ENERGY STAR®

 PRODUCTS

YEARS OF HELPING AMERICA SAVE ENERGY 20 SAVE MONEY AND PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT
1

A Star Is Born...

Legend has it that ENERGY STAR® began when the director of what was then 

known as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Atmospheric 

Pollution Prevention Division conducted an informal walk-through of division 

offices. He wanted to see if employees remembered to turn their computers 

off when they left their workstations. He was not pleased with what he saw. He 

figured that if many of his staff—staff members who were dedicated to fighting 

climate change and well aware of the link between energy use and greenhouse 

gas emissions—forgot or found it too inconvenient to shut off their computers, 

the situation in the population at large was far worse. What was needed was 

a technical solution, a way to automatically turn off or power down computers 

when they were not in use...and thus, a star (or at least the twinkle of the star) 

was born.

As with all good legends, there is a glimmer of truth to the story. In reality, a 

core of dedicated staff members had been working for a number of years to 

find cost-effective ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by analyzing data, 

then talking with business and industry about what prevented investment in 

energy efficiency and working with them to develop strategies to address those 

barriers. The growing energy demand of computers stood out, prompting the 

informal walk-through “audit” to help confirm the magnitude of potential energy 

savings and setting the stage for the very first ENERGY STAR qualified product.

During this time, computers were becoming more and more important to 

American business—they were the fastest-growing electricity load in the 

commercial sector. These early computers were not geared for energy 

efficiency, resulting in a negative impact on the bottom line where 30-40 

percent of computers were left on after work hours. Interest in solving the 

problem of excessive power consumption would result in the creation of the 

ENERGY STAR program and mark the beginning of a journey to show the world 

that energy-efficient technologies can contribute to a cleaner environment and 

a growing economy. 

Twenty years later, ENERGY STAR is a global symbol for energy efficiency. EPA 

recognizes ENERGY STAR products in more than 60 categories. More than 

80 percent of U.S. consumers recognize and understand the label, collectively 

buying an estimated 300 million ENERGY STAR qualified products every year.
2

Million Metric 

Tons of CO2

Lighting

Appliances

HVAC and Other

Office Equipment

Home Electronics

1994 1997 2000 2003 2006 2009 2012

40

80

120

160

180.00

Annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions Avoided

As of 2012, EPA estimates that ENERGY STAR products prevent more than 150 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually. More than 200 billion kilowatthours (kWh) of electricity is saved per year, which represents 15 percent of U.S. residential electricity use. These savings have offset the need for more than 185 additional 

power plants.

Environmental Results
3

ENERGY STAR Products Sold (Cumulative)*

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Units Purchased (Billions)

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Lighting

Appliances

HVAC and Other Home Electronics

 Office Equipment

Since the program’s inception, thousands of individuals from more than 2,200 manufacturing companies, 1,600 retailers, 800 energy efficiency programs and the 

federal government have worked under the ENERGY STAR banner to define, build and create both supply and demand for energy-efficient products. Over the past 

20 years, Americans have purchased a total of more than five billion ENERGY STAR products.

*The lighting data do not include CFL sales. Product sales may not appear in every year a category was included in the program due to scale.
4

The ENERGY STAR Story.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5

Milestones ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................11

The Power of Partnership.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 13

Thoughts from the Consortium for Energy Efficiency....................................................................................................................................................... 15 

Thoughts from Natural Resources Canada........................................................................................................................................................................ 16

ENERGY STAR Product Retrospectives............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 17

Computers and Monitors.......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 17

Thoughts from Intel Corporation ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 20

Clothes Washers..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 21

Thoughts from Whirlpool Corporation ............................................................................................................................................................................... 23

Thoughts from Panasonic Corporation of America........................................................................................................................................................... 24

Residential Lighting ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 25

Thoughts from General Electric......................................................................................................................................................................................... 30

Televisions............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 31

Standby Power ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 33

Thoughts from the Natural Resources Defense Council ................................................................................................................................................... 34

Computer Power Management................................................................................................................................................................................................. 35

Refrigerated Vending Machines ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 37

External Power Supplies ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 39

Digital-to-Analog Converter Boxes ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 41

Thoughts from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy ........................................................................................................................... 42 

The Future of ENERGY STAR Certified Products.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 43

Endnotes....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 45

Contents
5

The ENERGY STAR Story

Climate Change Action

The ENERGY STAR program was an early part of the U.S. strategy to address global warming by reducing 

greenhouse gas emissions. It was first cited in President George H. W. Bush’s 1992 Climate Action Plan, 

and subsequently in the Clinton Administration’s 1994 and 1997 Climate Action Plans. Both administrations 

advocated creating incentives for 

private industry to voluntarily undertake 

emission reduction initiatives; incentives 

were designed to foster market choices 

that would increase energy efficiency. 

Launched in 1992 as a cutting edge 

public-private partnership, ENERGY 

STAR was, and remains, a voluntary 

program; the American people—

businesses and consumers—are the 

ones who have driven its success.

Engaging the Market to Drive Change

The ENERGY STAR program was founded on the idea that greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced 

by overcoming market barriers that prevent consumers and businesses from doing what is in their 

financial interest—choosing energy-efficient products. In the beginning, EPA worked with technical 

experts within computer companies such as Apple, IBM Corporation, Hewlett-Packard and others

1

 to 

develop the functional criteria necessary for a computer or monitor to earn the ENERGY STAR label. 

“[Emissions will be reduced] by 

harnessing private-market forces, 

by leveraging modest government 

expenditures to create a much larger 

set of private-sector investments...” 

–President William Jefferson Clinton, 1993

5

1996

Exit signs were added to the program in a year when more than 100 million were in use in buildings 

throughout the U.S., with an operating cost of $1 billion per year. ENERGY STAR qualified exit signs used 80 

percent less energy.
6

This first specification was technically attainable and most manufacturers agreed 

to upgrade the majority of their product lines to ENERGY STAR, which became an 

industry norm within a few years. 

This pattern of engaging industry leaders early and openly was repeated as the 

ENERGY STAR program added more products in the ensuing years and involved other 

stakeholders, including trade associations, environment and efficiency advocates, 

utility and state efficiency program administrators, and international entities. Within 

a few years, key principles emerged that have guided this collaboration ever since: 

energy efficiency has to pay off for the consumer, and it cannot come at the expense 

of key product features or functionality. 

But defining efficient products through an ENERGY STAR specification was only part 

of the solution. For the market to be changed, consumers needed to understand the 

multiple benefits of efficiency; manufacturers needed to produce and label these 

products, and retailers and contractors needed to showcase them to customers. 

Starting in the mid-1990s, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and EPA expanded 

the program to include residential products such as dishwashers, refrigerators, 

heating and cooling equipment and lighting. The government employed a “pushpull” strategy, designing outreach and educational materials to build consumer 

demand while simultaneously encouraging suppliers with a value proposition 

to ensure that products were available and featured the ENERGY STAR label. 

Eventually it became clear that to effectively reach consumers, the program needed 

to leverage the “touch points” at which buyers become most engaged—identified 

as predominantly retail point of sale. Many national retailers saw the value of being 

a source for environmentally friendly, energy-efficient products for their customers, 

but the key to success was showing them how to differentiate themselves by cobranding with ENERGY STAR in a way that was compatible with their individual 

corporate images. 

1992

1997

2002
7

The Making of an Energy Efficiency Brand

At first, the ENERGY STAR message was simple and rational: ENERGY STAR 

saves energy and money. Advertising was limited to business and trade 

publications and was dominated by images of computers and monitors. The 

environmental message was conveyed by the logo itself—a half globe that 

included the phrase “EPA Pollution Preventer.” 

In 1997, EPA launched the first broad outreach campaign to encourage consumers 

to look for the ENERGY STAR label. Communication messages prominently 

featured environmental benefits, but the focus was still money savings achieved 

through superior energy efficiency. The tagline, “Saving the Earth. Saving Your 

Money.” was added to outreach materials, which were designed to provide 

consumers with objective information about the government-backed label. The 

first consumer campaign had three key messages:

ENERGY STAR saves you money and protects the environment. Use of qualified 

products in your home can mean up to 30 percent savings.

The second price tag. Products have two price tags: the purchase price plus the 

cost of electricity needed to use the product over its lifetime.

An easy choice. Either the product is energy efficient because it displays the 

ENERGY STAR label, or it isn’t.2 

Making the environmental message more prominent was a natural outgrowth 

of the desire to connect with a large group of consumers who had not been 

linking their home energy use to its environmental impact. A public service 

announcement (PSA) that aired during this period connected the dots, "If it 

runs on electricity, it runs on fuel." It pointed consumers to ENERGY STAR as 

a simple way to do their part, with the tagline, "Money isn't all you're saving." 

An important sub-message in program outreach was that efficiency, unlike 

conservation, did not imply sacrifice—just smart choices, like choosing ENERGY 

STAR qualified products.

By 2000, 40 percent of U.S. households were aware of the ENERGY STAR label, 

and the program was producing tremendous, measurable results—cumulatively 

saving $5 million in utility bills and preventing greenhouse gas emissions 

equivalent to the emissions from 10 million vehicles. But to take ENERGY STAR 

to the next level, an internal review of the brand revealed the need to appeal not 

only to consumer intellect but also to create an emotional connection.3

Launched in 2001, the Change campaign was just the solution. This campaign, 

an integrated multimedia outreach effort (radio, TV, print), was the most 

aspirational campaign to date. Through a combination of inspiring photography, 

music and messaging, EPA reached out to Americans, encouraging everyone to 

help protect the environment at home and at work.4

That same year, EPA conducted a full-scale review of the brand and developed 

the first comprehensive branding strategy for ENERGY STAR. The logo was 

redesigned to make it clearer, more visible and easier for partners to use. EPA also 

made the decision to develop a distinctive brand personality, designed to make an 

emotional connection with consumers.5 The new logo and strategy continue to 

this day, positioning ENERGY STAR as not only the smartest financial choice, but 

also the right choice to make to protect the environment for future generations.

Aided Awareness Unaided Awareness

30%

60%

90%

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

ENERGY STAR Awareness
8

ENERGY STAR Scores Well on 

Key Brand Attributes

 Relevance. A successful brand must offer a relevant choice to 

its target audience. ENERGY STAR is relevant, allowing everyone the 

opportunity and ability to make a personal contribution to protecting 

our environment and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

 Differentation. A successful brand must offer a sufficiently 

differentiated choice within the marketplace so that consumers see a 

different value. ENERGY STAR is differentiated as a government-backed 

program offering a compelling way to do good through the simple act 

of choice, while providing financial benefits to the consumer.

 Consistent Communications. A successful brand needs to 

speak to its audience in a compelling and consistent way. Managing 

all brand communications so that they deliver a similar message with a 

compelling image or personality is key to developing an understanding 

of the brand and its relevance. ENERGY STAR is a seemingly complex 

subject, but presented with a highly approachable, straightforward 

and consistent look and feel.

 Credibility. Credibility is the backbone of a successful brand. 

ENERGY STAR is fortified by the capabilities and reputation of EPA and 

DOE. Today, millions of consumers and businesses choose ENERGY 

STAR—demonstrating that ENERGY STAR has earned credibility in 

the marketplace.

Maintaining Loyalty and Relevance

Twenty years ago, the connection between energy efficiency and environmental 

benefits was poorly understood by the general population; saving energy at 

home often meant donning sweaters or purchasing sub-optimal technology 

such as slow-to-illuminate compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs)—actions that 

only a small segment of the population undertook.

