and (202) 343-9120.

Katharine Kaplan
Manager, ENERGY STAR Product Development and Program Admin

For more information, visit: www.energystar.gov

Dear ENERGY STAR® Brand Owner or Other Interested Party:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing the final ENERGY STAR Emerging Technology Award criteria for a new 2022 product category: Adaptive Commercial Refrigeration Equipment. This award will recognize self-contained commercial refrigeration products using variable speed compressors with sensor-driven control systems capable of capacity modulation.

After reviewing input from stakeholders, EPA has maintained the criteria presented in the initial draft that EPA released on January 12th. All documents associated with the development of the Adaptive Commercial Refrigeration Equipment criteria can be found on the ENERGY STAR Emerging Technology for Industry Stakeholders webpage.

Award Application Process
Manufacturers with products that meet the award criteria may immediately begin submitting the necessary documentation to emergingtech@energystar.gov for EPA review. Award-winning products will be recognized upon determination that all award criteria have been satisfied. Note that multiple products are eligible for the award. All recognized, award-winning products will be listed on energystar.gov at Adaptive Commercial Refrigeration Equipment.

2021 Residential Induction Cooking Tops Category
This letter also serves as notice that EPA is extending recognition of the 2021 award category – Residential Induction Cooking Tops – into 2022. No changes to the criteria have been made for 2022. The performance criteria and list of award-winning products can be found at Residential Induction Cooking Tops.

If you have any questions about either award, the criteria development process, or marketing and promotion of award-winning products, 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.

Sincerely,

Peter Banwell
Senior Manager, ENERGY STAR Product Marketing

Enclosures:
Final Criteria for Adaptive Commercial Refrigeration Equipment
 

Dear ENERGY STAR® Light Commercial HVAC Brand Owner or Other Interested Party:

With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to present the ENERGY STAR Version 4.0 LCHVAC Final Draft specification for stakeholder review. While most elements of the specification will be finalized promptly, there are a few that will require additional review and thus will be completed in the near future, as noted below and in note boxes in the specification. Stakeholders may submit comments to EPA on this Final Draft no later than March 3.

Background
EPA is revising this specification in response to the forthcoming increase in stringency of federal minimum efficiency requirements for HVAC equipment that will go into effect on January 1, 2023. As the 2023 requirements are more stringent than those posed by the Version 3.1 specification, it is critical that the ENERGY STAR criteria for LCHVAC products receive an update in parallel. EPA therefore intends for Version 4.0 to take effect by January 1, 2023.

Need for amendment in the next 12 months
In several areas noted below EPA will need to revisit this specification in the next 12 months. EPA will seek to avoid triggering recertification of products due to future amendments.

Summary of Changes from Draft 1
EPA appreciates the thoughtful comments and extensive discussions on Draft 1 from a variety of stakeholders. Given new insight arising from these interactions, EPA has made extensive updates to the proposal from the Draft 1. There is more information on these and other changes in note boxes throughout the specification as well as in the comment response document.

• Very Small Unitary and VRF products: EPA appreciates stakeholder support for including these products within the scope of this specification. We have updated the proposal to align with the ENERGY STAR Version 6.1 Central Air Conditioner and Heat Pump specification requirements and have provided equivalent criteria in terms of both SEER, EER, and HSPF, and SEER2, EER2, and HSPF2. We have clarified that manufacturers may use either set of criteria (and the associated test methods) for certification to Version 4.0. In the next 12 months, in response to DOE actions, EPA will consider updating the specification to reference a single test method.
• Small and Large Commercial Unitary Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps: EPA has revised the proposed IEER, EER, and COP at 47°F requirements in light of new information about changes in the market by the time this specification is effective in 2023. In addition, many stakeholders provided feedback about how levels relate to each other for sub-classes of equipment, and EPA took this into account in this proposal. The updated criteria reflect the balance of energy savings, product cost, and product availability that EPA recognizes with the ENERGY STAR mark.
• Gas/Electric Packaged Units: Amid uncertainty about how much savings capacity adjustment can provide for commercial equipment, EPA has eased the gas efficiency proposal to require at least two stages of heating, one of which can be the compressor-based heating a heat pump provides.
• Small and Large VRF Products: The proposed levels have been adjusted slightly to reflect feedback about the additional challenge large systems face meeting EER requirements, and to allow synergy with other entities on cold climate recognition (see below). EPA anticipates reviewing the levels for these products and revising the test method in the next 12 months based on anticipated DOE action.
• Cold Climate Recognition: The proposed criteria have been revised extensively based on conversations with a variety of stakeholders. The criteria reflect a conclusion that COP at low ambient temperature is more important than capacity for VRF systems, and capacity maintenance is more important for unitary systems.

Accordingly, capacity maintenance has been removed from the VRF criteria. In addition, the proposal has been adjusted to align more closely with products advertised by manufacturers and proven in the field as capable of cold climate performance, providing purchasers the best balance of affordability and efficiency. To this end, EPA has reduced COP requirements at 47°F and removed EER requirements. In addition, we have raised IEER with the understanding that products meeting other requirements for recognition will also meet this IEER. However, if a lower IEER requirement would allow less expensive units that also have excellent low ambient performance to enter the market, EPA may consider using the Draft 1 IEER requirement. EPA welcomes feedback on this point. Overall, this proposal will also allow better synergy with the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) cold climate VRF specification, as drafted.

We have decided to delay cold climate recognition for unitary products in order to consider possible levels more thoroughly without delaying finalization of the rest of the specification. In addition, several other entities are working on cold climate specifications for unitary equipment, and this will allow coordination with them. EPA expects to add criteria within a year.

For very small units, EPA proposes alignment with the cold climate criteria in the ENERGY STAR Version 6.1 Central Air Conditioner and Heat Pump specification. Demonstration of low ambient performance would ideally be the same as in that specification as well, however, the misalignment of test method timing makes that challenging. We have referenced the proposed B1 amendment and propose allowing a second pathway to demonstrate low ambient performance relying on the equivalency with residential models (single phase) recognized as cold climate heat pumps. The proposed DOE regulation already accounts for using tests of single-phase units to derive ratings of equivalent 3-phase models for rated values, so adding this path for the low ambient performance should allow recognition with minimal test burden. We expect to finalize these criteria slightly after the rest of the specification, and thus welcome stakeholder feedback on this proposal until March 24.
Comment Submittal Process
Any stakeholder that wishes to provide feedback on this proposal may submit written comments for EPA consideration to LCHVAC@energystar.gov by March 3. Comments on cold climate criteria for very small units will be accepted until March 24. All comments will be posted to the ENERGY STAR LCHVAC Product Development website unless the submitter requests otherwise.

Please direct any questions to Abigail Daken, EPA, at daken.abigail@epa.gov or 202-343-9375, and Emmy Feldman, ICF, at emmy.feldman@icf.com or 202-862-1145. For test procedure inquiries, please contact Catherine Rivest, U.S. Department of Energy, at (202) 586-7335 or Catherine.Rivest@ee.doe.gov.

Sincerely,

Abigail Daken, Product Manager
ENERGY STAR for HVAC

Enclosures:
ENERGY STAR Light Commercial HVAC Version 4.0 Final Draft Specification
ENERGY STAR Light Commercial HVAC Version 4.0 Draft 1 Comment Response Document
ENERGY STAR Light Commercial HVAC Version 4.0 Data Package

ENERGY STAR Partners and Interested Stakeholders,

Recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the launch of the ENERGY STAR Home Upgrade, a series of high-impact, efficient electric home improvements that can be made as equipment needs to be replaced. Designed to ensure clean and energy efficient technologies are within reach of every American home, the ENERGY STAR Home Upgrade provides the market with a tangible, credible framework that is flexible enough to offer a promising formula for success.

A central resource for this new initiative is an interactive web-tool that lays out the value of an ENERGY STAR Home Upgrade and helps consumers navigate the process with buying guidance, information on financial incentives, and links to qualified contractors. To learn more about the ENERGY STAR Home Upgrade interactive web-tool, visit https://www.energystar.gov/homeupgrade

EPA introduced the ENERGY STAR Home Upgrade during last year’s ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting through a series of webinars. The first, “The ENERGY STAR Home Upgrade (Part 1 of 3): An Overview”, introduced the ENERGY STAR Home Upgrade and provided an in-depth look at associated tools and resources, including the ENERGY STAR Home Upgrade web tool.  The second webinar, “The ENERGY STAR Home Upgrade (Part 2 of 3): Making the ESHU Work for You” focused on why ENERGY STAR partners should leverage this new initiative to achieve deep reductions in energy use. The third and final webinar in the series, “The ENERGY STAR Home Upgrade (Part 3 of 3): Scaling the Home Energy Upgrade: How Can We Get There Equitably?”, brought together innovators and change makers in the field of energy efficiency financial tools to share insights on ways we can reach all Americans. All three webinars are available on the ENERGY STAR Products Webinar Series web page.

EPA looks forward to working with our partners to make the ENERGY STAR Home Upgrade a success! If you’d like to discuss or learn more about this exciting new initiative, please contact Dan Lawlor at Lawlor.Daniel@epa.gov. Thank you for your support of ENERGY STAR. 

 

Dear ENERGY STAR® TV Partner or Other Interested Stakeholder:

With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to share the ENERGY STAR Final Version 9.0 TVs 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 9.0 requirements will become effective on October 20, 2022. Televisions certifying for ENERGY STAR under the Version 9.0 specification will offer consumers a savings of more than 34% over a conventional model. This specification:

• Requires use of the ANSI/CTA-2037-C test method which utilizes camera equipment to measure light averaged across the entire screen during dynamic video play, resulting in a new metric called Dynamic Luminance
• Establishes performance-based criteria to encourage more efficient product design through the adoption of efficient components (e.g., LEDs, films, power supplies, etc.) and energy saving features (e.g., local dimming)
• Evaluates TV performance in three different preset picture settings
• Evaluates standby power in a more typical network environment (e.g., multicast traffic on the network) and with smart wake features enabled to encourage efficient integration with smart speakers and mobile device casting applications

If all televisions in the United States met these new requirements, the energy cost savings would grow to more than $1.8 billion each year and more than 27 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions would be prevented.

This specification was developed through a process that included release of three 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 Televisions Version 9.0 Specification Development webpage.

EPA received several stakeholder comments in response to the Final Draft specification:

• Several stakeholders supported the Version 9.0 requirements, noting that the updated criteria will be more representative of average consumer use of the latest television technology. Specifically, stakeholders supported the revised HCR definition and alignment with the ANSI/CTA-2037-C test method.
• One stakeholder suggested reviewing additional HCR model data to determine if the HCR adjustment factor should be reduced. EPA reviewed the full data set of 12 HCR models, which demonstrated a 25% pass rate of HCR-capable TVs. Based on this data, EPA believes the adjustment factor reflects the intention to recognize the top-performing HCR models.
• A stakeholder proposed the use of weighted On Mode metrics that factor in the typical usage of each preset picture setting based on recent survey data. EPA appreciates this additional information and understands the merits of this suggestion to improve representativeness of how the TV is being used. However, this suggestion warrants further research and investigation. EPA included this in the Considerations for Future Revisions section of the specification.

EPA also summarizes these comments and the Agency’s responses in the enclosed comment response document. EPA has made modest clarifying edits to the final specification to ensure consistency with the final ANSI/CTA-2037-C test method.

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 9.0 requirements.
• As of June 2, 2022, CBs will be instructed to stop certifying new product submittals to Version 8.0. Note, however, that existing certifications will remain valid for purposes of ENERGY STAR qualification until October 20, 2022.
• Any television manufactured as of October 20, 2022, must meet Version 9.0 requirements to bear the ENERGY STAR mark. All certifications of products to the Version 8.0 specification will be invalid for purposes of ENERGY STAR qualification and the product finder will only include models certified to Version 9.0.

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.

Please contact me at (202) 564-8538 or Kwon.James@epa.gov, or Emmy Feldman at (202) 862-1145 or Emmy.Feldman@icf.com, with questions.

Thank you for your continued support of ENERGY STAR.

Best Regards, James Kwon, EPA Product Manager

ENERGY STAR for Consumer Electronics

Enclosures:
ENERGY STAR Final Version 9.0 Televisions Specification
ENERGY STAR Final Version 9.0 Televisions Data Package
ENERGY STAR Version 9.0 Televisions Final Draft Specification Comment Response Document

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

With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing the amendments to the ENERGY STAR Data Center Storage specification, which expands the marketing requirements for data center storage products. Products certified to Version 2.0 will not need to be retested to maintain their ENERGY STAR certification.

EPA did not receive any formal comments in response to the Draft Version 2.1 amendment. As such, the criteria remain unchanged in the final amended specification. With the new requirements included in Version 2.1, customers will be able to consistently access key efficiency information for ENERGY STAR products from brand owner websites including which family members are ENERGY STAR certified, what COMs are made available for the product, and the minimum power supply that is provided with the product. EPA notes that while currently certified products will not need to be retested to maintain their ENERGY STAR certification, EPA strongly encourages partners to make this information available for currently certified products as soon as possible.

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. For any 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

For more information, visit: www.energystar.gov

Dear ENERGY STAR® Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers Partners and Other Interested Stakeholders:

With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing the ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers Final Draft Specification, which includes revisions responsive to stakeholder feedback to Version 5.0 Draft 1.

EPA received feedback via written feedback and during a webinar hosted on September 1, 2021. The Agency provides responses in two locations: note boxes throughout the Version 5.0 Final Draft specification and the Draft 1 comment matrix. Though leading specification revisions are highlighted below, stakeholders are encouraged to review the details in all supporting materials to the product specification including the Version 5.0 Final Draft data package and Version 5.0 Draft 1 comment matrix.

Changes Reflected in Version 5.0 Final Draft

• Definitions: For further clarification on eligible equipment, EPA has proposed the addition of the following new definitions in the Final Draft Version 5.0 specification:
  • Undercounter
  • Worktop

• Criteria Levels: In light of improvements to our Vertical Closed Solid Self-Contained Low Temperature (VCS.SC.L) dataset, which now excludes LAPT and discontinued models, EPA has included less stringent criteria for these classes in the Final Draft. In addition, the Chef Base Self-Contained Medium (CB.SC.M) dataset and the Chef Base Self-Contained Low Temperature (CB.SC.L) dataset now include additional models that were not available during Draft 1 development. In light of this new data, the criteria for both CB.SC.M and CB.SC.L have been eased from the criteria proposed in Draft 1.

• Test Methods: Stakeholders affirmed that chef bases may be tested using 10 CFR Part 431 Subpart C Appendix B.

Comment Submittal
EPA welcomes stakeholder input on the ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers Final Draft Specification. Any final comments can be sent to cfs@energystar.gov by February 16, 2022. EPA will accept additional data for preparation tables and buffet tables beyond this deadline and encourage stakeholders to use the previously issued data assembly template for these categories.

All product specification drafts including supporting documents are posted to the ENERGY STAR Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers Version 5.0 Product Development website. Submitted stakeholder comments are also posted to this webpage unless the submitter requests otherwise.

Please contact me at Crk.Tanja@epa.gov or 202-650-7522 and Adam Spitz, ICF, at Adam.Spitz@icf.com or 916-231-7685 for questions or concerns.

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

Tanja Crk, Product Manager
ENERGY STAR Commercial Food Service

Enclosures:
ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers Final Draft Specification
ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers Final Draft Data Packet

Dear ENERGY STAR® Residential Dishwasher Partner or Other Interested Stakeholder,
 
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to share the ENERGY STAR Version 7.0 Residential Dishwasher Draft 2 specification. EPA encourages stakeholders to provide comments on this draft via email to appliances@energystar.gov by February 24, 2022. There will be a webinar on February 16, 2022 to discuss this Draft 2 specification. The comment period has been extended to accommodate webinar scheduling.
 
EPA appreciates stakeholders’ feedback on the Draft 1 specification. EPA’s responses to stakeholder feedback are reflected in the accompanying Draft 1 Comment Response Matrix. Highlights of key changes in the Draft 2 specification are summarized below, and the rationale for these proposed changes are discussed in note boxes throughout the specification.

First, EPA is maintaining the proposed revisions to the minimum energy and water efficiency requirements for residential dishwashers proposed in Draft 1. The current ENERGY STAR market share is near 100%, which showcases the need for more stringent criteria for the program to recognize leadership products in efficiency.

Additionally, instead of referencing cleaning index as part of the specification’s scope, and in light of DOE’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for the test procedure for dishwashers, EPA is including the per-cycle cleaning index for the normal cycle for ENERGY STAR certification. The inclusion of the per-cycle cleaning index is consistent with EPA’s commitment to ensuring that the label is associated with products that deliver energy efficiency without compromising performance.

While EPA continues to support the connected criteria for ENERGY STAR certified dishwashers, EPA is removing the connected adder to the maximum for Annual Energy Consumption for demand response capable residential dishwashers. EPA believes the consumer value of connected appliances remains and that the market will reward the best implementations. Further, with diminishing returns for efficiency for dishwashers, providing a connected adder is not in the best interest of the consumer. 
 
Stakeholders are requested to provide any comments on the Version 7.0 Draft 2 specification no later than February 24, 2021. Please send comments via e-mail to appliances@energystar.gov. All comments received will be posted to the ENERGY STAR Residential Dishwashers Version 7.0 Specification Development webpage, unless the submitter specifically requests that his or her comments remain confidential.
 
Please contact Ga-Young Park, EPA, at Park.Ga-Young@epa.gov or (202) 564-1085, or Steve Leybourn, ICF, at Steve.Leybourn@icf.com or (202) 862-1566, with any questions or concerns about the specification. Thank you for your continued support of the ENERGY STAR program.
 
Best Regards,

Ga-Young Park
Product Manager for Appliances
ENERGY STAR for Residential Dishwashers

Enclosures:
ENERGY STAR Residential Dishwashers Version 7.0 Draft 2 Specification
ENERGY STAR Residential Dishwashers Version 7.0 Draft 1 Comment Response Matrix

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

With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is sharing the final ENERGY STAR Central Air Conditioner and Heat Pump Version 6.1 specification. As amended, the specification supports more effective deployment of the ENERGY STAR label for central AC and heat pumps, in light of additional information stakeholders shared. 

EPA received several comments on the Version 6.1 Draft and has adjusted the amendment in response. A summary of comments and responses is available in the comment response matrix. In particular:

• EPA is retaining the EER2 requirements as outlined in Version 6.0, preserving both the simplicity of the specification and the peak demand benefits that are important to stakeholders in warmer regions.
• Based on information about new, lower cost, variable speed split systems entering the market, EPA will not require units to meet the installation criteria for certification. Instead, the Agency will distinguish combinations that meet the criteria on the ENERGY STAR product finder, similar to the “connected” designation.  EPA remains convinced that air conditioners and heat pumps that provide aid to installers and raters are needed in the market, but seeks to avoid disadvantaging new variable speed units at this critical time for the advancement of that technology.  While we have retained the term “installation criteria” for the specification, we intend to work with stakeholders to identify a more appropriate term to identify the units that offer these features for consumers and installers.
• In addition, the installation criteria have been further clarified based on a series of very helpful detailed conversations with brand owners. In residential use, it is not expected that cooling will be needed with outdoor temperatures under 65ºF (relevant to requirement a).  Furthermore, defrost mode need not be tested in addition to other tests (relevant to requirement f). Lastly, EPA has updated language about the test mode (requirement d) to reflect that the maximum speed may not be the most appropriate for testing particularly in units with “boost” capability.

Products certified from this point forward should use Version 6.1.

All materials related to the Version 6.1 specification development process are available on EPA’s ENERGY STAR Version 6 CAC/HP product development page. Please direct any specific questions to Abigail Daken at EPA, Daken.Abigail@epa.gov or 202-343-9375 and Morganne Blaylock at ICF, morganne.blaylock@icf.com or 202-862-2952. Please direct questions about test methods to Catherine Rivest at DOE, Catherine.Rivest@ee.doe.gov or 202-586-7335.

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

Sincerely,

Abigail Daken
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
ENERGY STAR HVAC Program
 

Dear ENERGY STAR® Central Air Conditioner and Air Source Heat Pump Stakeholders:
 
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would like to remind stakeholders that as of January 1, 2022, EPA-recognized certification bodies (CBs) are required to cease certification of new Central Air Conditioners and Air Source Heat Pumps to the Version 5.0 specification and may only certify Central Air Conditioners and Air Source Heat Pumps to the Version 6.0 specification. EPA also expects the Version 6.1 specification (modified in light of new market information) to be available in early January, at which time new products should be certified to that version. Certification bodies may continue submitting administrative modifications to existing Central Air Conditioners and Air Source Heat Pumps certifications to the Version 5.0 specification until January 1, 2023. After this date, only Central Air Conditioners and Air Source Heat Pumps certified to the Version 6.0 specification will appear on the ENERGY STAR website and certified products list.

CBs must notify EPA by December 31, 2021 of models certified to Version 5.0, 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 cacashp@energystar.gov with any questions regarding the specification. CBs should direct questions concerning the submittal of certified Central Air Conditioner and Air Source Heat Pumps to Certification@energystar.gov.

Dear ENERGY STAR® Small Network Equipment Stakeholders:
 
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would like to remind stakeholders that as of January 13, 2022, EPA-recognized certification bodies (CBs) are required to cease certification of new small network equipment (SNE) products to the Version 1.0 specification. Certification bodies may continue submitting administrative modifications to existing small network equipment (SNE) product certifications to the Version 1.0 specification until July 13, 2022. Brand owners must stop using the ENERGY STAR name and ENERGY STAR mark in association with all small network equipment (SNE) products on and after July 13, 2022.

Additionally, no new promotional materials for small network equipment (SNE) products (printed and electronic) that use the ENERGY STAR mark may be produced after January 13, 2022. Brand owners are permitted to use up existing printed material, including packaging, to minimize waste. 

Please reference EPA's Small Network Equipment Products Sunset Decision Memo for more details, and contact EPA at networking@energystar.gov with any questions regarding the specification. 

Thank you for your support of the ENERGY STAR program.