Today, nearly all Americans agree or strongly agree that "it is important to save 

energy in my home" and that "saving energy helps the environment."6 Many 

believe improved appliance efficiency is important for reducing air pollution (92 

percent important, 77 percent very important) and greenhouse gas emissions 

(84 percent important, 66 percent very important).7 Nearly 70 percent of 

households with CFL bulbs are "very likely" to purchase more and 81 percent of 

households with CFLs have five or more.8

ENERGY STAR is an important part of this new landscape. More than 80 percent 

of Americans now recognize the ENERGY STAR label—30 to 45 percent of 

households report purchasing an ENERGY STAR qualified product in a given 

year. Importantly, almost 85 percent of purchasers would recommend ENERGY 

STAR to a friend.

EPA and DOE place a premium on earning and preserving that consumer loyalty, 

monitoring use of the label and the in-store experience to ensure that the label 

is used in a consistent and appropriate way, independently testing products 

purchased off the shelf and, more recently, requiring third-party verification and 

certification for all products prior to ENERGY STAR labeling.

To ensure that the ENERGY STAR label remains a reliable differentiator of energyefficient products, the program has a ramped-up cycle for reviewing and revising 

efficiency criteria, particularly for those product categories where history has 

shown that the market responds rapidly to changes. And the program continues 

to evaluate and add new product categories every year.

Source: Interbrand. (2007). Building a Powerful and Enduring Brand: The 

Past, Present, and Future of the ENERGY STAR Brand. Produced for U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency. http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/

downloads/ENERGY_STARBndManf508.pdf
9

2002

Look for products that have earned the ENERGY STAR

Find out more at www.energystar.gov

EARTH DAY 2002

Money Isn't All You're Saving
10

ENERGY STAR® is sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.

YOUR HOME CAN CAUSE TWICE AS MANY GREENHOUSE GASES AS A CAR.

Discover steps you can take to reduce air pollution from your home and car at energystar.gov.

climate control

It’s simple. Heat and cool your 

home smartly with ENERGY STAR® 

to reduce your home energy use 

and make a big difference in the 

fight against air pollution.

2001 2004
11

EPA introduces the ENERGY STAR label for office products, starting 

with personal computers and monitors.

President Clinton signs Executive Order 12845 requiring federal 

agencies to purchase ENERGY STAR qualified products when buying 

new office equipment.

EPA expands the program to include heating and cooling equipment.

First international agreement established with Japan regarding 

ENERGY STAR qualified office products.

DOE partners with EPA and establishes the first ENERGY STAR 

specifications for residential appliances.

ENERGY STAR program expands into lighting. 

DOE adds windows, doors and skylights to the program.

First ENERGY STAR requirements set for consumer electronics, 

addressing standby power in TVs and VCRs.

EPA establishes ENERGY STAR partnership with the European Union. 

ENERGY STAR TV public service announcement appeared more than 

25,000 times, reaching an audience of more than one billion. 

First commercial food service specification introduced: solid door 

refrigerators and freezers.

ENERGY STAR label redesigned. 

ENERGY STAR program covers 40 product categories.

First ENERGY STAR Change a Light Day: October 5. 

More than two billion ENERGY STAR qualified products purchased 

since 2000.

Brand awareness jumps to over 50 percent.

8th annual ENERGY STAR Change a Light campaign features first 

National Bus Tour. 

More than one million Americans participate in the Change the 

World, Start with ENERGY STAR campaign and take the ENERGY 

STAR pledge.

Major Milestones for ENERGY STAR Products

1992

1993

1995

1996

1997

1998

2006

2000

2005

2007

2010

2003

2002

2001
12

2006 2003

2002
13

Whether opening your utility bill or browsing the aisles of your neighborhood bigbox store, you will often spot the trademark cyan logo. A broad range of partners 

is at the heart of the ENERGY STAR program’s success—not only manufacturers 

and their trade associations, but also the retailers that deliver ENERGY STAR 

products to market, and utility and other efficiency program administrators who 

engage in promoting energy-saving opportunities to their customers. 

In 1995, EPA labeled the first suite of ENERGY STAR products geared toward the 

residential central heating and cooling (HVAC) market. Systems then were sold 

through a large, disaggregated network of heating and cooling contractors. The 

Agency teamed up with the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) to 

promote ENERGY STAR messaging and sales strategies to its membership and 

worked to build consumer awareness through the media. The program’s first 

video news release was developed and aired by local news outlets around the 

country. In 1998, Sears agreed to use the ENERGY STAR logo and HVAC savings 

facts in its national advertising circular on a regular basis. Sears estimated that 

each print supplement reached approximately 40 million people.

It was when the program began labeling and actively promoting appliances and 

lighting that the stars really began to align, solidifying partnerships with retailers 

and efficiency programs. White goods—including refrigerators, dishwashers 

and clothes washers—are an integral part of daily life, and lighting is a frequently 

purchased, ubiquitous product; retailers devoted significant floor space to 

showcasing them. Together, these product categories consumed a large 

portion of the household energy budget, so operational savings associated with 

ENERGY STAR were compelling; the cost premium associated with high-end 

2005

The Power of Partnership

2007

Oprah Winfrey devoted an entire show to the environment and featured ENERGY STAR products as a tool in the fight against climate change.
14

models meant retailers could make money “up-selling” consumers to ENERGY 

STAR products. Sears, among the first to recognize the potential for leveraging 

ENERGY STAR as a differentiator, seized the opportunity to increase sales not 

only with house-brand Kenmore products, but also across all of its ENERGY 

STAR qualified appliances. 

In addition, in areas of the country where the electricity supply was becoming 

constrained—predominantly California, the Pacific Northwest, the Northeast and 

Wisconsin—regulators mandated that utilities fund energy efficiency programs 

in order to avoid or delay the need to build costly power plants or buy expensive 

energy from the electricity market. Appliances and lighting were prime targets 

for efficiency programming, and the higher cost of the more efficient models 

presented a market barrier that could be targeted by utilities through rebates 

and discounts. 

While utility programs presented an opportunity for retailers, they also posed 

challenges. Utilities as well as state agencies were involved in delivering energy 

efficiency programs, but the efficiency levels they targeted often varied by 

market, as did the types of incentives offered. DOE and EPA began working 

with national and regional organizations involved in efficiency programs. 

Fortunately, these early partners, including the Consortium for Energy 

Efficiency, the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnership, the Northwest Energy 

Efficiency Alliance and later the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, were eager 

to engage with the ENERGY STAR program. They understood their members’ 

needs and conveyed the importance of ENERGY STAR as a common platform 

for educating consumers. 

As more appliance retailers came on board, including those new to the market 

such as The Home Depot and Lowe’s Companies, investment in education and 

promotion at point of sale increased. EPA began working to provide retailers 

with the building blocks they needed to position ENERGY STAR in a way that 

was compatible with their own brands. The Agency fostered dialogue between 

retailers and the efficiency community, in light of their differing business 

practices, so that common messages and educational themes could begin 

to emerge. 

The first ENERGY STAR partner meeting was held in 2000 to facilitate bestpractice exchange, networking, and promotion among manufacturers, retailers 

and energy efficiency program sponsors. The first nationally coordinated 

ENERGY STAR products promotion followed in 2001. More than 100 utilities 

and other program sponsors, hundreds of retailers, and 25 manufacturers 

participated. The national partner meetings and products promotions have 

continued; 2011 marked the largest annual partner meeting to date, attracting 

more than 620 attendees. The result: consumers nationwide know they can 

count on their utility companies and local retailers to make energy efficiency 

choices easy with ENERGY STAR. 

Today, ENERGY STAR is a global symbol for energy efficiency. Computers, 

printers, copiers and scanners that have earned the label can be found 

throughout Europe and in Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Taiwan. In Canada, 

almost 90 percent of the population recognizes the ENERGY STAR symbol, 

where it appears on almost every product category in the program. Emerging 

economies such as China and India take advantage of ENERGY STAR test 

procedures and performance standards. For manufacturers of globally traded 

products, consistency in standards and labels translates into one large market 

for their energy-efficient models and a reduced cost of doing business. 

Because of this vast network of partners, consumers and businesses throughout 

the U.S. and around the world are helping to protect the environment, with the 

help of ENERGY STAR.
15

A Platform for Energy Efficiency Programs 

Marc Hoffman, Executive Director, Consortium for Energy Efficiency

Twenty years ago, energy efficiency programs were just starting to work with 

each other. Program administrators quickly realized the power of voluntarily 

aligning their efforts and formed the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE). 

Within the organization, they could work together on appliance efficiency 

(and HVAC, then lighting, then motors, and so on). But to make inroads into 

the mass markets, the dispersed energy efficiency programs also needed 

a single, trusted brand to mark these new, more efficient products—one 

that customers could easily recognize and was simple to understand. A 

consumer needs to be able to easily ascertain whether a product is efficient 

or not, and efficiency should just be one more factor—no cutting corners on 

other product features! 

When the federal government came up with the concept for ENERGY 

STAR and then extended it to appliances, CEE carefully deliberated before 

incorporating the brand into its own plans for advancing efficiency. Over time, 

the decision of CEE members to adopt ENERGY STAR as their marketing 

platform for energy efficiency has proven to be a great one. Surveys show 

that ENERGY STAR is an important endorsement label for consumers and 

that it plays an equally important role as the marketing platform for myriad 

energy efficiency programs. CEE members—who often promote energyefficient products with financial incentives—depend on the continued 

integrity of ENERGY STAR to achieve their energy-saving goals. In turn, CEE 

members create brand traction in local service territories. 

It is a win-win relationship, one that has been particularly instrumental in 

leading to transformations in the market for most major household appliances. 

For example, in 1993 there were practically no efficient front-loading clothes 

washers in the United States. By 1999, through a combination of events—

the power of the ENERGY STAR platform, the introduction of CEE “advanced 

tiers” of product energy efficiency performance, and program promotional 

dollars—70 efficient models were available, and one million ENERGY STAR 

clothes washers had been sold. Importantly, today all clothes washers, 

dishwashers, and refrigerators use significantly less energy than they did a 

decade ago, since voluntary efficiency efforts have made it easier and more 

cost-effective to increase national energy efficiency standards that lock in 

savings. What’s even more impressive is that working together, the EPA, 

DOE, CEE members, and industry continue to deliver meaningful additional 

energy savings, steering consumers to more and more efficient options. 

Once the energy hog of the household, today’s ENERGY STAR qualified 

refrigerators use less energy to operate than an incandescent bulb.

EPA maintains a brand that simply and credibly identifies cost-effective 

energy-saving opportunities that do not compromise amenity or reliability. In 

turn, CEE members actively promote ENERGY STAR in their energy-saving 

programs, thereby simplifying energy efficiency decision-making for their 

customers and helping to grow the brand. ENERGY STAR also presents 

an excellent rallying point for energy efficiency organizations and industry 

to work cooperatively. We consider ENERGY STAR to be America’s most 

trusted and recognized brand for energy efficiency.

CEE members congratulate the ENERGY STAR program and the hard work 

of EPA and DOE on their efforts to grow the ENERGY STAR brand over 20 

years. Thank you and here’s to your ongoing success!

SM

15
16

ENERGY STAR in Canada

Kathy Deeg, Chief, ENERGY STAR Canada, Natural Resources Canada

As ENERGY STAR’s pre-eminent international partner and administrator of 

the ENERGY STAR program in Canada since 2001, we at Natural Resources 

Canada (NRCan) would like to extend our congratulations on the ENERGY 

STAR 20th anniversary! In 1992, you created a program that continues to 

help transform our world to a more energy-efficient one. As we all know, to 

remain relevant for 20 years is a major accomplishment. 