SHEMS News: First Certification & More

• ENERGY STAR SHEMS First Certification
• News You Can Use
• ENERGY STAR SHEMS on the Road

ENERGY STAR SHEMS First Certification

Congratulations to Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) for being the first to successfully complete the ENERGY STAR Smart Home Energy Management Systems certification process! The first ENERGY STAR SHEMS partner is bringing innovative energy saving smart home technology to 200 Baltimore Gas and Electric customers through their Connected Home and Small Business Demonstration, a 2020-2021 pilot study in Annapolis. Their platform gives users tools to control lights, thermostats, and outlets for energy savings. Learn more at about BGE’s ENERGY STAR SHEMS package through the ENERGY STAR Qualified Product List (QPL). You can learn more about their program by contacting BGE’s Sam duPont at samuel.dupont@bge.com.

-SHEMS RESOURCES

• Past Webinars
• Frequently Asked Questions for Energy Efficiency Programs
• Key Product Criteria
• Version 1.1 specification
• SHEMS Specification Clarifications

“BGE is proud to be a leader in showing how our industry can optimize AMI network investments and smart technology to provide our customers with cutting edge tools that allow a greater degree of control over their energy usage and costs.”
-Alex Núñez, BGE senior vice president of Strategy & Regulatory Affairs

Your System May Be Close to a SHEMS! Can Your System . . .

1.Control an ENERGY STAR certified Smart Thermostat?

2.Control either a smart light switch (standby power ≤ 0.5 W) that can report energy, or an ENERGY STAR certified smart lighting product?

3.Connect to a smart plug, outlet, power strip, home energy monitor, smart breaker panel, or other device (standby power ≤ 1.0 W) that controls miscellaneous loads or reports circuit-level energy use data?

4.Control a smart water heater add-on controller?

5.Detect room, apartment, or home occupancy based on a non-battery-powered occupancy sensor (may be integrated in other devices) or with two battery operated occupancy detectors?

6.Provide energy saving tips?

7.Report estimated or actual energy use of connected devices in a dwelling to the user?

8.Perform a demand response event on at least one smart device?

9.Allow a user to integrate with a utility time of use program?

10.Aggregate 6 months of system data from ≥ 30 installations with devices from questions 1-3?

Ready to take the next step? Visit our SHEMS for Partners page to learn more. Contact smarthomesystems@energystar.gov to learn more.

NEWS YOU CAN USE

Interest in smart home devices to save energy on the rise amidst pandemic

According to Parks Associates data, 20% of US broadband households report that COVID-19 has increased their interest in smart energy solutions that can help them manage their energy use, cost, and comfort. Forty-three percent of US broadband multifamily households owned at least one smart home device in 2020. This reflects a nearly 50% increase since 2019, likely driven by increasing consumer interest and the advantages of smart home technology to building managers looking to save energy. Read more 

Likewise, 34% of single-family households have installed at least one smart home device, with 23% owning 3 or more devices. Read more. 

Energy is top of mind for likely smart home adopters

A recent E Source survey found that residents of single-family homes of ages 18-34 are most likely to purchase smart home devices in the coming year. These customers are most interested in smart technologies that provide energy insights, savings, home security improvements, and automation. Read more.

ENERGY STAR SHEMS On The (Virtual) Road

Taylor Jantz-Sell, U.S. EPA, was featured in an Executive Spotlight as part of the Parks Associates 2021 Smart Energy Summit. The Q&A was part of the “Energy Management Platforms: Accelerating Growth” track of the summit. Check out the session recap here.

Taylor Jantz-Sell also presented on the ENERGY STAR SHEMS Program in the 2021 National Home Performance Conference’s “Smart on Smart Workshop: Products, People, Policy and Possibilities.” 

RECOGNIZED SHEMS CERTIFICATION BODIES

• UL Verification Services: Joseph Getner, Joseph.W.Getner@ul.com

Looking forward to helping our future get energy smart together! Have SHEMS insights to share from a pilot or research? Please contact SmartHomeSystems@energystar.gov or Taylor Jantz-Sell at jantz-sell.taylor@epa.gov.

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

With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is sharing proposed changes to the Version 2.0 ENERGY STAR Data Center Storage Specification, which expands the marketing requirements for data center storage products. EPA welcomes stakeholder input on this proposal, which will be reflected in a Version 2.1 specification once final. These proposed changes will apply to products certified after Version 2.1 is finalized. While currently certified products will not need to be retested to maintain their ENERGY STAR certification, EPA strongly encourages partners to make this information available for currently certified products as soon as possible.

EPA has engaged with stakeholders since the release of the Version 2.0 Data Center Storage specification regarding the verification procedures for this uniquely complicated product type. Recognizing that operators have access to real-time power and temperature data from each product via Data Center Information Management (DCIM) software, this allows them to manage IT hardware and observe when individual units fall outside of expected operating parameters. EPA has concluded that the presence of this DCIM software combined with certification data provides a high level of transparency regarding performance. EPA has also learned that there would be benefit in providing customers with additional information on ENERGY STAR products. In many cases, key efficiency information is missing from brand owner websites or not provided to customers. As such, EPA will require that product websites clearly indicate those elements of the product family that are ENERGY STAR certified, what COMs are made available for the product, and the minimum power supply that is provided with the product. EPA believes these pieces of information will allow stakeholders to provide more transparency to their customers. Discussions with stakeholders and a review of the market affirm that no other changes to this specification are warranted at this time. This requirement is noted in Section 3.5.8 excerpted below. 
 

3.5.8  Report the web link to the following product information made clearly visible on partner primary marketing and/or product summary websites:

            i. Identification of configurations within a model line that are included in the ENERGY STAR certified product family;
            ii. COMs available for the product;
            iii. Minimum power supply efficiency offered within the product family (preferably as an 80 Plus equivalent statement).

Stakeholders may submit any comments on this Version 2.1 specification to storage@energystar.gov by December 16, 2021. 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 data center 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. For any 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

Please visit here for important correspondence from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concerning the dishwasher final recognition criteria for ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2022. On the ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2022 Criteria Development web page, you will find the final recognition criteria document and the EPA cover memo.

Please contact MostEfficient@energystar.gov with any questions.

Thank you for your continued support of ENERGY STAR.

Dear ENERGY STAR® TV Partner or Other Interested Stakeholder:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to share the ENERGY STAR Version 9.0 TVs Final Draft Specification. This Final Draft contains changes made in response to written comments received regarding the Draft 2 specification, the Limited Topic Proposal (LTP), and to account for the continued progress made towards finalizing the Consumer Technology Association’s CTA-2037C: Determination of Television Set Power Consumption test procedure, which is referenced by the specification.

These changes are highlighted in noteboxes throughout the specification and outlined below. Stakeholders may submit written comments on this Final Draft by December 22, 2021.

Overview of the Final Draft Specification

EPA received generally positive feedback regarding the approach and criteria levels proposed by the Draft 2 specification. Several stakeholders expressed support for the following aspects of the Draft 2:

• Standby-Active Mode Power requirement of 1 W,
• Average On Mode Power approach, which allows manufacturers added flexibility in programming Preset Picture Settings (PPS) so long as On Mode requirements are met on average, and
• The introduction of lower luminance thresholds for certification, which allow manufacturers to set default backlight levels however they wish while eliminating the incentive to provide overly dim settings to meet criteria.

As such, EPA maintained these proposals for this Final Draft.

In response to the Limited Topic Proposal (LTP) published in September 2021, regarding the High-Contrast-Ratio (HCR) adjustment factor, EPA received feedback requesting additional clarification for the definition of an HCR Display included in the specification. As such, the definition for an HCR Display included in this Final Draft contains the requirement that the display must be capable of controlling pixels individually, which is an integral factor in their ability to offer such high contrast ratios.

Also in response to the LTP, EPA received feedback and data regarding the proposed value of the HCR adjustment factor. EPA has retained the proposed AFHCR value of 1.12 for this Final Draft specification. Testing data used to develop the value proposed in the LTP indicated that the current value of 1.12 will allow only the most efficient HCR-capable models to earn certification.

Testing data submitted in response to the LTP indicates that some of the most recently developed HCR Display models would be able to meet requirements with a smaller adjustment factor. The observed increases in efficiency between this sample of adjacent model years support EPA’s belief that there are readily available means by which manufacturers can increase efficiency and reinforces the viewpoint that by making ENERGY STAR certification obtainable for these products, there is an incentive for manufacturers to do so. Additionally, these models observed to meet requirements after some redevelopments are significantly more efficient than comparable models that have not been updated, which supports the notion that the models that have been engineered to perform well above the baseline should be recognized. EPA has maintained the 1.12 value as further restriction of the adjustment factor risks making certification unobtainable for the most efficient HCR-capable models, thus eliminating the incentive to increase efficiency.

Finally, EPA acknowledges that the CTA-2037C: Determination of Television Set Power Consumption test procedure referenced in the Draft 2 is now complete and available to the public for reference. Included in this Final Draft are several amendments to calculation methodologies that follow the changes made to CTA-2037C between the time of Draft 2’s publication and finalization of the test procedure.

Feedback

Stakeholders are invited to provide any comments on the Version 9.0 Final Draft Specification no later than December 22, 2021. Please send comments via e-mail to televisions@energystar.gov. All comments received will be posted to the Version 9.0 TVs Specification development webpage, unless the submitter specifically requests that his or her comments remain confidential.

Please contact me at (202) 564-8538 or Kwon.James@epa.gov, or Emmy Feldman at (202) 862-1145 or Emmy.Feldman@icf.com, with questions or to share feedback for this effort.

Thank you for your continued support of ENERGY STAR.

Best Regards,

James Kwon, EPA Product Manager
ENERGY STAR for Consumer Electronics

Enclosures:
ENERGY STAR Televisions Version 9.0 Final Draft Specification

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

With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing an amendment to the ENERGY STAR Imaging Equipment (IE) specification. This amendment provides updated criteria for professional imaging equipment and will be reflected as Version 3.2. Products that have been already certified to Version 3.0 and Version 3.1 will not be affected by this change and will remain ENERGY STAR certified with no further action required.

EPA received multiple comments on the Version 3.2 proposal. One commenter requested that EPA ease the proposed Ready Mode Power requirement for professional imaging equipment. However, the proposed 900 W limit has been retained for Version 3.2 as EPA has observed that products with a variety of features (e.g., speed, color-capability, etc.) are able to readily meet this requirement. The commenter also indicated that the dataset used to form the Version 3.2 criteria included a few products that realize high speed duplex productivity via two serially connected engines. Subsequent analysis has shown that the proposed criteria is not appropriate for products of this type as their heightened performance appears to require a significant amount of additional energy. As such, and because a larger dataset of these models is not currently available to inform criteria, dual-engine products have been excluded from the scope of this Version 3.2 specification.

Finally, a commentor informed EPA that some models used to inform the proposed criteria were equipped with a digital-front-end (DFE) during testing and expressed concern that the proposed criteria may not properly account for the additional energy they require to provide enhanced performance (e.g., speed, resolution, etc.). It is critical to ensure that these products do not appear to be more efficient because they receive the benefits of a DFE without needing to report the additional energy required to enable them. After analysis of the impact of DFE energy on the current dataset, EPA believes that the previously proposed criteria remain appropriate when DFE energy is simply summed with the energy of the main product and has retained the proposed criteria in this Version 3.2 Final specification.  EPA has provided instruction in the specification on how to incorporate DFE energy for units tested with a DFE equipped.

Please contact me at Fogle.Ryan@epa.gov or 202-343-9153 or Cody Niblett, ICF, at Cody.Niblett@icf.com or (202) 862-1245 with questions or concerns about the specification. For 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:
Version 3.2 Specification

Dear ENERGY STAR® Central AC/Heat Pump Partner or Other Interested Party:

With this letter, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing amendments to the recently completed Version 6.0 ENERGY STAR CAC/HP specification.  These amendments will be reflected in a Version 6.1, which will be effective upon completion. Products certified to Version 6.0 will not be affected.

Since finalizing the Version 6.0 revisions in March, EPA received substantial additional feedback that altered our understanding of the current market and the extent to which the Version 6.0 requirements reflect the performance of an adequate selection of ASHP models in the market.  In particular, that in several cases we had chosen capabilities less widespread in the market than we had intended.  In addition, we learned that some of the criteria for cold climates prevented less expensive units that have performed well and meet specific needs from being recognized with the cold climate designation.  The proposed amendment includes the following changes:
 

• Lower EER requirements for multi-capacity air conditioners and heat pumps, which provide additional comfort and efficiency through other means, such as higher SEER and HSPF values, and meeting the V6.1 installation criteria.
• For Cold Climate Heat Pumps, removed EER requirements and reduced HSPF requirements for ducted heat pumps.
• Clarified several installation criteria and allowed systems to get credit for a test mode in addition to measurement of specific quantities as installed.

More details on each of these changes are available in the specification.  EPA welcomes conversation with stakeholders about this proposal.  In addition, we encourage written stakeholder input on the proposed Version 6.1 ENERGY STAR CAC/HP Product Specification. Please submit any comments to  cac-ashp@energystar.gov by November 23, 2021. 

All comments will be posted to the ENERGY STAR Product Development website unless the submitter requests otherwise.

Please direct any specific questions to Abigail Daken at EPA, Daken.Abigail@epa.gov, or 202-343-9375 and Cody Niblett, Cody.Niblett@icf.com or (202) 862-1245. Please direct test procedure questions to Catherine Rivest at DOE, Catherine.Rivest@ee.doe.gov or (202) 586-7335.

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

Sincerely,

Abigail Daken
EPA Manager, ENERGY STAR HVAC Program

Dear ENERGY STAR® Partners and Stakeholders:

This is a reminder that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the ENERGY STAR Version 3.0 Commercial Ovens Draft 2 Specification on October 14, 2021. EPA will host a stakeholder webinar to present details of the specification and address stakeholder questions on Thursday, November 4, 2021, from 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM EDT. To participate in the meeting, please register here by November 3, 2021.

Visit and bookmark the Commercial Ovens Specification Version 3.0 product development website to view all specification drafts and supplemental materials including data packets, comments, responses to comments, and webinar slides. Comments for Draft 2 are due December 2, 2021, and may be submitted to cfs@energystar.gov.

Thank you for your continued support of ENERGY STAR.

Dear ENERGY STAR® Light Commercial HVAC Brand Owner or Other Interested Party:

With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to present the ENERGY STAR LCHVAC Draft 1 specification for stakeholder review. EPA plans to hold a webinar on November 16th from 12pm-2pm ET to discuss the Draft 1 specification in greater detail. Stakeholders are encouraged to submit comments on this Draft to EPA no later than December 13, 2021.

Background
EPA begins this specification revision in response to the forthcoming increase in stringency of federal minimum efficiency requirements for HVAC equipment that will go into effect on January 1, 2023. As the 2023 requirements are more stringent than those posed by the Version 3.1 specification, it is critical that the ENERGY STAR criteria for LCHVAC products receive an update in parallel. EPA therefore intends for Version 4.0 to take effect by January 1, 2023.

Proposal Summary
To ensure that that ENERGY STAR continues to distinguish the top performing products in terms of energy efficiency while supporting national decarbonization goals, the Version 4.0 Draft 1 specification proposes the following changes and identifies other areas for further discussion:

• Scope: EPA proposes to bring units with a cooling capacity below 65,000 Btu/h into the scope of this Version 4.0 specification after they were previously removed from scope for Version 3.0. This proposal is based on manufacturer feedback indicating that the market would be best served by an ENERGY STAR specification that offers certification to these products. EPA has however been unable to find updated installation cost and energy usage data to suggest whether payback times for these units has improved. As such, EPA welcomes the submission of data regarding the purchase, installation, and/or energy costs of these units. The performance criteria proposed for these products aligns with associated CEE Tier 2 criteria levels.

• Performance Criteria: EPA proposes higher IEER and EER requirements for Central Air Conditioner (CAC) products and higher IEER, EER and COP at 47°F requirements for Air-Source Heat Pump (ASHP) products. The stringency of these criteria recognizes those products that clearly perform at a level above the 2023 federal minimum efficiency requirements. EPA does not propose a change to the criteria for VRF mini-split systems as DOE is currently reviewing the test method and federal standard applicable for such products.
• Cold Climate Recognition: EPA proposes recognizing ASHP and VRF mini-split products meeting cold climate performance requirements with an “ENERGY STAR Cold Climate” label. EPA believes that capacity maintenance at low temperatures is a critical component to cold climate performance because if a product cannot maintain capacity, it is likely to become undersized for the intended application. As such, the criteria put emphasis on a product’s ability to maintain heating capacity at very low ambient temperatures while also retaining a high COP. EPA does however seek industry insight into the whether a moderately increased COP at low temperatures is more influential than capacity maintenance on annual energy costs.
• Gas/Electric Packaged Units: EPA proposes that the gas furnace included in a Gas/Electric Packaged Product must have 3 or more capacity stages. This is intended to incentivize the use of multi-capacity heating technologies that are known to provide energy and cost savings.
• Connected Criteria: EPA does not propose criteria that would lead to a “Connected” designation for LCHVAC products due to an understanding that demand response and energy management programs for commercial units are typically implemented by a building management system (BMS) as opposed to the unit itself. As EPA recognizes that a unit’s ability to communicate with building occupants, utilities, and other equipment may lead to additional energy and cost savings, the Agency seeks industry insight into what, if any, open source communication protocols are being used for LCHVAC products.

Comment Submittal Process
Stakeholders are encouraged to provide written comments for EPA consideration to LCHVAC@energystar.gov by December 13, 2021.  All comments will be posted to the ENERGY STAR LCHVAC Product Development website unless the submitter requests otherwise.

Stakeholder Meeting
EPA plans to host a stakeholder webinar on November 16th from 12pm-2pm to discuss the Draft 1 specification and address initial stakeholder comments and questions. Stakeholders interested in participating in this discussion should RSVP here.

Please direct any questions to Abigail Daken, EPA, at daken.abigail@epa.gov or 202-343-9375, and Cody Niblett, ICF, at cody.niblett@icf.com or 202-862-1245.  For test procedure inquiries, please contact Ashley Armstrong, U.S. Department of Energy, at (202) 586-6590 or Ashley.armstrong@ee.doe.gov.

Sincerely,

Abigail Daken, Product Manager
ENERGY STAR for HVAC

Enclosures:
ENERGY STAR Light Commercial HVAC Version 4.0 Draft 1 Specification
ENERGY STAR Light Commercial HVAC Version 4.0 Draft 1 Data and Analysis

Dear ENERGY STAR® Televisions Brand Owner or Other Interested Party,

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the ENERGY STAR Version 9.0 TVs Limited Topic Proposal on September 9, 2021, with an original comment deadline of October 7. In light of stakeholder requests for an extension on submitting comments, EPA is now extending the comment period deadline to October 21. The dataset of High Contrast Ratio TV models used to inform the Limited Topic Proposal can be found on the ENERGY STAR Televisions product development website.

Stakeholders can provide written comments for EPA consideration to Televisions@energystar.gov. All comments will be posted to the ENERGY STAR Televisions product development website unless the submitter requests otherwise.

Sincerely,

James Kwon, Product Manager
ENERGY STAR for Consumer Electronics

Dear ENERGY STAR® Water Coolers Stakeholders:
 
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would like to remind stakeholders that as of October 13, 2021, EPA-recognized certification bodies (CBs) are required to cease certification of new Water Coolers to the Version 2.0 specification and may only certify Water Coolers to the Version 3.0 specification. Certification bodies may continue submitting administrative modifications to existing Water Cooler certifications to the Version 2.0 specification until March 23, 2022. After this date, only Water Coolers certified to the Version 3.0 specification will appear on the ENERGY STAR website and certified products list.

CBs must notify EPA by October 27, 2021 of models certified to Version 2.0, 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 watercoolers@energystar.gov with any questions regarding the specification. CBs should direct questions concerning the submittal of certified Water Heaters to Certification@energystar.gov.

Dear ENERGY STAR® Water Heater Partner or Other Interested Party:

With this letter, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to share the first draft of the ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Residential Water Heaters specification. As anticipated at the close of the ENERGY STAR Version 4.0 specification revision, which made the requirements for electric products more stringent, EPA is now proposing more stringent criteria for gas-fired storage and instantaneous water heaters. No changes are proposed for electric products and Version 4.0 will still take effect as planned January 5, 2022. 

Consistent with the Biden Administration’s commitment to decarbonization, EPA is proposing significant increases in the criteria for gas-fired water heaters, while allowing them to remain in scope as familiarity with electric alternatives grows. The ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Residential Water Heaters Draft 1 specification reflects changes to ensure ENERGY STAR gas-fired criteria represent the most energy efficient technology. The proposed gas-fired storage water heater level could be met with developments in technologies like gas heat pump water heaters. The gas-fired instantaneous water heater proposed criteria reflect differentiation within the market and improve consumer payback for these models.

EPA had maintained Energy Factor (EF) criteria as an option for the certification of products sold only in Canada, as well as Thermal Efficiency (TE) criteria for products on the residential market with input rates between 75,000 and 100,000 Btu per hour, and up to 100 gallons storage volume. Natural Resources Canada has confirmed that maintaining two sets of criteria is no longer necessary. As such, all efficiency requirements for in this specification will be made with the Uniform Energy Factor (UEF) or Solar Uniform Energy Factor (SUEF) metrics.

Calculated savings associated with the proposed criteria are 80 therms ($81) per year for gas-fired water heaters under 55 gallons, 45 therms ($46) per year for gas-fired water heaters 55 gallons or greater, and 31 therms ($31) per year for gas-fired instantaneous water heaters. The national electric savings potential for gas-fired storage and instantaneous water heaters is over 5,000 million therms, or over 27 MMT CO2e.

EPA will hold a webinar to discuss the proposed criteria and test method on October 13 from 12:00 pm 2:00 pm ET; please RSVP here for the specification webinar. We encourage stakeholder feedback on the ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Residential Water Heater Draft 1 specification. Please submit any comments to  WaterHeaters@energystar.gov by November 11, 2021. Based on current circumstances, this comment period has been extended to 6 weeks.

All comments will be posted to the ENERGY STAR Water Heaters Version 5.0 Product Development website unless the submitter requests otherwise.