Since its beginning 10 years ago, the ENERGY STAR program in Canada 

now has more than 1,500 ENERGY STAR participants and supports more 

than 50 eligible product categories, and we are still growing.

EPA, DOE, and NRCan have worked hard to make the program seamless 

for participants on both sides of the border. Program development, product 

specifications, branding and conformity assessment have been fully 

supported by all.

And Canadians have responded to our outreach on ENERGY STAR. In 2010, 

7 out of 10 Canadians understood the ENERGY STAR symbol, even without 

a visual reference, and 89 percent recognized it in an online survey and 

knew what it stood for. A Canadian discrete choice survey done in 2009 

(for refrigerators and TVs) concluded that when all other product options are 

the same, about 7 in 10 consumers will select the ENERGY STAR qualified 

model over other models. 

And these efforts have been successful where it counts most—on the 

salesroom floor. In 2010, Whirlpool marketed over 450 ENERGY STAR qualified 

product models in Canada, a 16 percent increase over the previous year. 

Dufresne Furniture & Appliances operates stores in Ontario and Manitoba, 

and all of their dishwashers and most of their refrigerators are ENERGY STAR 

qualified. About 70 percent of the refrigerators that Leon’s sells are ENERGY 

STAR qualified, a 45 percent increase from five years ago. Samsung reports 

that all its appliances sold in Canada are ENERGY STAR qualified.

We expect our collaboration with EPA and DOE to deepen in the upcoming 

years. We remain amazed by the impact of the ENERGY STAR program and 

the ability of industry partners to respond with products that help us meet 

our energy efficiency and environmental goals.

16
17

It was 1992: a typical office information processing set-up included a CRT (cathode ray tube) monitor, 

usually beige and occupying about 15 x 15 inches of desk space, attached by wires to a keyboard and 

sitting atop or next to an equally large computer. About two percent of the U.S. population had access 

to the Internet,

9

 and leading-edge companies were debating whether to build websites or continue to 

invest in bulletin board systems to share information. Employees were becoming increasingly computer 

literate, able to produce smartly desktop-published documents for spiral binding, using functions such 

as "ctrl-v 4,34," a standard keystroke on an IBM desktop computer platform. 

Unfortunately, those same employees for whom computers were becoming an integral part of work life 

had little tolerance for shutting down and later rebooting their computers or monitors if they stepped 

away from their cubicles or offices. Nor were they cognizant of the environmental impact of leaving 

computers turned on. Few people understood or internalized the link between their energy use and 

CO

2

 (carbon dioxide) emissions, a leading contributor to global warming. 

The Information Age was changing the way we worked, learned and interacted, and technology 

was evolving rapidly to create and keep up with growing demand. Not inconsequentially, the energy 

use associated with technological innovation was also on the rise. Estimates in 1990 indicated that 

computers and related peripheral equipment consumed 40 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in the 

U.S.—five percent of commercial sector electricity—and were one of the fastest-growing but most 

overlooked electricity loads.10

ENERGY STAR Product Retrospective

The ENERGY STAR story has played out in different ways for different products—in some cases over 

long periods of time, and in others rather quickly. For most, the story continues. For all, the interplay of 

government, business, non-profit and market forces have literally changed history.

Computers and Monitors

17

2009 

When computer servers were added to the ENERGY STAR program, energy bills for data centers were 

growing twice as fast as revenues, rising by 16 percent per year.11 A server that has earned the ENERGY 

STAR can save as much as $480 in electricity costs, with an extra $480–$1,440 savings in associated 

cooling costs.12
18

By then, the scientific link between manmade greenhouse gas emissions and 

global climate change was also well established. President George H.W. Bush 

outlined in his 1992 National Action Plan for Global Climate Change several 

strategies to reduce emissions by reducing energy consumption. EPA’s voluntary 

programs, including the ENERGY STAR computer program, were among those 

strategies. Their shared mission: to demonstrate market-based approaches 

for reducing greenhouse gases and other air pollutants by understanding the 

barriers that limit greater investment in energy efficiency, and developing and 

deploying strategies to overcome those barriers.

Lack of supply and lack of demand were identified as interrelated barriers to 

greater computer efficiency:

•	 Among computer users there were widespread but unfounded beliefs that 

turning computers off, even occasionally, shortened typical lifespan and 

that using screensavers reduced electricity consumption. In addition, there 

was an obvious lack of efficient product supply and no way to differentiate 

energy-efficient models even if they existed.13

•	 Initial concerns with efficient technologies were related to adverse 

effects on component lifetimes as well as cost premiums. But by 1992, 

technological hurdles were less of an issue. Instead, manufacturers cited 

lack of market demand for efficient products as the biggest barrier. A product 

development specialist for a major computer manufacturer remarked 

that they had once considered incorporating low power states into their 

main-stream product line but were told by their marketing department not 

to bother.14

Seeking to offer a credible way to designate energy-efficient products, EPA 

initiated meetings with members of the computer industry to discuss forming 

the ENERGY STAR program. The first step was to figure out a way to define and 

implement energy-saving features. 

EPA and stakeholders ultimately coalesced around a functional criterion: the 

ability of a computer or monitor to go into a low power or "sleep" state after 

a period of inactivity. Power management was not yet a product attribute for 

desktop computers and monitors.15 The first ENERGY STAR specification 

required computers and monitors to consume 30 watts or less in this mode—a 

70 percent savings from normal usage (integrated computers and monitors 

were given a budget of 60 watts in sleep mode).

That same year, EPA rolled out the "EPA Energy Star—Pollution Preventer" logo 

as a way for consumers to easily recognize efficient products from a trusted 

source: the U.S. government.

Without ENERGY STAR

With ENERGY STAR

0

20

60

100

140

1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012

Total Energy Consumption (billion kWh/

year)

The ENERGY STAR Difference: Computers & Monitors

Even with a drop in sales due to the recent economic slowdown, the race for 

faster, more powerful, more highly featured computers and monitors continues. 

In 2012, energy use in the U.S. associated with these products is 32 billion kWh 

per year less than it might have been without ENERGY STAR.
19

The government did something else to drive demand and supply for energyefficient computers and monitors—it became the largest procurer. On 

April 21, 1993, President William Clinton issued an Executive Order directing 

federal agencies to purchase ENERGY STAR computers and monitors.16 This 

significantly increased the supply of ENERGY STAR qualifying products; by the 

end of 1994, more than 2,000 ENERGY STAR qualified models were available, 

and all major manufacturers were participating in the program.17

Since then, the ENERGY STAR computer and monitor specifications have 

been revised multiple times, ratcheting down the power that computers and 

monitors consume in sleep mode from 30 to 2 watts or less. They now include 

requirements that power-saving features be preset and enabled to conserve 

energy, and they have tackled energy-saving opportunities in other modes 

such as "idle," where desktop computers spend 30–60 percent of the time 

running basic default applications after the operating system and software have 

completed loading. Efficiency criteria were eventually added for internal and 

external power supplies, the components that convert alternating current (AC) 

from the wall socket into direct current (DC) and regulate the voltage needed 

to operate computers. Efficient power supplies enhance the efficiency of 

computers in all operating modes. 

Today, work continues on improving the efficiency of networked systems. 

To address these new savings opportunities, the European Commission and 

other international partners, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), 

Information Technology Industry Council members, other program stakeholders 

and EPA work collaboratively to research and coordinate development of 

internationally acceptable definitions and test procedures. 

As the information technology marketplace has evolved, so has the ENERGY 

STAR program—expanding to cover other office products, tackling new 

operational modes and usage patterns and learning along with industry how 

best to manage power while responding to innovation. So far, EPA estimates 

that ENERGY STAR office equipment has saved more than 500 TWh (terawatthours) of energy in the U.S., resulting in energy-bill savings of more than 

$50 billion.

1992
20

Co-Evolution of Efficient Computer Technology 

and ENERGY STAR

Stephen Harper, Global Director of Environmental and Energy Policy, Intel Corporation

The ENERGY STAR program’s focus on personal computer technology has 

evolved in parallel to the technology itself since the introduction of the 

first ENERGY STAR specification for computers in 1992. EPA’s approach 

to maximizing energy savings without compromising on performance or 

features has been critical to the success of this longstanding partnership, 

particularly given the astounding rate of change in the computer industry. 

By ensuring a level playing field for manufacturers and building market demand 

for energy-efficient products, ENERGY STAR has helped incentivize a rapid 

and meaningful progression toward efficient computing, taking advantage 

of rather than hampering industry efficiency innovations. These innovations 

include massive improvement in the efficiency of the microprocessors, the 

brains of modern IT equipment, which have improved by nearly 3 million 

percent since 1978, in terms of the number of computations performed 

per second per watt. (By contrast, automobile efficiency measured in miles 

per gallon has improved only 40 percent over the same period.)* Similarly, 

system level improvements such as the move away from cathode ray tubes 

to LCD, and later mobile technologies that maximize battery capacity and 

minimize heat, have led to increasingly efficient equipment.

Early iterations of the computer specification focused on activating power 

management and driving down energy use in low power modes. Since the 

start of this partnership, low power modes have dropped from more than

30 watts to less than one. Today, computer manufacturers ship their

products globally with power management capability enabled. 

The program and its partners next moved to improve the efficiency of 

idle mode, the state in which the device is turned on but not doing any 

computational work. This focus made sense because studies showed that 

the vast majority of computer-related energy is used in this state. Industry 

interest in earning the ENERGY STAR with higher performing and more richly 

featured products led EPA and stakeholders to categorize systems in terms 

of functionality such that higher-performing systems were compared to like, 

versus less capable, systems when competing for the ENERGY STAR, an 

approach that ensures that consumers get both the savings and the features 

they value. In addition, EPA has incorporated component-level requirements 

into the ENERGY STAR specifications, such as those for internal and external 

power supplies, wringing out additional energy waste and helping to drive 

economies of scale in the production of more efficient components.

The synergy of underlying technology/market trends and the evolution of 

the ENERGY STAR computer program have led to huge energy savings at 

the same time that society’s computational capacity has vastly increased. 

Additional efficiency gains are possible if today’s more efficient computers 

(and other IT equipment), networked together, can be used to power the 

Smart Grid, intelligent transportation, smart logistics systems, and building 

energy management systems. Industry and EPA’s ENERGY STAR program 

have garnered success by collaborating for two 

decades and will continue to work together to 

realize future benefits.

* American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, “A Smarter Shade of Green,” 2008.

20
21

The promise was there, but the market was not. In the late 1990s, efficient 

horizontal-axis clothes washers, now known as "front loaders," were estimated 

to use 40 percent of the energy and 60 percent of the water of a conventional 

washing machine. They were gaining in popularity in Europe but represented 

just two percent of the U.S. market, despite their introduction by several major 

manufacturers.18 It took the small community of Bern, Kansas, 

population 210, to make resource-efficient clothes washers part 

of the national landscape. 

Bern was chosen to participate in a cooperative venture between 

the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Maytag Appliances to 

validate the performance and consumer acceptability of frontloading washing machines in a real-world setting. The town was 

selected because of its small size, community water supply 

issues, and participant willingness and enthusiasm. In exchange 

for participating, residents would receive Neptune horizontal-axis 

washing machines, courtesy of Maytag, that they could keep.19

A primary goal of the study was to collect data that would be helpful 

in moving the clothes-washer market toward higher efficiency 

options, with the ENERGY STAR program as a likely vehicle for 

market transformation. The study lasted five months and included 

rigorous pre- and post-wash measurements on load size, water 

use, energy use and cleaning satisfaction. It found that participating 

households used, on average, 38 percent less water and 58 

percent less energy with the front loader. Across load weight, 

temperature settings and detergent and other additive choices, 

participants found the cleaning performance of the front- loading 

washers to be generally superior to that of their original machines, 

irrespective of age.20 DOE had the data it needed to launch development of an 

ENERGY STAR specification. 