Please direct any specific questions to Abigail Daken at EPA, Daken.Abigail@epa.gov or 202-343-9375, and Morganne Blaylock at ICF, Morganne.Blaylock@icf.com or 202-862-2952.

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

Sincerely,

Abigail Daken
EPA Manager, ENERGY STAR HVAC Program

Dear ENERGY STAR® Computer Server Partner, Certification Body, or Recognized Laboratory,

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 2.0.4 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 2.0.4 is a minor update, and the results it produces are comparable to those produced by previous versions and will not negatively impact comparison of products. The update includes the following changes:

• Support for the latest ARM processors from Ampere, Fujitsu, and Marvell
• The PTDaemon 1.9.2 Interface in order to control power analyzers and temperature sensors
• Support for Java 15
• ISO compliance report links on SERT JVM Options website
• Various GUI optimizations

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 2.0.4, 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

Programs utilizing the ENERGY STAR specification will benefit from increased energy savings along with optional grid-connected functionality established by the latest Version 4.0 ENERGY STAR Water Heater Specification.

Bigger savings: The savings associated with this specification revision are significant. An electric heat pump water heater earning the ENERGY STAR label will save consumers $315 a year on average with a typical sized water heater. If all electric water heaters sold in the US met ENERGY STAR requirements, the energy cost savings would grow to $8 billion per year, and 150 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions would be prevented.

Innovative Technologies: Version 4.0 offers the option for products to be recognized as connected with a tested ability to shift electrical load for grid stability without sacrificing consumer performance. Version 4.0 also recognizes the importance that split system models and 120V options play in growing the market for efficient water heating products.

Timeline: Early certification using Version 4.0 is available today for eligible water heaters, including recognition as connected. All water heaters that carry the ENERGY STAR mark will be required to meet Version 4.0 on January 5, 2022.

Learn more about Version 4.0 Water Heater Specification

Dear ENERGY STAR® Televisions Brand Owner or Other Interested Party,

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is revising the ENERGY STAR Televisions specification and most recently published the Version 9.0 Draft 2 specification for review and comment on April 22, 2021. In response to stakeholder feedback on the Draft 2 and subsequent further discussions with stakeholders, EPA is proposing changes to aspects of the On Mode criteria that relate to the High Contrast Ratio (HCR) capabilities of some display technologies. EPA is now releasing a limited topic proposal to provide stakeholders an opportunity to comment on the proposed changes before releasing a Version 9.0 Final Draft specification. Comments on this limited topic proposal may be submitted no later than October 7, 2021.

Stakeholder Comments Regarding the Version 9.0 Draft 2 HCR Criteria

EPA received public comments from several stakeholders in response to the Version 9.0 Draft 2 specification. They can be found on the ENERGY STAR Televisions Version 9.0 product development webpage. Comments regarding the proposed HCR criteria can be condensed into two main considerations:

1. EPA should more clearly specify the technical characteristics that a TV must possess to qualify for the HCR Adjustment Factor so that the risk of certification bodies incorrectly designating models is reduced.
2. EPA should monitor TV technology development to ensure that no new display technology makes the HCR Adjustment Factor unnecessary and reevaluate the current value of the HCR Adjustment Factor to confirm that it reflects an aspirational level.

EPA also received test data measured per a recent draft of CTA-2037C, the test procedure specified for use in the Version 9.0 specification, for an additional five OLED TV models from two stakeholders. CTA-2037C was near completion at the time of reference and no subsequent changes to the procedure affect the relevance of this data. Considering this feedback and the submitted data, EPA is proposing refinements to the definition of an HCR Display and the value of the HCR Adjustment Factor through this limited topic proposal.

Proposed Definition Refinement

A TV must meet the definition of an HCR Display as outlined in the Version 9.0 specification to qualify for the HCR Adjustment Factor. The definition for an HCR Display was presented in the Draft 2 specification as follows:

A display where pixels emit no light when displaying a pure black color, thus yielding a contrast ratio of infinity:1 when comparing these pixels against those that do emit light.

According to several stakeholders, this assertion of an infinity-to-1 contrast ratio has been a heavily debated marketing claim. EPA thus proposes the following definition for an HCR Display to reduce the possibility of a Certification Body incorrectly designating whether the HCR Adjustment Factor should be applied:

A display where pixels emit no light when displaying a pure black color.

EPA believes that this simplified definition for an HCR Display eliminates the possibility of marketing materials influencing a Certification Body’s decision to apply the HCR Adjustment factor. After brief research into the display technologies available today (e.g., LCD, OLED, etc.), EPA has been able to easily determine those that are able to disable individual pixels and thus project no light when displaying a pure black color on-screen.

Proposed Changes to the HCR Adjustment Factor

The value of the HCR Adjustment Factor as presented in Draft 2 varies depending on the viewable screen area of the TV being evaluated. This relationship is defined by the following equation:
 

HCR Adjustment Factor Value= 0.4588×Area0.138

The analysis leading to Draft 2 indicated that there was no available TV model meeting the definition of an HCR Display that could meet the On Mode criteria without some allowance. EPA then developed the HCR Adjustment Factor with the intention of providing HCR TVs with an On Mode efficiency target that encourages demonstrable efficiency improvements.

In response to the Draft 2 specification, EPA received On Mode testing data for an additional five OLED TVs, all of which would qualify for the HCR Adjustment Factor. These models all have a screen size (diagonal) of 65 inches. Analysis of this data confirms the idea that models meeting the definition of an HCR Display will not be able to meet requirements without some allowance but updates EPA’s understanding of the size of the adder that would be needed to allow any OLED models to earn ENERGY STAR certification.

Per Draft 2, the proposed value of the HCR Adjustment factor with a 65 inch diagonal screen size is 1.29 or 29%. This means that an HCR TV of this size would be able to meet On Mode Power requirements while using 29% more On Mode Power on average than a non-HCR TV with the same diagonal screen size and measured dynamic luminance. However, the data from the five newly submitted TVs indicates that all five models were within 20% of the requirement. The performances of these five TVs with respect to the proposed On Mode Power requirements are outlined below:
 

*For example: O3 was measured to use 12% more W than allowed by the proposed On Mode Power requirement

This data demonstrates that the Adjustment Factor proposed in Draft 2 does not fulfill its intended purpose of recognizing the most efficient HCR models. Further investigation indicates that an explanation for this overestimation is likely the absence of information regarding High Dynamic Range (HDR) picture settings from the dataset that informed Draft 2 – TVs with individual pixel control are especially efficient in an HDR picture setting when compared to LCD TVs because they achieve a black color by turning off a pixel rather than using a filter. By using data for only Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) picture settings, the models in the Draft 2 dataset did not capture this benefit and the added energy need was skewed high. This review of the referenced dataset against the newly submitted data also suggests that the correlation between viewable screen area and needed allowance is not as strong as previously indicated.

As such, EPA proposes a universal HCR Adjustment Factor of 1.12 allowing the very top-performing HCR-capable TVs to qualify while encouraging significant efficiency improvements for most HCR TVs to meet these On Mode requirements. This requirement would be presented in the Version 9.0 Final Draft specification as:

Comment Submission

Stakeholders are encouraged to provide written comments for EPA consideration to Televisions@energystar.gov by October 7, 2021. EPA also invites stakeholders to submit any data taken per CTA-2037C relevant to the Adjustment Factor value proposed by this document. All comments will be posted to the ENERGY STAR Televisions product development website unless the submitter requests otherwise.

Please contact me at (202) 564-8538 or Kwon.James@epa.gov, or Cody Niblett at (202) 862-1245 or
Cody.Niblett@icf.com, with questions or to share feedback for this effort.

Thank you for your continued support of ENERGY STAR.

Sincerely,
James Kwon, EPA Product Manager
ENERGY STAR for Consumer Electronics

Dear ENERGY STAR® Stakeholder:

The 2020 Unit Shipment Data Summary Report has been posted to the ENERGY STAR Unit Shipment Data webpage. This report includes aggregate shipments provided by ENERGY STAR brand owner partners and estimated market share for ENERGY STAR products included in the data collection effort. Despite fluctuations in the market resulting from the COVID pandemic, ENERGY STAR shipments remained strong in 2020.

If you have any questions about the summary report, please contact Kathleen Vokes, EPA, at vokes.kathleen@epa.gov or Katie Veasey, ICF, at unitshipmentdata@energystar.gov.

Thank you for your support of the ENERGY STAR program.

Kathleen Vokes
ENERGY STAR Program Integrity

Dear ENERGY STAR® Partner and Stakeholder:

This is a reminder that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers Draft 1 Specification on August 11, 2021.

Comments are due September 22, 2021 and may be submitted to cfs@energystar.gov. EPA will host a stakeholder webinar to present details of the specification and address stakeholder questions on Wednesday, September 1, 2021, from 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM EDT. To participate in the meeting, please register here by August 31, 2021.

Visit and bookmark the Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers Specification Version 5.0 product development webpage to view the draft 1 specification, stakeholder comments to the discussion guide, and additional documents related to the specification including a data packet as well as a data assembly template for preparation and buffet tables. All Version 5.0 specification revision documents will be posted to this webpage.

Thank you for your continued support of ENERGY STAR.

Dear ENERGY STAR® Commercial Food Service Partner and Stakeholder:

The Ask the Experts blog features informational posts on energy efficiency topics in the form of How-To, Did You Know, Q&A, and Innovation & Tech categories. The second CFS Ask the Experts blog, How to Reduce Refrigeration Energy Costs in Commercial Kitchens, was published August 2021 in conjunction with the publication of the ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers Draft 1 Specification. The article includes an overview of commercial refrigeration maintenance tips, energy savings, and common component rebates. Stakeholders are encouraged to share the article broadly to promote your partnership with ENERGY STAR and educate your customers on the benefits of energy efficiency. We encourage you to check out other Ask the Experts posts and continue to stay up-to-date to learn tips for purchasing, promoting, and selling ENERGY STAR certified products.

If you have any questions or suggestions for future CFS Ask the Experts topics, please email CFS@energystar.gov.

Thank you for your support of ENERGY STAR.

Dear ENERGY STAR® Stakeholder:
 
This is a reminder that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2022 Proposed Criteria on July 8th. Comments are due August 19th, 2021 and may be submitted to mostefficient@energystar.gov.
 
All comments received will be posted to the ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2022 criteria development webpage, unless the submitter specifically requests that their comments be treated otherwise. 
 
Thank you for your continued support of ENERGY STAR.

 

Dear ENERGY STAR® Commercial Refrigerators Partners and Other Interested Stakeholders:

With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing the ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers Draft 1 Specification. Stakeholders are encouraged to submit comments to EPA no later than September 22, 2021. EPA acknowledges the stakeholders who reviewed the discussion guide, participated in the associated webinars, and contributed verbal and written comments in preparation for this draft 1 product specification. Responses to your comments are included in the discussion guide comment matrix and in relevant note boxes throughout this draft specification.