DOE, ENERGY STAR partners and other stakeholders agreed to an initial 

technology-neutral specification with an Energy Factor (EF) of 2.50, more than 

100 percent better than the federal minimum energy conservation standard.21

ENERGY STAR Product Retrospective

Clothes Washers
22

Major manufacturers, including Maytag, Frigidaire and Miele, were quick 

to introduce qualifying products. Other manufacturers followed suit with 

a range of conventional and front-loading products that met the ENERGY 

STAR specification. Then it was time to tackle other market barriers: lack of 

awareness of efficient clothes washers and their performance benefits among 

consumers, and higher initial cost. 

ENERGY STAR state and utility partners began educating their customers 

about the opportunity to save energy. They often coupled education with 

rebates for ENERGY STAR qualified clothes washers, to help reduce the initial 

cost difference between qualified and standard washers. The Consortium 

for Energy Efficiency, California investor-owned utilities, Northeast Energy 

Efficiency Partnerships and Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) 

were particularly active in rallying utilities to align education and incentives to 

spread the word. For example, NEEA's ENERGY STAR Grimiest Soccer Team 

Contest invited 15,000 youth soccer coaches to submit photos of their teams 

at their grimiest. NEEA hosted high-profile clinics throughout the Northwest 

with U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team celebrity Tiffeny Milbrett, challenging 

participants to "Get Dirty, Score Big, and Clean Up with ENERGY STAR."22

The Bern study pointed out the important link between energy and water 

savings—greater energy savings could be achieved in both drying and washing 

if the washing machine used less water and did a good job of wringing out excess 

water. In subsequent years, DOE introduced a water factor requirement and 

test procedure for clothes washers. ENERGY STAR criteria for clothes washers 

have been revised several times to respond to changing market conditions and 

to help ensure meaningful additional energy savings to consumers each time 

federal minimum efficiency standards change. 

According to a national study by the U.S. Energy Information Agency, in 2009, 

41 million households—36 percent of all U.S. households—had ENERGY STAR 

qualified clothes washers in their homes.23 Altogether, about 30 billion kWh 

and 110 trillion Btu of energy have been saved, avoiding more than 25 million 

metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

400

800

1,200 kWh/year

Federal Standard Level

ENERGY STAR Level

Change in Metric

1997 2000 2003 2006 2009 2012

The ENERGY STAR Difference: A Typical Clothes Washer* Gallons/year

2006 2008 2010

Water Consumpt

Water Consumpt

10,000

8,000

6,000

4,000

2012

With ENERGY STAR

Without ENERGY STAR

Water Consumption 

Today, an ENERGY STAR clothes washer uses about 70 percent 

less energy and 75 percent less water than a standard washer used 

20 years ago.

*3.46 cu ft., electric water heating, not including dryer energy.

Energy Consumption 
23

A Catalyst for Change: ENERGY STAR Appliances 

Nick Gillespie, Government Relations Senior Specialist, Whirlpool Corporation

Throughout the last 20 years, ENERGY STAR has been the market transformation 

program catalyzing manufacturers to introduce eco-efficient appliances into 

the market place that significantly benefit the consumer and the environment. 

Although ENERGY STAR is a voluntary program, it did not take long for 

Whirlpool Corporation to see the potential in and help formulate what has 

become one of the most recognizable brands of its kind.

To put this in perspective, the 2011 KitchenAid and Maytag brand, ENERGY 

STAR qualified, side-by-side refrigerators use less energy than a 60-watt 

light bulb. This is more than a 60 percent improvement in energy efficiency 

since the ENERGY STAR program was introduced 20 years ago. The total 

production of ENERGY STAR clothes washers, refrigerators and dishwashers 

made by Whirlpool Corporation in 2011 will save consumers more than $750 

million in operating costs each year, when compared to the old products they 

replaced. That is an astounding $11 billion over the life of these products. 

The ENERGY STAR program played a pivotal role in creating this opportunity.

Our ongoing commitment to the growth, success and integrity of the ENERGY 

STAR partnership has been a strong source of pride for Whirlpool Corporation 

for the last 20 years. Whirlpool is celebrating its 100th anniversary and salutes 

ENERGY STAR on its 20th. As our company embarks on its next century of 

“every home...everywhere,” there is no end to what our partnership with 

ENERGY STAR can accomplish for the consumer and the planet.

23
24

20 Years Contributing to Society and 

Delivering Consumer Value

Mark Sharp, Corporate Environmental Department Group Manager 

Panasonic Corporation of America

Panasonic congratulates the ENERGY STAR program on its first 20 years of 

raising public awareness and creating a strong brand for energy efficiency. 

As a leading manufacturer and marketer of an extensive range of electronics 

products for home, mobile, workplace, and industrial applications, Panasonic 

has been an active participant in the ENERGY STAR program from its first year 

and is uniquely positioned to contribute to the program’s ongoing success.

Panasonic’s partnership with ENERGY STAR mirrors the program’s exponential 

growth; nearly 400 Panasonic products qualify across 11 diverse product 

categories, ranging from televisions to ventilation fans.

Panasonic has utilized the ENERGY STAR label to effectively market our highperforming yet highly energy-efficient products. The simple, clear message of 

energy efficiency conveyed by the ENERGY STAR brand has been embraced 

by consumers, who increasingly seek validation that their electronics are 

designed with energy efficiency in mind and confirmation that energy 

efficiency need not be compromised to obtain their preferences in features 

and design. The ENERGY STAR label provides clear, independent verification 

of the energy efficiency that today’s consumers expect and demand.

Meeting the ENERGY STAR qualification has become a central objective 

throughout our product design and in our engineering labs that helps bring 

Panasonic closer to its goal of further reducing our environmental footprint. 

This accomplishment embodies Panasonic’s management philosophy of 

contributing to society.

Looking ahead toward the 100th anniversary of our company’s founding, 

Panasonic is striving to become the No. 1 Green Innovation Company in the 

electronics industry by 2018. Long committed to environmental stewardship, 

ever improving energy efficiency is a key objective in Panasonic’s continuing 

drive toward this goal—helping to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions 

in the creation, shipment, retailing, operation and, ultimately, end-of-life 

management of all of our products. 

As ENERGY STAR looks ahead to its next 20 years, Panasonic knows 

that by working together, we can continue to deliver energy-efficient and 

performance-appealing products to consumers who look to the ENERGY STAR 

label as evidence that our company’s actions are aligned with consumers’ 

fundamental interest in saving energy.

24
25

Though credited with the invention of the electric light bulb, Thomas Alva Edison did not actually file 

U.S. Patent 223,898 until January 27, 1880—75 years after the fundamental technology and 

principles of electric light were developed. Most early light bulbs were not commercially 

viable because they did not last very long and were too expensive to produce. Edison's 

patent was for an improvement in electric lamps—"giving light by incandescence"—and 

their method of manufacture.24 After many decades, bulb technology improved significantly 

and cost decreased. Use in the U.S. began to skyrocket.

The downside to this great American success story is that lighting now uses a great deal 

of energy—about 12 percent of residential energy consumption goes to lighting—and 

much of that energy is converted to wasted heat, not light. In traditional incandescent 

bulbs, which work by heating a filament until it becomes hot enough to emit light, 

only 10 percent of the energy output produces useful light. The good news is that a 

growing number of consumers are seeking more efficient ENERGY STAR qualified 

fixtures and light bulbs to illuminate their homes, lower their energy bills and reduce 

their carbon footprints. 

As with Edison's electric light, much of the growth in more efficient lighting 

has come through concerted efforts to improve light quality and increase the 

longevity of efficient lighting options. As demand has grown, prices have 

decreased significantly, offering an attractive payback for consumers. 

But as they say, Rome wasn't built in a day... 

ENERGY STAR Product Retrospective

Residential Lighting

25

2001

Ann Landers advised readers to look for the ENERGY STAR label when buying lights and electronics.
26

Like the incandescent bulb, fluorescent lighting was invented long before 

it became commercially viable. General Electric (GE) bought the patent for 

fluorescent bulb technology in 1938 and showcased the technology and its 

superior efficiency at the 1939 World's Fair in New York.25 While there was 

some uptake of fluorescent lighting in the commercial sector, due to size, 

shape, color (the light appeared green) and other factors, early fluorescent 

lighting was not a great match for most residential applications. The 

1970s saw advancements in light bulb design by several manufacturers 

addressing some of the size and color concerns, and by the late 

1980s, utility companies and other energy efficiency program 

sponsors began promoting CFLs to their residential customers as a 

way to save energy. 

Despite these efforts, light bulb usage had not changed much 

by the 1990s. CFLs accounted for less than one percent of 

light bulb sales nationally in 1993.26 Unfortunately, the earlymodel CFLs were not quite ready for prime time, with a host 

of technical challenges including bulkiness, low light output, 

and inconsistent performance,27 and they were expensive, 

averaging $19 each in 1996,28 according to some studies.

Other market barriers identified at the time included: 

•	Lack of product performance standards 

to support efficiency claims

•	A segmented U.S. lighting industry that 

saw itself as responding to consumer 

demand, not creating it

•	Lack of consumer awareness and 

education

•	Lack of coordination among 

manufacturers, utilities and retailers

10

$3

$6

$9

20

30

2000 2003 2006 2009 2012

Percentage of Market

CFL Price

Sales

Cost

The ENERGY STAR Difference: CFLs

In the years after CFLs were added to the ENERGY STAR program, an increase 

in sales led to economies of scale that lowered product costs and brought the 

purchase price down dramatically. Lower prices and improved performance 

led to the first peak in sales in 2007, when media attention around the danger 

of global warming was high. That same year, Walmart sold 100 million CFLs. 

Today, ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs represent about a quarter of all U.S. light 

bulb shipments.
27

An ENERGY STAR specification for residential light fixtures was introduced in 

1997, "bringing a benchmark of lighting performance and quality as well as a 

clearly recognizable brand to the marketplace."29 The goal was to offer consumers 

an efficient lighting option with no sacrifice in performance. The initial focus on 

fixtures was also intended to help address issues such as fit and aesthetics, so 

the fixture and bulb could be designed in an integrated way. 

Working with utilities and other regional energy efficiency programs that hosted 

educational and bulb exchange events around the country, the ENERGY STAR 

program and its partners achieved early success with torchieres, the tall floor 

lamps that direct light upward. Conventional halogen torchieres consumed 

300 to 500 watts30 and were a fire hazard31—some events showcased 

firemen frying eggs on the heat emitted. Efficient ENERGY STAR qualified 

torchieres did not generate significant wasted heat and were much safer. 

By September 1999, one million ENERGY STAR qualified torchieres had 

been sold.32

That same year, DOE launched a stand-alone ENERGY STAR specification for 

CFL bulbs, garnering even greater support from utilities and regional energy 

efficiency programs given that bulbs were replaced more frequently than 

fixtures. Similar to the fixture criteria, this specification set the first benchmark 

for energy efficiency, quality and performance in CFLs and required that all 

products be tested by an accredited laboratory. 