Based on the 2019 ENERGY STAR Unit Shipment and Market Penetration Summary Report, ENERGY STAR certified commercial refrigerators and freezers currently represent approximately 46% of the market. This high level of overall ENERGY STAR market share presents an opportunity to revise the specification to ensure it continues to recognize top-performing products in existing categories and continues to deliver meaningful energy savings over conventional models. The current ENERGY STAR Commercial Refrigerator and Freezer Version 4.0 Specification took effect on March 27, 2017. The Agency reviewed the refrigerator and freezer categories and determined that vertical closed solid self-contained medium temperature (VCS.SC.M) and vertical closed solid self-contained low temperature (VCS.SC.L) categories had higher market penetration and presented the most significant savings opportunity relative to the remaining products in scope. Therefore, EPA proposes amended levels to those two commercial refrigerators and freezers categories in this Draft 1 specification. EPA believes the criteria proposed in this Draft 1 specification will offer significant energy savings relative to standard products in the marketplace.

The primary objectives of this revision are to expand the scope to include self-contained low and medium temperature chef bases, self-contained medium temperature service over counter products, and revise the maximum daily energy consumption for two current categories, VCS.SC.M and VCS.SC.L. These and other changes are summarized below and explained in the note boxes throughout the Draft 1 specification.
 

• Scope: EPA proposes to expand the scope of this specification to include the following products: chef base self-contained medium temperature (CB.SC.M), chef base self-contained low temperature (CB.SC.L), and service over counter self-contained medium temperature (SOC.SC.M).

• Criteria Levels: To continue recognizing the most efficient refrigerators and freezers in the market, EPA proposes revisions to the VCS.SC.M and VCS.SC.L categories. Revisions to these categories offer an opportunity for further energy savings.

• Test Methods: Based on stakeholder feedback, chef bases and service over counter products can be tested using 10 CFR Part 431 Subpart C Appendix B, and data used in analyses were obtained using that standard. Standard references for total volume and total display area are under 10 CFR 431.63.

• Reporting Requirements: In numerous product categories, the ENERGY STAR program highlights refrigerants in the consumer-facing Product Finder. More than 1,000 certified commercial refrigerators currently report refrigerant information. The ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Commercial Refrigerator and Freezer Draft 1 Specification formalizes this practice by including a refrigerant type reporting requirement.

Further, EPA recognizes the buffet and preparation tables as a potential category to include in scope at a later time and provides a data assembly template with the Draft 1 Version 5.0 product specification. As soon as EPA has a viable dataset for these products, EPA could propose ENERGY STAR levels. Interested parties are encouraged to share data to support this data assembly effort by September 22, 2021. 

Comment Submittal
EPA welcomes stakeholder input on the attached ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers Draft 1 Specification. Stakeholders are encouraged to submit any comments to cfs@energystar.gov by September 22, 2021. EPA will also accept additional data for chef bases and service over counter products submitted by this same deadline.

All comments will be posted to the ENERGY STAR Product Development website unless the submitter requests otherwise.

Stakeholder Webinar
EPA will host a webinar on September 1, 2021, from 4:00-5:30 EDT to address stakeholder comments and questions. Stakeholders interested in participating in this discussion should register here by August 31, 2021.

Ask the Experts
In conjunction with the publication of this ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers Draft 1 Specification, the EPA is also releasing the second CFS Ask the Experts blog post, entitled How to Reduce Refrigeration Energy Costs in Commercial Kitchens. The article provides an overview of maintenance tips, energy savings, and common component rebates. Stakeholders are encouraged to share the article broadly to promote your partnership with ENERGY STAR and educate your customers on the benefits of energy efficiency.

Please contact me at Crk.Tanja@epa.gov or 202-566-1037 and Jasmin Melara, ICF, at Jasmin.Melara@icf.com or 202-862-2950 for questions or concerns.

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

Sincerely,

Tanja Crk, Product Manager
ENERGY STAR Commercial Food Service

Dear ENERGY STAR® Residential Refrigerator and Freezer Manufacturers, Cooler Manufacturers, and Other Interested Parties:

With this letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to share the ENERGY STAR Version 5.1 Consumer Refrigeration Products Final specification. This amendment expanded the scope to include coolers, a type of miscellaneous refrigeration product that includes wine coolers and beverage centers. This update does not affect currently certified products. Manufacturers may certify coolers meeting the requirements of this amendment immediately upon this publication.

Recognizing the differentiation in the market and potential for savings, EPA pursued this amendment to highlight efficiency leaders in coolers using ENERGY STAR. ENERGY STAR coolers have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1.185 billion lbs CO2e by saving 760 million kWh. Additionally, EPA updated definitions to align with DOE and changed the name of the specification to be inclusive of residential refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, freezers, and miscellaneous refrigeration products.   

Most stakeholder-submitted comments agreed with EPA’s scope expansion, criteria, and updated definitions. Some stakeholders disagreed with EPA’s decision to not extend the connected credit to demand response capable coolers. Several years of experience working to incent connected functionality has demonstrated the constructive role the ENERGY STAR program can play increasing demand through recognition and influencing improved implementation through our specifications.  EPA intends to continue these efforts while phasing out the use of credits to preserve the consumer value ENERGY STAR represents in terms of energy savings. All comments received are summarized in the comment response matrix, which also includes the Agency’s responses. EPA thanks stakeholders for their comments on this amendment.

All materials related to this amendment are posted on the ENERGY STAR Consumer Refrigeration Products Version 5 development page. Please direct any specific questions to Ga-Young Park, EPA, at Park.Ga-Young@epa.gov or (202) 564-1085, and Morganne Blaylock, ICF, at Morganne.Blaylock@icf.com or (202) 862-2952. 

Thank you for your continued support of ENERGY STAR.

Sincerely,

Ga-Young Park
Product Manager for Appliances
ENERGY STAR Labeled Products

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would like to remind stakeholders that as of July 26, 2021, EPA-recognized certification bodies (CBs) are required to cease certification of new Water Heaters to the Version 3.0 specification and may only certify Water Heaters to the Version 4.0 specification. Certification bodies may continue submitting administrative modifications to existing Water Heater certifications to the Version 3.0 specification until August 9, 2021. After this date, only Water Heaters certified to the Version 4.0 specification will appear on the ENERGY STAR website and certified products list.

CBs must notify EPA by July 25, 2021 of models certified to Version 3.0, 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 waterheaters@energystar.gov with any questions regarding the specification. CBs should direct questions concerning the submittal of certified Water Heaters to Certification@energystar.gov.
 

Dear ENERGY STAR® Stakeholder:
 
This is a reminder that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2022 Proposed Criteria on July 8th. Comments are due August 19th, 2021 and may be submitted to mostefficient@energystar.gov.
 
EPA will host a stakeholder webinar to present details of the 2022 Proposed Criteria and address stakeholder questions on Thursday, July 29, 2021 from 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Eastern Time. If you wish to attend this meeting, please register here.
 
Thank you for your continued support of ENERGY STAR.

Dear ENERGY STAR® Audio/Video Partner or Other Interested Stakeholder,

Over the past few years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have worked alongside industry as part of the Consumer Technology Association’s (CTA) R3 Working Group 3 to develop an updated test procedure for audio/video products for use by the ENERGY STAR program. This newly completed test provides results better representing how products are likely to be used by consumers. EPA is pleased to call for the use of this test in association with the ENERGY STAR Audio/Video Version 4.0 specification. With this letter, EPA re-launches the Version 4.0 specification revision and announces its effort to assemble data using CTA-2084A: Test Methods for Determining Audio/Video Products Energy Efficiency for the purpose of developing the Draft 1 specification.  EPA will consider all energy performance data received by September 2, 2021.

Data Assembly
The Agency is not proposing performance levels for Version 4.0 at this time but is assembling data to inform doing so. Using the enclosed Data Assembly Form, stakeholders are invited to submit test data for their current models taken per the CTA-2084A: Test Methods for Determining Audio/Video Products Energy Efficiency test procedure for inclusion in the dataset by September 2, 2021. After analysis of submitted data, the Agency anticipates releasing draft requirements for stakeholder review and comment in early October 2021. Please note that for data assembly purposes, data submitted to EPA is not required to undergo third party certification.

An Updated Test Procedure
Several of the more significant updates to historic testing approach as presented by the CTA-2084A test procedure are outlined below:

• Input Signal: EPA and industry have researched various input signals and tested the 1 kHz signal used for Version 3.0 against several noise signal types to determine which type is most useful for characterizing a device’s power consumption across typical listening volumes. This research has indicated that pink noise signals, such as the CTA-2034 noise signal with a 12dB crest factor as defined in ANSI/CTA-2034 Section 8.1.1, would better simulate practical audio amplifier performance because they present a more realistic workload with a wide spectrum of frequencies. As such, the CTA-2034 pink noise signal is prescribed for use in CTA-2084A.
• Maximum Undistorted Power (MUP) Measurement: EPA received feedback from stakeholders that the previous approach to electrically testing products with at 1/8th of the product’s MUP will not fully exercise each channel in a multi-channel system. Furthermore, if one or more of the channels is not fully exercised, then the total measured input power may be below 20 W and the Version 3.0 specification states that there are no efficiency requirements for products with an input power below 20 W. The CTA-2084A test procedure addresses these issues by requiring that all channels be connected and tested simultaneously. Similarly, for multi-component systems, all components that are shipped together as part of the product are considered to be part of a single product and tested together.
• Efficiency Measurements: To better understand how products perform throughout the range of volume settings that consumers may decide to employ and again address the issue that a 1/8th MUP signal may not fully exercise all channels, CTA-2084A instructs that:
  • For products that ship with a speaker, products shall be tested at 10 equally spaced volume levels throughout its entire volume range. Furthermore, testing is to be completed with a sound pressure level meter to determine the decibel output of a product and enable the creation of efficiency metrics based on projected sound; and
  • For products that do not ship with speakers, recording of electrical efficiency measurements (output power versus input power) is to take place at up to 20 equally spaced intervals throughout the products entire volume range.
• Idle State: Two distinct Idle States are understood to be commonplace for audio products. This updated test procedure accounts for both:
  • Where there is no input signal, but the volume is set to a nonzero volume; and
  • Where there is an active input signal, but the volume is set to zero.

Scope Expansion

In recent years, audio products with integrated displays, commonly referred to as Smart Displays, have rapidly increased in popularity. CTA-2084A includes provisions for testing both the audio and display features of these products so that their energy consumption characteristics may be better understood and compared to similar products without a display. As these new products are intended to be covered by the scope of the Audio/Video product category, EPA invites manufacturers to also submit data on such.

Again, stakeholders are encouraged to provide completed Data Assembly Forms for use in determining the Draft 1 performance levels no later than September 2, 2021. Please send completed forms via e-mail to audiovideo@energystar.gov. The exchange of ideas and information between EPA, industry, and other interested parties is critical to the success of ENERGY STAR. To track EPA’s progress in revising the ENERGY STAR Audio/Video product specification and, please visit the Audio/Video Version 4.0 product development webpage, which also hosts the previously published stakeholder comments regarding a Version 4.0 specification that formed the starting point for development of the CTA-2084A test procedure.