Over the years and through numerous revisions, the ENERGY STAR lighting 

specifications tackled the full range of performance issues. Limits, now 

as short as one second, were placed on how long a CFL could take to light 

up. Sound rating requirements addressed the hum associated with lighting 

ballasts. Light quality was approached from every angle, including how long 

it takes the bulb to warm up to full brightness and how many hours of life 

before the light starts to dim. Another set of requirements helped to ensure 

that an object illuminated by an ENERGY STAR qualified light would appear 

the same as it would if it were lit by a standard bulb. Mercury content was 

limited. And on top of all that, a minimum two-year warranty was imposed. 

Throughout the process, DOE and EPA focused on using strict performance 

2001
28

standards, but also on working with industry and stakeholders 

to develop entirely new tests when needed. With each revision 

to the ENERGY STAR program requirements, the quality of the 

products increased and consumer satisfaction went up. 

To help ensure that lighting products associated with the ENERGY 

STAR label lived up to these many expectations, a group of 

utilities, energy efficiency advocates and market transformation 

organizations formed the Program for the Evaluation and Analysis 

of Residential Lighting (PEARL). They purchased products from 

retail stores and tested the performance of ENERGY STAR 

qualified lighting products being promoted in their various 

service territories. Performance failures were brought to the 

attention of EPA and DOE. As a result of this testing, numerous 

products were removed from the program and enhancements 

were made to the ENERGY STAR lighting requirements. The U.S. 

government subsequently initiated its own quality assurance 

testing for ENERGY STAR qualified lighting. 

Nationally, starting in 2003, the number of CFLs shipped to 

retail stores increased to about 50 million per year, and with 

that increase manufacturers were able to lower prices. National 

retailers also played a role in the success of CFLs when Walmart 

pledged to sell 100 million CFLs in 2007. Today, shipments for 

CFLs are about 300 million per year; much of the increase in 

sales is due to the impact that ENERGY STAR and its partners 

have had on product quality and consumer acceptance.

Another important strategy in market transformation was rallying the market 

to educate consumers on the substantial benefits of ENERGY STAR qualified 

lighting. In the fall of 2001, retailers, utilities and manufacturers united around 

the first-ever nationally coordinated lighting promotion: Change a Light, 

Change the World. More than 100 utilities and other program sponsors, 

hundreds of retailers, and 25 fixture and bulb manufacturers participated in the 

2007

promotion, which generated media interest that reached millions of prospective 

purchasers throughout the country. This nationally coordinated promotion has 

been the cornerstone of ENERGY STAR product outreach ever since, eventually 

transitioning to the Change the World, Start with ENERGY STAR campaign in 

2008 to include additional ENERGY STAR product categories and promotion of 

energy-saving behaviors.
29

Pledge to make your next light an ENERGY STAR® at energystar.gov/changealight and join a growing number of people 

doing their part to preserve energy resources and help reduce the risks of global climate change. It's a small step that 

will make a big difference for this generation and those to come. Change a Light. Change the World.

ENERGY STAR is administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy.

Don‘t just replace a light.

Shine.

2005

Today, satisfaction with CFLs is no longer a big concern, with national surveys 

finding more than 80 percent of consumers ”satisfied” or ”very satisfied” 

with CFL performance.33 Household penetration is also on the rise. In 2009, 

68 million households (60 percent) had at least some energy-efficient compact 

fluorescent or LED lights.34 Savings from ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs and 

fixtures are expected to reach 66 billion kWh per year in 2012, reducing annual 

electric bills by $6.4 billion and greenhouse gas emissions by 46 million 

metric tons.35

DOE introduced an ENERGY STAR specification for LED bulbs in 2010, 

following the earlier pattern of setting high performance criteria. As efficient 

lighting choices expand, the ENERGY STAR program remains committed to 

quality and to ensuring that products meet consumer expectations. A recent 

Consumer Reports article on CFL and LED bulbs found that problems with 

earlier versions have been overcome and that today's light bulbs “last longer 

and use far less electricity than traditional incandescent bulbs. Shoppers now 

have a variety of bulbs to match their needs.”36 Consumer Reports also stated 

that "ENERGY STAR qualified bulbs meet high standards for brightness, color, 

and energy use."37 Their buying advice: choose ENERGY STAR.
30

GE and ENERGY STAR: A Rich and Beneficial History

Lisa McLeer, Manager of Sales Development and ENERGY STAR Promotions 

General Electric

GE Lighting partnered with ENERGY STAR during the development of the 

first specification for compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) in 1999, and has 

been promoting the benefits of ENERGY STAR qualified lighting products 

ever since. Partnering with the ENERGY STAR program was a natural fit 

for GE. For many decades, GE has invented and sold high quality energy 

efficient lighting. ENERGY STAR’s approach exactly fit this high-quality, highperformance model, offering stringent specifications for products to meet.

In the late 1990s, CFLs were still relatively large, heavy, costly and blinked 

their way on, eventually warming up to full brightness. In addition, there 

were many importers—all trying to sell products for lower costs by lowering 

product quality. This resulted in many products from unknown manufacturers 

that did not perform or last nearly as long as advertised, tarnishing the image 

of all CFLs and leading to very slow adoption. Retailers were unsure which 

products to sell and utilities were unsure which products to rebate. In the 

beginning, utilities funded third-party testing to prove that products did indeed 

meet these new specifications—making the program more credible. To try to 

eliminate poor-quality products, retailers, as well as utilities providing rebates, 

began requiring the ENERGY STAR label on CFLs, greatly improving overall 

product quality in the market. 

With this new market dynamic, investing in the development of ENERGY STAR 

products became a key consideration by GE product teams. GE continues 

this strong commitment today with the development of new energy-efficient 

LED lighting products that are ENERGY STAR qualified. 

The ENERGY STAR program also aligns well with GE’s corporate 

ecomaginationSM initiative started in 2005. Both brands help customers save 

money on energy, taking into consideration the second price tag of energy 

costs and other environmental factors. Taking into account both changing 

ENERGY STAR specifications and ecomagination, GE engineers have developed 

CFLs that now:

•	Are smaller, moving to smaller diameter lamp glass using less material, 

allowing lamps to fit into more fixtures

•	Are longer-lived, increasing lamp life up to 12,000 hours today from 6,000 

hours 10 years ago

•	Are more efficient with lightweight electronic ballasts

•	Start instantly, with no more blinking

•	Look like incandescent lamps, with innovative Ship-in-a-Bottle designs 

using very small ballasts

•	Are available in many shades which are tightly controlled so lamp to lamp 

appearance is uniform

•	Are available in specialty and decorative sizes

•	Are available in dimming and 3-way options

Over the years, ENERGY STAR marketing campaigns have provided impactful 

creative platforms for the promotion of energy-efficient products including the 

Change the World, Start with ENERGY STAR pledge. This 

program has created millions of impressions for GE and 

ENERGY STAR.

GE has a rich and beneficial history with the ENERGY STAR 

program. GE plans to continue this partnership, where 

everyone wins, especially the environment. 

30
31

An early ENERGY STAR public service announcement (PSA) shows a family 

sitting at home with an overflowing bowl of popcorn, discussing who will turn 

on the TV. The husband reluctantly rises from the couch and begins yanking 

a starter. 

"Don’t flood it," instructs his wife, as smoke spews from the TV. 

This humorous depiction, dubbed “the lawnmower PSA," drew the important 

link between home appliances and the air pollution they cause. The majority 

of U.S. electricity is produced by burning fossil fuels, and as a result of energy 

use, the average home pollutes more than the average car—a statement that 

surprises many people to this day.

Another surprise for consumers is that many home electronics use power 

when they appear to be turned off. Research in the late 1990s indicated that 

consumers paid an estimated $3 billion annually for this “leaking” electricity, 

with $1 billion of the bill created by TVs and VCRs.38 Testing by Lawrence 

Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) found that energy use in standby mode 

varied significantly by model, with TVs using between zero and 12 watts, VCRs 

using 2–13 watts and TV/VCR combination units using 3–20 watts. It was clear 

that some products delivered services more efficiently, so the capability was 

there. It turned out that in many cases the cost of achieving higher efficiencies 

could be negligible, but it was not a priority for manufacturers. Consumers 

were not willing to pay more for energy efficiency and it was generally viewed 

as more profitable to invest design time in improving picture or sound quality.39 

Priorities were about to change.

EPA, TV and VCR manufacturers, industry trade associations including the 

Electronics Industry Association and the Consumer Electronics Manufacturers 

Association40 and other interested stakeholders began working together 

to develop and launch an ENERGY STAR specification for TVs and VCRs. 

Announced in January 1998 at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, 

the ENERGY STAR requirements set the bar at three watts in standby mode 

for TVs, four watts for VCRs, and six watts for combination units. In mid-2005, 

ENERGY STAR specifications were tightened to require a power draw of less 

than one watt. By 2008, nearly 80 percent of TVs met these requirements, 

reducing overall standby consumption by more than seven billion kWh per 

year,41 double the annual energy consumption of Washington, D.C. 

Despite this success, major trends were emerging that led advocates such as 

the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) to conclude that, left unabated, 

TV energy use in the U.S. could increase by 50 percent in five years. These 

trends included:

•	 The number of TVs in operation was growing—shipments were expected 

to increase from 29 million in 2005 to nearly 38 million in 2009.42

•	 Sales of large TVs were on the rise and larger usually meant higher 

energy use.

•	 Sales of TVs that required more energy to operate were on the rise. For 

example, display technology was changing as CRTs (cathode ray tubes)

were being replaced by plasma TVs and digital TVs including HDTVs (highdefinition TVs). Digital was replacing analog technology.

•	 Americans were watching more TV per day due to increased programming 

and video game and DVD use.43

ENERGY STAR Product Retrospective

Televisions

2010

During an Earth Day episode of The Ellen Show, 400 audience members received ENERGY STAR qualified televisions from ENERGY STAR partner Best Buy.
32

It was clear that the power needed to operate TVs in active use was a significant 

and growing concern. Analysis conducted by NRDC in 2004, based on off-the-shelf 

measurements of TV energy consumption, revealed that three key features had a 

noticeable impact on energy use: screen area, display technology and resolution 

level.44 Power consumption was found to vary as much as 40 percent based on 

the type of image a TV is displaying at a given time,45 but the test procedure in the 

U.S. for measuring active power consumption had been developed 30 years prior, 

for use with black and white, analog TVs.46 Developing a test procedure that would 

accommodate new technologies was an essential next step.

EPA began working with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on a 

test procedure that addressed active power consumption and could be used as 

the basis for an updated ENERGY STAR specification. IEC developed the draft 

international standard in record time and made it available to ENERGY STAR 

stakeholders ahead of official publication to aid the specification revision process.47

The standard included a visual test clip for determining average wattage consumed 

in a simulated real-world setting, when variable dark and bright images are displayed. 

Since that time, the ENERGY STAR criteria for televisions have addressed both 

standby and active mode energy consumption, while accommodating consumer 

preference for larger screen sizes. Old-fashioned tube televisions have quickly 

become a thing of the past, replaced by high definition screens powered with 

LCD (liquid crystal display), plasma, OLED (organic light emitting diode) and other 

new technologies. The ENERGY STAR specification for TVs has kept pace with 

technological advances while raising the bar for efficiency three times in the last 

four years alone, ensuring that TVs offer consumers all the viewing pleasure they 

seek without exceeding their utility budgets.

Televisions that meet today's ENERGY STAR requirements are, on average, 40 

percent more energy efficient than conventional models, saving American viewers 

and gamers a total of $3.5 billion per year on their energy bills and preventing 

greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 4.5 million vehicles. 