Thank you for taking the time to review this data assembly invitation and pre-draft overview of the CTA-2084A test procedure, which EPA was proud to develop alongside CTA’s industry members. Please contact me at Kwon.James@epa.gov or (202) 564-8538, or Cody Niblett at ICF at Cody.Niblett@icf.com or (443) 944-4149, with any questions or concerns. For any audio/video related questions, please contact audiovideo@energystar.gov. Thank you for your continued support of the ENERGY STAR program.

Best Regards,

James Kwon, EPA Product Manager
ENERGY STAR for Consumer Electronics

Dear ENERGY STAR® Commercial Dishwashers Stakeholders:
 
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would like to remind stakeholders that the effective date for the Version 3.0 ENERGY STAR Commercial Dishwashers Program Requirements is July 27, 2021. 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 cfs@energystar.gov with any questions regarding the specification. CBs should direct questions concerning the submittal of Version 3.0 certified Commercial Dishwashers to Certification@energystar.gov.
 
Thank you for your support of the ENERGY STAR program.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to share both an update on ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2021 and proposed recognition criteria for 2022. Stakeholders are invited to provide written comments on these proposed criteria no later than August 15, 2021 to MostEfficient@energystar.gov.  
 
ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2021

As of June 2021, 3,361 models from 203 ENERGY STAR partners meet the ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2021 recognition criteria. The number of models and partners per category is noted in the following table:

*Total ENERGY STAR partners that meet the ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2021 recognition criteria are calculated by removing duplicate partners that may appear in more than one product category. Therefore, unlike the Total Models count, the total ENERGY STAR Partners count does not represent the sum of its column.

ENERGY STAR Most Efficient enjoys robust utility support and is leveraged by 29 energy efficiency program sponsors, serving over 7 million households (or roughly 18.5 million consumers). These rebate programs feature one or more product categories covered by ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2021 and reflect a diverse geographic spread, including two water utilities in California. 

ENERGY STAR Most Efficient is also being leveraged for retailer incentives as part of the ENERGY STAR Retail Products Platform (ESRPP), an innovative, nationally coordinated, market transformation initiative. ESRPP retailers now represent more than 75% of the appliance market, with 935 stores in current program sponsors’ service areas. In 2021, there are 15 efficiency program sponsors participating in ESRPP currently serving nearly 16% of U.S. households. The ESRPP is striving for large-scale market participation – serving more than 30% of the US population – a key milestone in the ESRPP vision to transform the market for energy efficient consumer products.

EPA provides consumers with the information they need about recognized products. In addition to highlighting ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2021 products, our website includes images of models, as well as real-time information on retail pricing and where to locate and buy these models.  Super-efficient compressors, available in select ENERGY STAR Most Efficient refrigerators, are also recognized via the  ENERGY STAR Emerging Technology award. Currently, 19 models from four different brands have received the Emerging Technology Award for advanced adaptive compressors with use of low global warming potential refrigerants and foams.

2022 Product Categories and Recognition Criteria

The proposed recognition criteria for 2022 are based on an analysis of currently certified ENERGY STAR models and the engineering analysis the Department of Energy (DOE) conducts for covered products. This analysis indicates that for many categories, existing recognition criteria remain reflective of the “best of the best.” As a result, EPA is extending the 2021 efficiency criteria into 2022 for clothes washers, dehumidifiers, dryers, furnaces, geothermal heat pumps (GHP), vent fans, and windows. EPA has proposed revised criteria for boilers, central air conditioners and heat pumps, ceiling fans, computer monitors, refrigerator-freezers, and room air conditioners. EPA will release a proposal for dishwashers in the coming months.  Televisions will not be recognized in 2022.   

Ceiling Fans: EPA proposes to update the criteria for all ceiling fans to recognize differentiation that has emerged in the market now that the industry has adjusted to the new Federal minimum efficiency criteria. The proposed levels apply to all standard, hugger, and low-mount high-speed small diameter fans, and approximately 6% of all fans certified by DOE meet the proposed level. These fans offer approximately 67% savings over a DOE minimum efficiency fan. EPA welcomes feedback on the proposal, specifically if there are product categories or advanced features that offer excellent overall energy performance but that would not meet the proposed criteria.  To support such comments, stakeholders are encouraged to share available data on the energy saving advantages of these categories and/or advanced features.

Clothes Washers:  EPA proposes to maintain the current Most Efficient 2021 criteria for all clothes washer types. The ENERGY STAR Most Efficient list includes 18 base models from 6 brands, providing consumers with a good selection of models with superior energy and water efficiency.

Computer Monitors:  EPA proposes to update the Most Efficient criteria to recognize more efficient models that have emerged in the market since EPA last updated the criteria in 2020. 10% of ENERGY STAR models meet the proposed Most Efficient criteria for 2022, for an average savings of 30% over conventional models.

Dehumidifiers:  EPA proposes to maintain the current Most Efficient recognition criteria into 2022. 130 portable models meet these rigorous criteria, offering consumers significant savings of 22% over conventional models. 8 whole-home dehumidifiers meet the criteria with a savings of 25% over conventional models.

Dishwashers:  In light of the ongoing revision of the ENERGY STAR Dishwasher specification, EPA will make a determination on proposed changes to the Most Efficient criteria in the coming months.

Dryers:  EPA proposes to maintain the Most Efficient 2021 criteria. The ENERGY STAR Most Efficient list includes 19 base models from 8 brands, representing both heat pump and hybrid heat pump technologies. EPA encourages partners to complete optional fields for technology type and refrigerant when certifying products to make it easier for utilities to incentivize these technologies in the market.

Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps and Ductless Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps: 
EPA proposes changes to the criteria for central air conditioners and heat pumps, in line with the Version 6.0 specification revision. Overall, the efficiency criteria continue to recognize a select group - less than 1% of the AHRI listings - of extremely efficient products with features facilitating quality installation and maintenance. The system status and messaging criteria have been updated to require that products must meet three out of six listed installation criteria, as is required for Version 6.0 products. Two additional changes have been proposed to the system status and messaging criteria – a requirement that a product must store the past ten (10) faults until they are cleared, and that a product must have the capability to directly contact a service professional when a fault arises, given the consumer permits the communication. These two criteria are in line with capabilities seen on recent Most Efficient applications and provide clarity on the features required.

The efficiency criteria for single packaged heat pumps were raised so that the levels are in line with the Version 6.0 criteria for that product category. EPA has also added a category for Most Efficient Cold Climate heat pumps. Cold climate heat pumps will be required to meet the Version 6.0 criteria, including the low ambient temperature criteria, in addition to the system status and messaging criteria, to be recognized as Most Efficient. For ductless air conditioners and heat pumps, no changes are proposed beyond the system status and messaging criteria.

As new products may choose to certify to Version 6.0 early with the Appendix M1 test method and criteria that will be effective in 2023, EPA has provided equivalent levels in both Appendix M and Appendix M1 metrics. ENERGY STAR central air conditioners and heat pumps currently certified to Version 5.0 may add Most Efficient 2022 recognition if they meet the criteria. Note that after January 1, 2022, all new products certified to ENERGY STAR must do so under Version 6.0 and via the Appendix M1 pathway.

Geothermal Heat Pumps: EPA proposes to maintain the current criteria for geothermal heat pumps, with small changes to the system status and messaging criteria. The current criteria continue to recognize a select group of extremely efficient products (3.9% of the AHRI list) with features facilitating quality installation and maintenance. Geothermal heat pumps are exempt from the installation criteria, but new applications for Most Efficient will need to comply with the additional requirements for length of fault history and communication with a service professional.

Furnaces: EPA also proposes to maintain the current requirements for furnaces as the AFUE requirement offers great differentiation, is aligned with CEE Tier 3, and a small subset of products are recognized - just 1.6% of all products.  New applications for Most Efficient will need to comply with the additional requirements for length of fault history and communication with a service professional.

Boilers: EPA will recognize boilers as ENERGY STAR Most Efficient in 2022. The proposed level was selected to recognize gas-fired heat pump boilers and is aligned with the Consortium for Energy Efficiency’s Advanced Tier for residential gas boilers. EPA has referenced the CSA ANSI Z21.40.4 Performance Testing and Rating of Gas-Fired, Air Conditioning and Heat Pump Appliances, understanding that the standard is under revision. Once the standard is available for testing, boilers will be able to be recognized as Most Efficient 2022. Information on the development and timing of this test method would be appreciated. Partners should note that the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) measured by this test method is not directly comparable to the AFUE measured by the federal test method for residential boilers.

Refrigerators-Freezers: EPA proposes to revise the criteria for side-by-side, bottom freezer, and compact refrigerator product types in 2022 to greater than or equal to 30% above the Federal Minimum. Currently available refrigerator technologies such as innovative refrigerants and advanced variable speed compressors as well as improvements in the manufacturing techniques and materials for insulation yield significant efficiency improvements. There are 37 base models from 18 brands that are able to meet the proposed criteria for side-by-side and bottom freezers, which is represents 6% of the market for these product types. For compact refrigerators, there are 52 base models from 23 brands that meet the proposed criteria and represents 5% of the market. While there is currently strong ENERGY STAR Most Efficient representation among top freezer models, EPA is not proposing to move the level, as they remain the lowest energy consuming standard-size refrigerator-freezers.

Room Air Conditioners:  EPA proposes to revise the recognition criteria to greater than or equal to 35% better than the Federal Standard in 2022. Available models doubled from last year and there are currently 14 base models from 6 brands meeting the proposed criteria, which represents 3% of the market.

Televisions: Due to the ongoing revision of the ENERGY STAR Version 9.0 specification for televisions, EPA is not proposing ENERGY STAR Most Efficient criteria for 2022.   

Ventilating Fans: EPA has maintained the 2021 criteria for ventilating fans. The current efficiency criteria are met by an appropriate subset of ENERGY STAR products; however, a very small number of those fans are currently recognized as ENERGY STAR Most Efficient. This is due to a lack of reported data for the noise criteria as measured at 0.25 in wtg. static pressure for bathroom/utility fans. EPA encourages partners to submit these data and contact EPA with questions regarding how to do so. EPA continues to monitor range hoods but has not seen sufficient differentiation to propose Most Efficient recognition for them.

Windows and Sliding Glass Doors:  No changes are proposed for the 2022 residential window or sliding door recognition criteria. While high performance Most Efficient window products are widely available, they are still a relatively small slice of total market with 494 window product lines and 16 sliding glass door product lines recognized. 

The proposed ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2022 criteria for the full suite of products are summarized below. In addition to meeting these recognition criteria, products must be certified as ENERGY STAR by an EPA-recognized certification body. Additional detail for each product category is included in the recognition criteria documents accompanying this letter. 
 

*Proposed criteria carried over from 2021 for these categories with no changes.

EPA will provide additional information regarding the roll out of ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2022 recognition with the finalization of these criteria.
 
EPA will hold a stakeholder webinar on July 29, 2021 from 1:00-3:00pm EDT to discuss the proposed 2022 recognition criteria. To participate in this webinar, please register here by July 29th. 

Please share written comments no later than August 15, 2021 with MostEfficient@energystar.gov. EPA plans to finalize these recognition requirements in the coming months.
 
Thank you for your support of the ENERGY STAR program.  
 
Sincerely,

Ann Bailey, Director
ENERGY STAR Product Labeling

Dear ENERGY STAR® Smart Thermostat Partner or Other Interested Party:

With this letter, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) welcomes your input on the enclosed ENERGY STAR Version 2.0 Smart Thermostats Discussion Guide prior to developing and releasing a Draft Version 2.0 Specification. EPA will also host a webinar on July 26, 2021, to seek input from stakeholders on topics outlined below. Please submit your feedback and any relevant data to connectedthermostats@energystar.gov by August 09, 2021.

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 and reviews specifications regularly, looking for opportunities to recognize increased energy savings. EPA sees an opportunity to improve the ENERGY STAR Connected (Smart) Thermostat specification through updates and expand scope to realize additional energy savings.

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.

• Updated terminology: EPA believes that ‘Smart Thermostats’ is a consumer recognized classification and hence proposes to begin referring to the product category as ENERGY STAR Smart Thermostats with all stakeholders.
• Revisions to the Specification Metrics: EPA is evaluating the opportunity to improve the submission-to-submission stability of metrics along with improving the correlation between metrics and energy savings through metered data. In addition, EPA is considering a more even weighting across the different climate zones which would yield a metric more relevant to percent savings for every homeowner in the US.
• Specification criteria changes: EPA is considering updating the demand response requirements and seeks information on product families to ensure that ENERGY STAR can distinguish more efficient models for a range of purchasers. EPA is also interested in understanding the impact of broadband connectivity on savings.
• Expansion and clarification of scope: EPA seeks feedback on the viability of expanding the scope of the ENERGY STAR specification to include additional product types.  EPA also seeks to clarify the scope during the development of Version 2.0 such that all partners are clear on product types covered by this specification.
• Software updates: Provided with this Discussion Guide is a list of major software updates. Stakeholders are requested to test the software on their data, review documentation and provide feedback on the same.

Comment Submittal
Stakeholders are encouraged to provide written comments for EPA consideration to connectedthermostats@energystar.gov by August 09, 2021. All comments will be posted to the ENERGY STAR Smart Thermostats Product Development website unless the submitter requests otherwise.

Stakeholder Meeting
EPA will host a stakeholder webinar on July 26, 2021 from 1 to 3 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 July 25, 2021.

Please direct any questions specific to the connected criteria to Abigail Daken at EPA, Daken.Abigail@epa.gov, or 202-343-9375, Abhishek Jathar at ICF, Abhishek.Jathar@icf.com or 202-862-1203.

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

Sincerely,

Dear ENERGY STAR® Water Cooler Brand Owner or Other Interested Party:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to distribute the ENERGY STAR Version 3.0 Water Cooler Final Specification. EPA would like to thank the many stakeholders who have devoted time and effort to informing this specification revision process. Version 3.0 requirements will be effective March 23, 2022.

This specification revision has the potential to deliver significant savings. Over its lifetime, a water cooler certifying to ENERGY STAR under this specification could save up to $378 in energy costs. If all water coolers sold in the US met these criteria, the energy cost savings would grow to over $250 million per year and 4.5 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions would be prevented.

This specification was developed through a process that included release of a discussion guide and three draft specifications, along with multiple stakeholder meetings. This final specification not only raises the bar on energy efficiency but includes updates that will help consumers select the best water cooler for their use.  The Version 3.0 will differentiate conditioned storage hot and cold as well as hot, cook, and cold water coolers based on their capacity, creating distinct categories for high-traffic locations like offices or commercial spaces and low-capacity environments like homes or small offices.  The specification also adds reporting of energy consumption during and after hot and cold water draws, giving a more complete picture of a product’s energy consumption.

Stakeholder comments, previous drafts of the specification, and related materials are available on EPA's ENERGY STAR website at www.energystar.gov/specifications. Click on the “View the Version 3.0 Development Process” link for Water Coolers.

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 3.0 requirements.
• As of October 13, 2021, CBs will be instructed to stop certifying new product submittals to Version 2.0. Note that existing certifications will remain valid for purposes of ENERGY STAR certification until March 23, 2022.
• Any water cooler manufactured as of March 23, 2022, must meet Version 3.0 requirements to bear the ENERGY STAR mark. All certifications of products to the Version 2.0 specification will be invalid for purposes of ENERGY STAR certification and the product finder will only include models certified to Version 3.0. After March 23, 2022, products placed under new contracts as ENERGY STAR should be certified to the Version 3.0 specification.

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 the many stakeholders who provided feedback during the specification revision process and looks forward to working with you as you certify and market your energy-efficient water coolers. 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, and Water Coolers

Enclosures:
ENERGY STAR Version 3.0 Water Cooler Final Specification
ENERGY STAR Version 3.0 Water Cooler Final Data Package
ENERGY STAR Version 3.0 Water Cooler Final Draft Comment Response Matrix

The purpose of this letter is to present a proposal from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to sunset the ENERGY STAR specification for Small Network Equipment (SNE) products. Relevant background and the rationale for sunsetting are provided below.  The Agency requests feedback on this proposal no later than June 22, 2021.

ENERGY STAR SNE Products Background
Recognizing the potential to advance energy efficiency in this ubiquitous product, EPA began working with stakeholders in 2009 and through a multi-year, engaged process developed both the first test method to evaluate efficiency and the first recognition program for leadership in efficiency.  The ENERGY STAR SNE product specification was introduced in 2013 with the intention to increase energy efficiency primarily in the home and small office networking space. These products were of interest due to their 24/7 activity and large sales. EPA developed a specification to recognize SNE products that were efficient when connected to a network and passing minimal traffic, the most common operating condition in residential environments.

Rationale for Proposed Sunset SNE
Under certain circumstances, EPA makes the determination that an ENERGY STAR specification for a particular product category should be sunset rather than revised for one or more of these reasons:

• A standard exists or is forthcoming at the current ENERGY STAR level that will serve as a backstop so efficiency gains are maintained.
• Additional, cost-effective efficiency gains are not available or anticipated.
• The market has evolved such that the product type is being discontinued.

The Small Network Equipment Voluntary Agreement (VA), designed to serve as a back stop, was introduced in 2015 leveraging the ENERGY STAR Test Method for Small Network Equipment as well as the program’s definitions and structure to set minimum levels that all signatories commit to meeting. The VA has been signed by all major internet providers, estimated to provide approximately 60% of SNE products to the market with continued growth expected.

In addition, a recent review showed that the opportunity for further efficiency gains beyond ENERGY STAR’s current requirements may be constrained by the energy needs associated with product features that are valued by consumers. In particular, we anticipate the industry will be evolving products to accommodate functionality such as increased range, speed, and the ability to support more clients. EPA will, however, continue to monitor the SNE landscape and will revisit this decision if the technology or market changes and significant energy savings become available.

Proposed Milestones for Sunsetting the ENERGY STAR for SNE Products
EPA proposes the following milestones associated with implementing this proposal:

• Existing certifications of ENERGY STAR SNE products will remain valid until July 13, 2022.
• Certification Bodies will be instructed to stop certifying new product submittals as of January 13, 2022.
• No new promotional materials for SNE products (printed and electronic) that use the ENERGY STAR mark may be produced after January 13, 2022. Brand owners are permitted to use up existing printed material, including packaging to minimize waste.
• Brand owners must stop using the ENERGY STAR name and ENERGY STAR mark in association with all SNE products manufactured on or after July 13, 2022.
• To minimize the cost of labeling changes and be in compliance by July 13, 2022, brand owners of SNE products are encouraged to remove ENERGY STAR references on Web sites or in other collateral materials as these materials are reprinted or changed.

Stakeholders are invited to comment on this proposal to sunset the ENERGY STAR for SNE products. Any feedback or data you wish to share with EPA may be submitted via email to networking@energystar.gov, no later than June 22, 2021. All comments will be posted to the ENERGY STAR SNE page, unless the stakeholder requests otherwise.

Sincerely,

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

Dear ENERGY STAR Smart Home Energy Management Systems stakeholders:

In the interest of helping stakeholders navigate the new ENERGY STAR Smart Home Energy Management Systems specification and certify their SHEMS, EPA is sharing a few clarifications. Have a question? Please contact smarthomesystems@epa.gov.

Thank you for your continued support of ENERGY STAR.

Dear ENERGY STAR® CFS Partner or Other Interested Party,

The purpose of this announcement is to provide clarification to the referenced American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) F1920-20 Standard Test Method for Performance of Rack Conveyor Commercial Dishwashing Machines for ENERGY STAR certification purposes.

As a reminder, EPA finalized the ENERGY STAR Version 3.0 Commercial Dishwashers product specification on October 27, 2020, which goes into effect July 27, 2021. Since publication of this specification, EPA was notified of an oversight in the latest F1920 standard test method revision that may impact certification eligibility for certain commercial dishwashers.

Section 10.8.3. of F1920-20, which falls under the Washing Energy Performance Test, states: “Confirm that the minimum wash tank temperature is above the manufacturer’s recommended setting.” Similar guidance was revised during the last iteration of the F1696-20 Standard Test Method for Energy Performance of Stationary-Rack, Door-Type Commercial Dishwashing Machines, but retained in F1920-20. Consistent with other referenced ASTM standards, Section 10.8.3 of F1920-20 should have been amended from “minimum” to “average.”

Considering this was an oversight during the last revision of the ASTM F1920 standard, and the guidance language was not updated to reflect this change, EPA will accept a deviation from the current guidance language in Section 10.8.3. of F1920-20 for eligible commercial rack conveyor dishmachines. If the UUT maintains an “average” wash tank temperature above the manufacturer’s recommended setting during the period of test, that is deemed acceptable for purposes of ENERGY STAR certification.

EPA has notified ASTM that this temporary deviation is allowed and is reflected in a notebox under Section 4. Test Requirements in the final ENERGY STAR Version 3.0 Commercial Dishwashers product specification available here. An amendment to the F1920-20 standard is anticipated in a subsequent iteration.  At which time, EPA will lift this temporary deviation allowance, along with publication of an amended Version 3.0 specification announcement.

Note that any ENERGY STAR commercial dishwasher model certified under this temporary deviation shall be verified to the same specification deviation upon verification testing, if nominated.

If you have any questions regarding this deviation allowance, please reach out to cfs@energystar.gov.  

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

Sincerely,

Tanja Crk, Product Manager
ENERGY STAR Commercial Food Service

Dear ENERGY STAR® Stakeholder:
 
This is a reminder that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the ENERGY STAR Version 9.0 TVs Draft 2 Specification on April 22, 2021. Comments are due June 3, 2021 and may be submitted to televisions@energystar.gov.
 
Thank you for your continued support of ENERGY STAR.

Dear ENERGY STAR® Partners and Stakeholders:
 
Yesterday, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan joined other members of the Biden cabinet to announce new initiatives supporting a whole of government approach to efficient decarbonization of U.S. buildings. In outlining EPA’s commitment, Administrator Regan emphasized the importance of partnership programs, highlighting recent updates to the ENERGY STAR specifications for CAC/ASHPs and water heaters, as well as the expansion of the ENERGY STAR EVSE specification to cover DC fast chargers.   

We look forward to continuing our important work, together, to advance an economy-wide transition to the efficient technologies that are critical in the fight against climate change. 

See EPA press release here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/through-public-private-partnerships-epa-helps-advance-efficiency-and-reduce-emissions