Total Energy Consumption (billion kWh/year)

2000 2003 2006 2009

30

60

100

120

Without ENERGY STAR

With ENERGY STAR

2012

The ENERGY STAR Difference: Televisions

TV sales and sizes have increased dramatically in the U.S. over the past 

20 years—40 million are projected to ship in 2012, with an average 

screen size of 50 inches. With ENERGY STAR, electricity use for TVs in 

the U.S. is 36 billion kWh per year less than it might have been.

Large gains in efficiency have occurred in the television market over the 

last few years alone. In 2008, ENERGY STAR qualified large-screen TV 

models consumed as much as 500 watts while in active mode. Three years 

later, even the largest ENERGY STAR models consume just over 100 watts.

100

200

300

400

500

Screen Area (square inches)

On-Mode Power (W)

500 1000 1500 2000 2500

2008

2010

2011

Changes in On-Mode Power Limits for ENERGY STAR 

Qualified Televisions
33

Many appliances and electronic devices that appear to be off are actually in standby mode—not 

providing their primary function, but enabling features such as “instant on,” digital clock displays, 

remote control and preserved user program settings. While each device may consume only a small 

amount of energy for these features, the environmental impact and costs really add up when one 

considers that the average U.S. household now owns nearly 24 electronic products.48 It is estimated 

that standby power accounts for more than 100 billion kWh of annual U.S. electricity consumption and 

$11 billion in annual energy costs.49 While standby power can deliver a range of worthwhile functions, 

it also can be unnecessarily wasteful because of poor product design, including the use of inefficient 

components and power supplies. 

EPA issued its first energy efficiency specification for standby power in 1998 for televisions, VCRs 

and combination units. By 2000, France, the Netherlands, Japan and Australia had identified standby 

power as an energy concern; it was clear that standby power was a global issue that would require 

multilateral coordination on a test standard, mode definitions and data analysis. The International 

Energy Agency (IEA) began promoting international efforts to reduce standby power, relying heavily 

on ENERGY STAR measurements and policies.50

EPA worked with representatives from industry and from other countries to develop and later revise 

the International Electrotechnical Commission’s (IEC) standby test standard, IEC 62301. This test 

procedure provides a common technical basis for the formal and accurate determination of standby 

power in appliances and equipment around the world. Today, it has been adopted and is in use in 

many countries. For example, the Chinese government informally adopted the ENERGY STAR TV 

specification, which includes this standard, in 2002, leading to a five watt per unit reduction in standby 

power across 40 million TVs.

Standby power is currently addressed for 10 ENERGY STAR product categories, either directly (often 

with a not-to-exceed requirement of one watt or less) or as part of a total energy consumption metric 

that simultaneously evaluates standby and active power to ensure overall energy efficiency. The 

program encourages seamless integration of efficient standby power in ENERGY STAR qualified 

products. Technological innovation in this area prevents billions of pounds of greenhouse gas emissions 

every year. With the help of ENERGY STAR, electronics manufacturers across the globe have 

increased consumer choice while reducing standby power losses in a wide array of residential and 

commercial products.

ENERGY STAR Product Retrospective

Standby Power

33
34

You Really Can Have It All

Noah Horowitz, Senior Scientist, Natural Resources Defense Council

Several years ago, I began to notice these new “thinner” TVs with really crisp 

pictures that were popping up everywhere. Places like hotel lobbies, airport 

seating areas, health clubs and even my local Japanese restaurant had them, 

and many were on all the time. Everyone loved these new “digital” or big 

screen TVs. All indications in the press were that sales would continue to 

explode, and next year’s models would be even bigger.

Given these trends, NRDC conducted the first ever in-depth study on new TV 

energy use. What we found was that TVs were on more hours per day and, 

in some cases, were consuming as much electricity as a new refrigerator. 

The total amounted to around four percent of all residential electricity use. 

These findings led us to discussions with EPA which, in turn, convinced EPA 

it was time for ENERGY STAR to address active TV power use in addition to 

standby (power consumed by the TV when it is off). A global industry effort 

to develop an on-mode Test Method followed and laid the groundwork for 

driving down on-mode power use. Now let’s fast forward to the massive 

improvements that have been achieved since then in terms of TV efficiency. 

In 2008, consumers saw ENERGY STAR TVs maximized for efficiency 

in on mode for the first time. These new requirements also discouraged 

manufacturers from shipping their TVs in “torch mode.” Traditionally, TVs 

were shipped with overly bright settings to ensure they looked good on the 

brightly lit retail floor. Most consumers however failed to go into the menu to 

select a more appropriate brightness level for their home, and as a result, TVs 

in the U.S. consumed 10 to 20 percent more energy than they needed to. 

ENERGY STAR jump-started industry’s shift towards improved setup menus 

for consumers and away from the brightest possible mode to a mode that is 

ideal for home viewing.

Next up was the negotiation to significantly accelerate the deployment 

of more efficient TV designs—things like more efficient backlights, more 

efficient tuners and power supplies, etc. EPA published a new two-tiered 

specification creating immediate savings and a national design target for 

manufacturers to achieve in the future—helping reduce the power use of 

new TVs by an additional 40–50 percent. 

Despite skepticism expressed by industry during the specification setting 

process, within one year, well over 50 percent of models met the first tier 

requirements. This transformation was due to a combination of factors, 

including the availability of financial incentives to retailers by leading utilities 

such as Pacific Gas and Electric for selling models that met or exceeded 

ENERGY STAR requirements.

In September 2011, the second tier kicked in early, and as a result we now 

have 42-inch model TVs on the market that once consumed 400 watts using 

under 100 watts. That’s a whopping 75 percent reduction in power use, 

and to top it off, the efficient TV has all sorts of new features that the old, 

inefficient model didn’t.

NRDC applauds the EPA and the ENERGY STAR program for helping to 

transform the TV market. Due in large part to their efforts, U.S. consumers 

are savings billions of dollars a year on their 

electric bills, and U.S. emissions of CO2, caused by 

powering our TVs and other electronics have been 

reduced by several million tons annually.

34
35

Since 1992, ENERGY STAR qualified computers and monitors have had the ability to go into sleep mode, 

powering down after a period of inactivity. Unfortunately, as corporations began managing computers 

through centralized networks and computer operating systems became more complex, it became 

apparent that these features were not being used extensively and, in some cases, were disabled. The 

ENERGY STAR promise of saved energy and environmental protection was not being fully realized. In 

2001, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory estimated that only 56 percent of personal computers 

had power management settings on monitors activated.51 Key barriers included lack of understanding 

about the importance of power managing office equipment, as well as inconvenience—it was 

difficult for network administrators to easily enable sleep 

settings across their organizations. 

To tackle these challenges, EPA launched the Million 

Monitor Drive campaign in 2001, focusing on monitors 

because they generally consumed more energy than 

computers and because IT managers were more 

amenable to power managing them. The campaign 

included public events, media outreach and direct 

outreach to large, computer-intensive organizations. 

The goal was to activate the sleep setting in one million 

monitors the first year. The campaign went a step beyond 

typical program offerings by providing technological 

solutions—a free software tool developed by DOE 

called EZ Save that allowed network administrators 

to manage power settings from a central server and 

companion, web-based software, EZ Wizard, which 

allowed individuals to activate monitor power-saving 

features in mere seconds. 

ENERGY STAR Product Retrospective

Computer Power Management

35
36

Offering a set of “Sleep is Good” themed materials to help educate corporate 

executives, IT managers and computer users, the ENERGY STAR Million 

Monitor Drive gathered pledges to change from a wide range of organizations: 

large corporations such as Ford Motor Company, General Motors, General 

Electric, Wells Fargo, Citigroup and Boeing; schools and universities including 

Fairfax County public schools in Virginia, New York City Department of 

Education and Harvard University; and more than 50 state, county and 

municipal governments across the nation. Less than four years later, 6.4 million 

monitors had been power managed, saving an estimated 660 million kWh, and 

significantly exceeding campaign goals. 

In 2008, this effort evolved into the Low Carbon IT campaign, with a focus 

on computer power management and other IT equipment. The ENERGY 

STAR website became a hub of technical information about 

power management. 

Getting network administrators to manage the powersaving features of computers proved more challenging. EPA 

developed additional software, EZ GPO, to allow network 

administrators to centrally manage sleep settings for both 

computers and monitors, but the technical solution was 

only partially successful due to operating system limitations. 

Fortunately, the campaign continued to make national 

headlines and captured the attention of Microsoft executives, 

including Microsoft Chairman, Bill Gates. EPA and Microsoft 

discussed the obstacles to broad power management, and 

Microsoft resolved many of the outstanding technical issues in 

updated versions of Windows. Momentum grew in other ways. 

Entrepreneurs saw an opportunity with energy management 

and formed more than a dozen private software companies, 

offering technical assistance and power management solutions 

for organizations. Utility programs began to 

offer incentives for organizations to 

power manage their IT equipment, 

and in 2007, President Bush issued an Executive Order requiring that all federal 

agencies power manage their computers and monitors.

Today, approximately 95 percent of office monitors52 and 25 percent of office 

desktop computers53 have power management features enabled, saving more 

than 10 billion kWh per year and preventing greenhouse gas emissions equivalent 

to those from 15 million vehicles.
37

Scene 1 INTERIOR GYMNASIUM - POST GAME

Click, ka-chunk, aaah—the sound of a soda can being dispensed from a vending machine 

and opened for enjoyment by star athlete, who relishes icy cold beverage.

Scene 2 INTERIOR GYMNASIUM - LATE, LATE NIGHT

Pan to fully illuminated vending machine—owned, operated and maintained by beverage 

bottler or independent machine operator anxious to maximize sales and avoid service calls.

Scene 3 INTERIOR OUTDATED SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE - EARLY MORNING

Close-up of utility bill paid for by the school where the machine 

is located. A coffee cup is knocked over and coffee spills out 

and begins to saturate bill. Fade out.

Perhaps not the making of an Academy Award-winning screenplay, but 

the scenario—all too familiar to the efficiency community—demonstrates 

that there are often split incentives to greater efficiency. In this case, the 

star athlete has no reason to think twice about the vending machine she 

used to purchase her soda, the machine owner is not responsible for 

paying the utility bill and therefore has little reason to be concerned about 

its efficiency, and the school administrator who does pay the electric bill 

has no way of linking energy use to the vending machine. 

Behind the scenes, EPA, DOE and efficiency advocates were working to 

identify strategies to revise the script. An energy-efficient vending machine 

working group, consisting of representatives from the Natural Resources 

ENERGY STAR Product Retrospective

Refrigerated Vending Machines

37

2009

ENERGY STAR made David Letterman's Top 10 list on The Late Show.
38

Defense Council, EPA, DOE and its national laboratories, the American Council 

for an Energy-Efficient Economy, the California Energy Commission and the 

Consortium for Energy Efficiency, was formed with the goal of forging a path 

to transform the efficiency of refrigerated vending machines.54 Fortunately, 

several important foundational elements were already in place:

•	 The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) had established measurement 

procedures and voluntary maximum daily energy consumption levels for 

beverage vending machines.

•	 The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning 

(ASHRAE) had developed a related test procedure that would allow for 

comparison of energy performance (though the results were not published 

in one place or readily available to end users).

•	 There appeared to be several cost-effective ways for manufacturers to 

improve the efficiency of their machines. Those changes might appeal to 

end users if they were aware of operational cost savings, though it was 

believed that distributors would balk at any improvement that added even 

minimally to machine costs.55

At the time the working group was formed, lighting, which is important in 

vending for attracting potential customers, represented about 30–40 percent 

of the total energy use. Machines were frequently illuminated all day and night, 

even when no one was around to see the machine or purchase a beverage. 

More efficient fluorescent lighting was available but not produced in an 

optimal size for vending machines, partially due to lack of demand. A number 

of low-cost technologies, such as timers and motion detectors, could be 

used to turn off lights when they were not needed. Energy waste associated 

with refrigeration could be addressed using more efficient evaporator and 

condenser fan motors, compressors and insulation.56

As these various options were considered, it turned out there were some nonenergy benefits associated with improved lighting technology that appealed 

to distributors—the efficient lighting would last longer, reducing the need 

for service calls. What’s more, brand new machines represented only a slice 

of the market and the energy efficiency potential. While machines typically 

lasted 10 years or more, they were often shipped to refurbishment centers 

for an overhaul within three to four years.57 As a result, new machines were 

built with modular components and were good candidates for upgrades with 

efficient components. 

EPA officially launched the ENERGY STAR label for refrigerated beverage 

vending machines at the National Automatic Merchandising Association Spring 

Expo in April 2004. The specification ensured that ENERGY STAR qualified 

new machines would be 35 percent more efficient than machines that were 

commonly available at the time,58 and would deliver additional savings (50 

percent more efficient than commonly available) in less than three years. Once 

the details were worked out, rebuilt machines became eligible for ENERGY 

STAR qualification in August 2006.

When the ENERGY STAR specification was first launched, typical refrigerated 

vending machines were using as much as 13–15 kWh per day—or about five 

times the amount of a typical household refrigerator—and those paying the 

energy bills had no way to easily identify and request more efficient machines 

in their vending contracts. The ENERGY STAR designation enabled them 

to say, “we care about the environment and our electric bill and only want 

ENERGY STAR qualified models installed on our property.” In just a few years, 

vending-machine manufacturers were introducing ENERGY STAR qualified 

models that reduced energy consumption by more than 50 percent. Today, 

ENERGY STAR qualified vending machines use only 3–7 kWh per day,59 and 

commitments by major end users such as Pepsi and Coke to upgrade existing 

machines quickly, have brought the installed base to more than one million 

ENERGY STAR qualified machines.60

In August 2012, federal minimum efficiency standards take effect for new 

refrigerated beverage machines, locking in savings of approximately $150 

annually for each vending machine. When all vending machines are performing 

at this standard, the current ENERGY STAR level, the savings will exceed 

5.5 billion kWh per year, preventing four million metric tons of greenhouse 

gas emissions.

FADE IN AUDIO – APPLAUSE.
39

On the path to our homes from the power plant, electricity travels across 

transmission lines as high-voltage alternating current (AC), which is then 

reduced by our utility distribution company until it magically emerges from 

the wall socket as 120/240 volts AC, capable of powering any device with a 

standard two- or three-pronged plug. But some electronics and battery-charged 

tools require a much lower AC or finely regulated direct current (DC) to operate; 

you can tell which these are by the power adapter or external power supply 

(EPS) at the end of the cord. There are more than three billion EPSs in use in 

the U.S. today.

One of the reasons EPSs are so popular is that they allow end-use product 

manufacturers to save time and money on Underwriter Laboratories (UL) 

safety listings, since the voltage reduction and AC-DC power conversion occurs 

outside the end-use product. External conversions allow for modular designs, 

and modular designs mean a commoditized market. About 900 million EPSs are 

shipped annually61 for domestic use, with thousands of manufacturers worldwide 

competing for customers, often by offering the lowest price.

For years, these EPSs were known as "energy vampires." They performed their 

function very inefficiently, sucking energy unnecessarily when the products 

for which they were intended were turned off, already fully charged, or even 

removed from the EPS. Much of the power entering the EPS was lost as 

wasted heat, with only a portion of it going to operate or charge the product. 

In 2002, typical energy efficiencies ranged from 15–80 percent when devices 

were in active use; energy losses when products were plugged in but not in 

use ranged from less than one watt to about four watts.62

Given the great variability in energy consumption for EPSs, it was obvious 

that there were more efficient ways to convert energy. However, the most 

efficient technologies were typically reserved for high-end, higher wattage 

products or portable devices. The majority of power supply products, 

particularly those using 20 watts or less, were on the low end of 

the performance spectrum. End-use manufacturers, who 

often compete on high volume with low profit margins, 

were concerned about costs. Cost premiums for 

more efficient EPSs ranged from a potential 10–30 

percent, and changing to a different EPS could 

trigger design changes and delay production. 

What is more, efficiency or lack thereof was 

invisible to both the end-use manufacturer and the 

ultimate consumer—EPSs were labeled only for the 

maximum power draw and maximum current they could 

provide at a given voltage.64 Therefore, energy-efficient EPSs 

might be difficult to market.

Recognizing the global nature of both supply and demand of EPSs, 

EPA began working with stakeholders in the U.S., China, Europe, Canada 

and Australia to explore ways to encourage improved efficiency. In addition to 

needing a standard test method for measuring AC-DC power supply efficiency, 

which the California Energy Commission was instrumental in developing,65

manufacturers would need an easy way to specify and identify power supply 

efficiency in the wide variety of markets in which they operated. Stakeholders 

worked together to devise a marking protocol that could be used around the 

ENERGY STAR Product Retrospective

External Power Supplies

2011

In the U.S. there are approximately 250 million products that make use of a battery charger. ENERGY STAR qualified battery chargers have the potential to save Americans 

more than 1.5 billion kWh of electricity, or more than $170 million annually.63
40

world by any country interested in EPS efficiency, and provide an easy to understand 

system for power supply manufacturers, finished product manufacturers and 

government agencies. 

The International Efficiency Marking Protocol, which was designed to be printed 

on the power supply nameplate, designated the minimum performance of an 

EPS using Roman numerals I through VII, with I being the least efficient and VII 

being the most efficient—with higher numerals reserved for future, more efficient 

products. The marking protocol became a key element of the ENERGY STAR 

EPS specification. 

Launched at the International Consumer Electronics Show in January 2005 and 

at the Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition in March 2005, the 

ENERGY STAR EPS specification was a cost-effective way to address energy 

waste across the broad range of products powered by EPSs but not otherwise 

covered by the ENERGY STAR program.66 While the traditional ENERGY 

STAR label would not appear on the product, end-use product 

manufacturers were encouraged to use a version of it, indicating 

that their product was "powered by an ENERGY STAR qualified 

adaptor for a better environment" as a way to differentiate their 

products in the marketplace.

By 2008, the market share for ENERGY STAR qualified EPSs 

had reached an estimated 50 percent, delivering savings 

of five billion kWh per year and annual greenhouse gas 

reductions of one million metric tons. That same year, a minimum 

efficiency standard went into effect in the U.S. mandating the ENERGY 

STAR performance level, and a more stringent ENERGY STAR specification 

was introduced.67

Today, energy use associated with EPSs nationally is estimated to be 70 billion kWh 

per year less than it would have been had EPS energy performance stayed where 

it was in 2005—a savings equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions of more 

than nine million vehicles.68 EPA officially retired the ENERGY STAR specification 

for EPSs on December 31, 2010, but continues to advance power supply efficiency 

through a growing list of ENERGY STAR products that require highly efficient EPSs 

as a part of broader energy performance requirements.69

100

200

300

2006 2008 2010 2012

Total Energy Consumption (billion kWh/year)

With ENERGY STAR

and EISA

Without ENERGY STAR

and EISA

The ENERGY STAR Difference: External Power Supplies

EPA estimates there are approximately 11 external power adapters for 

every person in the U.S.—as many as 3.4 billion in total. Thanks to the 

combined effect of ENERGY STAR and minimum efficiency standards 

set by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), 

energy use in the U.S. associated with external power supplies is 

estimated to be 70 billion kWh per year less than it might have been.
41

Before 2008, few of us knew what a digital-to-analog converter box (DTA) was. 

For Americans who had cable or satellite services or newer televisions with 

built-in digital tuners, there was little reason to find out. But the estimated 16 

to 22 million Americans who did not subscribe to cable, who owned an older, 

analog TV, and who could not afford or did not want to buy a new one would 

have to install a DTA before June 2009—when the United States converted to 

all-digital broadcasting—in order to stay connected to programming.70

A new DTA was projected to cost about $50 to $60. To ease the transition, 

Congress stepped in to make $40 rebates available through the National 

Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). But, unless energy 

use for these new devices was taken into consideration, those who were most 

likely to need DTAs would be least able to afford increased utility bills. 

Fortunately for these consumers, EPA had already initiated a stakeholder 

process to develop an ENERGY STAR specification for DTAs. These products 

were virtually unknown and unavailable in the U.S. market. So EPA invited 

potential DTA manufacturers and resellers, component providers and other 

interested parties to discuss state-of-the art options for digital chips that could 

perform key DTA functions more efficiently than what was then available in the 

worldwide marketplace. Domestically, California had established an ambitious 

state efficiency standard for DTAs that was being challenged.71 Some industry 

experts had estimated that a product capable of meeting such strict efficiency 

standards would cost the consumer more than twice the amount anticipated for 

a conventional DTA.72 Lack of anticipated demand, small production quantities 

and a limited production cycle also were cited as likely contributors to the higher 

price tag. If EPA and stakeholders could coalesce around an ENERGY STAR 

specification, then market demand and support for efficient DTAs nationally 

could help increase production and drive down the purchase price for a more 

efficient option. What they needed to agree on were operational definitions such 

as “on,” “off” and “standby” modes, a standardized procedure for testing power 

consumption in each mode and criteria that would set aggressive efficiency 

targets, offer the same or better performance as conventional options and 

ultimately be cost-effective for consumers. 

EPA and its stakeholders concluded the development process in record time, 

agreeing on a specification effective January 31, 2007. The specification required 

DTAs to automatically power down after extended periods of inactivity. It 

set efficiency criteria of less than eight watts in “on” mode and less than 

one watt in “sleep” mode—cutting the energy use of DTAs by more than 70 

percent compared to products available in the worldwide marketplace.73 When 

NTIA released its final rule launching the DTA Coupon Program, they included 

requirements that DTAs “comply with standards established by the EPA ENERGY 

STAR program or state regulatory authorities.”74

Eight manufacturers produced more than 40 different DTA models, selling an 

estimated 14.2 million ENERGY STAR qualified DTAs.75 As a result, Americans 

are saving about two billion kWh of energy and avoiding about $250 million in 

energy costs over the life of these products.76

ENERGY STAR Product Retrospective

Digital-to-Analog Converter Boxes

2011

The 160 million set-top boxes installed in the U.S. consumed enough electricity to power all the homes in the state of Maryland.77 When every set-top box meets ENERGY 

STAR requirements, Americans will save about $1.8 billion per year and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 2.3 million cars.78
42

ENERGY STAR as a Market Transformation Strategy

Steven Nadel, Executive Director, American Council 

for an Energy-Efficient Economy

I remember when I first heard about ENERGY STAR. It was in the early 1990s, 

and I was on a plane with then EPA Branch Chief Cathy Zoi, who told me 

about an idea they were kicking around. It involved putting labels on personal 

computers that had power management features, and they were thinking 

of calling it ENERGY STAR. This concept soon moved forward, starting with 

personal computers. Manufacturers embraced the concept and soon more 

than 90 percent of personal computers had power management features—

an amazingly quick transformation of the market. Since then the ENERGY 

STAR specification for personal computers has been revised multiple times. 

Each time, manufacturers have responded by redesigning the majority of 

their products to meet the ENERGY STAR requirements. As a result, the 

typical personal computer and monitor now use about 230 kWh per year, 

about half of what they would have consumed had no changes in efficiency 

occurred, even though today’s machines are much more powerful than 

those from the early 1990s.

ENERGY STAR has similarly transformed many other markets. When flatscreen televisions first reached the market, most were “energy hogs” 

and many used more than 600 kWh of energy per year—more than a new 

refrigerator. But the ENERGY STAR specification set limits on energy use 

and has been progressively tightened. Today, a typical 42-inch ENERGY STAR 

qualified flat-screen TV is down to 150 kWh per year. Likewise, ENERGY 

STAR has helped transform the market for residential windows. When the 

program for windows began with DOE in 1998, most new windows did 

not insulate well or block excess heat during the summer. ENERGY STAR 

window performance requirements have resulted in better performance and 

greater comfort for residents. And to provide just one more example: for 

many home appliances, manufacturers design products to meet ENERGY 

STAR specifications, and due to consumer interest in ENERGY STAR, these 

products steadily grow in market share. As market share increases and 

prices decline, what were once ENERGY STAR levels can be used as the 

basis of minimum energy efficiency standards, and ENERGY STAR can be 

reset for even higher levels of efficiency. As a result, clothes washers and 

refrigerators today typically use half the energy that units from the early 

1990s did.

Given this track record over the past 20 years, ENERGY STAR is well poised 

to continue transforming markets in the decades to come.

42
43

Big Strides, But More Products Mean More Opportunity for Savings

What a different world we find ourselves in 20 years later. In that span of time, we have seen 

the energy use of so many devices cut in half, or even better. But even as energy efficiency 

has improved substantially, home energy demand continues to climb nationally. This increase in 

consumption can be tied in part to the growing number of energy-using products that we all 

enjoy. Just think of the many devices you have at your disposal and what they can do for you—

communicating, computing, displaying, life organizing, as well as juicing, frothing, and fresh-bread 

producing. Even the tried-and-true classroom blackboard is now electronic and connected to the 

Internet. By 2020, miscellaneous products—all these new gadgets—will account for about 30 

percent of electricity use in U.S. households.79 And that means that there is plenty more for the 

ENERGY STAR program and partners still to accomplish. 

Sleep is Still Good, But Products Need to Put Themselves to Bed 

Energy efficiency in the future is all about making savings an automatic feature of rapidly evolving, 

sophisticated new technologies. ENERGY STAR certified products will increasingly behave 

intuitively when it comes to power management. Rather than relying on users to turn off a growing 

number of products and all of their accessories, these products will aggressively use power 

management to preserve battery life or drastically reduce electricity draw when not in use, and 

then wake promptly when called to action. Transfer of well-tested functionality to products not 

traditionally known for power management will remain a cornerstone of the program. 

By the same token, as more and more products offer networked functionality—displays, TVs, and 

even appliances now, not just computers—there is no reason for these products to stay on all 

the time to receive network information. The ENERGY STAR program can play an important role, 

leveraging recently published standards, to ensure that more and more products drop off to sleep 

and then wake seamlessly in response to a network call. Being tethered to the network also has 

the promise of furthering intuitive behavior for products. Sensors are beginning to power products 

down automatically when there is no one in the room, and home energy management systems 

are poised to maximize energy savings when no one is home. Going forward, the ENERGY STAR 

program will remain a champion for this kind of energy-saving functionality in products.

The Future of ENERGY STAR 

Certified Products

43
44

Squeezing Out Every Last Drop

After 20 years, delivering additional savings from the existing 

suite of ENERGY STAR products raises opportunities and 

challenges the program is poised to tackle. A dishwasher 

sold today will use about half as much energy as the average 

dishwasher sold 20 years ago,80 but it still needs to clean the 

dishes. TVs that use very little energy must always deliver 

vibrant images. With high-quality performance as a priority, 

and thanks to a remarkable tradition of innovation on the 

part of manufacturers, there are advances yet to be made 

and more energy savings to deliver. 

Sometimes new approaches will be needed. Heating 

and cooling, for example, still represent nearly half of 

home energy costs despite significant progress in energy 

efficiency. Getting more out of this category may require 

setting regional, climate-based efficiency requirements to 

ensure that the biggest savings are targeted for areas with 

the best return on investment. Diagnostics, communication 

features and improved user interfaces will be increasingly 

important to enable consumers to maximize savings. 

Products such as programmable thermostats can deliver 

enormous consumer and environmental savings—if used 

properly. Usability standards, like the one EPA is developing 

for residential climate controls, could turn out to be an 

important testing ground for improving the usability of a 

broad range of energy-saving products.

The Reliable Source for Energy Savings Information

For many Americans, looking for the cyan star will continue to be the simple 

way to save energy, save money and help prevent climate change. For others, 

the ENERGY STAR program is increasingly the source of credible advice and 

information for reducing energy consumption in their homes and businesses. 

Consumers and companies trying to navigate increasingly complex purchase 

decisions—from buying a light bulb to specifying a data center server—can 

count on ENERGY STAR to give them access to information in an easy-touse format. And for those who are ready to take the next step, the program 

2011

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has joined with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America to help members learn about energy saving actions that 

will help protect the environment. To host a project at your Club, visit the ENERGY STAR® web community at http://groups.bgca.net/energystar.

USE the power management 

settings for computers 

and monitors.

UNPLUG cell phones, MP3 players, 

or camera battery chargers 

when finished charging.

WALK,

ride a bike, or skateboard 

instead of using a car.

TURN OFF

electronics, lights, and 

fans when not in use.

SUPER ENERGY HEROES

 HOW ORDINARY BOYS AND GIRLS TURN INTO

KEEP doors and windows closed 

when the air conditioning 

or heat is on.

Remind other family members, too!

EPA 430-H-11-002. May 2011. Recycled/Recyclable - Printed with Vegetable Oil Based Inks on Recycled Paper (Minimum 50% Post-consumer Content)

offers an ever-expanding collection of energy-saving behaviors, advice and 

tools developed using the same rigor applied to defining product efficiency.

Encouraging the development of products that use less while doing more, 

that are more and more intuitive and usable, along with fostering an actionoriented ethos around saving energy, are investments that will continue to 

pay off for Americans and the environment. The ENERGY STAR program 

remains up to the task.
45

1 Manufacturers providing input into initial program development for ENERGY STAR computers: Apple Computer, Inc., Compaq Computer Corporation, Digital Equipment Corporation, Hewlett Packard, IBM 

Corporation, NCR/AT&T, Smith Corona Corporation, Bull Information Systems. 

Source: Johnson, B.J., & Zoi, C.R. (1992). EPA ENERGY STAR Computers: The Next Generation of Office Equipment. Published in the 1992 Proceedings of ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in 

Buildings.

2 Interbrand. (2007, June). Building a Powerful and Enduring Brand: The Past, Present, and Future of the ENERGY STAR Brand. Produced for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved from http://www.

energystar.gov/ia/partners/downloads/ENERGY_STARBndManf508.pdf. p. 13.

3 Ibid., p.13.

4 Ibid., p.15.

5 Ibid., p.16.

6 Schulman, Ronca, and Bucuvalas, Inc. (SRBI), and Research into Action, Inc. (2010). Energy Conservation, Efficiency and Demand Response.

7 Cooper, M. (2011). Public Attitudes Toward Energy Efficiency and Appliance Efficiency Standards. Consumer Federation of America. Retrieved from http://www.consumerfed.org/pdfs/CFA-Appliance-EfficiencyReport-3-11.pdf.

8 SRBI and Research into Action. 2010. p. 6. 

9 World Bank. (2011). World Development Indicators 2011; Internet users per 100 people. Retrieved from http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/IT.NET.USER.P2.

10 Norford L., Hatcher A., Harris, J., Roturier, J., and Yu, O. (1990). Electricity Use in Information Technologies. Annual Review of Energy, 15, 423-53. As cited in Johnson and Zoi, 1992.

11 McKinsey & Company. (2008, April 30). Revolutionizing Data Center Efficiency—Key Analyses. Presented at the Uptime Institute Symposium

12 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2010, August). Energy Savings from ENERGY STAR Qualified Servers. Prepared by The Cadmus Group, Inc. Retrieved from http://www.energystar.gov/ia/products/

downloads/ES_server_case_study.pdf.

13 Harris, J., Roturier, J., Norford L.K., and Rabl, A. (1988, November). Technology Assessment: Electronic Office Equipment (LBL-25558). Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory . As cited in Johnson and Zoi, 1992.

14 Johnson and Zoi, 1992. 

15 Power-saving features were emerging for battery-powered laptop and notebook computers.

16 On April 21, 1993, President Clinton issued executive orders (EOs 12843, 12844, and 12845) directing federal agencies to reduce their use of ozone-depleting materials, increase their use of alternative-fueled 

vehicles, and purchase energy-efficient computers.

Source: The White House Council on Environmental Quality. (2000). Chapter 13: Environmental Actions by President Clinton and Vice President Gore. In Earth Day 2000 Report. Retrieved from http://clinton4.

nara.gov/CEQ/earthday/ch13.html.

17 Estimate also includes printers, which became eligible for the ENERGY STAR label in January 1993.

Source: EPA. (1995). Purchasing an ENERGY STAR Computer (430-K-94-006). U.S. EPA Office of Air and Radiation. 

18 Tomlinson, J.J., and Rizzy, D.T. (1998). Bern Clotheswasher Final Report (ORNL/M-6382). Prepared by the Energy Division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy. p. 1.

19 Ibid., pp. 2-13.

20 Ibid., pp. vii-viii.

21 The National Appliance Energy Conservation Act (NAECA) of 1987 established minimum efficiency standards for clothes washers. All clothes washers sold in the United States are required to meet the most 

current standard.

Source: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). (2008). History of Federal Appliance Standards. Retrieved from http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/

appliance_standards/history.html.

22 Western Interstate Energy Board. (2001). Alliance’s ENERGY STAR Resource-Efficient Clothes Washers (Horizontal Axis Washing Machines). Retrieved from http://www.westgov.org/wieb/ap2forum/mar2001/

horizwasher.htm.

23 U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2011). What’s new in our home energy use? From the Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS). Retrieved from http://www.eia.gov/consumption/residential/

reports/2009overview.cfm.

24 U.S. Patent Office. T.A. Edison. Electric-Lamp. No. 223,898, Patented January 27, 1880.

Endnotes
46

25 Bright, A., and Maclaurin, R. (1943, October) Economic Factors Influencing the Development and Introduction of the Fluorescent Lamp. The Journal of Political Economy, 51(5), 434-439.

26 Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. (2006). Compact Fluorescent Lighting in America: Lessons Learned on the Way to Market (PNNL-15730). Prepared for U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy 

Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building Technologies Program. p.3.8. Retrieved from http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/ssl/cfl_lessons_learned_web.pdf.

27 Ibid., p. 1.1.

28 Ibid., p. 2.2.

29 Ibid., p. B.1.

30 Siminovitch, M., Marr, L., Mitchell, J., and Page, E. (1997). Energy-Efficient Alternative to Halogen Torchieres (LBNL-40243 Preprint). Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Presented at the IESNA 1997 Annual 

Conference, August 17-20. Seattle, WA. Retrieved from http://gaia.lbl.gov/btech/papers/40243.pdf.

31 Lighting Research Center, National Lighting Product Information Program. (2000). Halogen Torchieres Q & A. Lighting Answers, 9(3). Retrieved from http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/nlpip/lightinganswers/

halogentorchiers/quest_two.asp.

32 Pacific Northwest Laboratory, p. B.1.

33 U.S. Department of Energy. (2010, September). ENERGY STAR CFL Market Profile: Data Trends and Market Insights. P. 26. Retrieved from http://www.energystar.gov/ia/products/downloads/CFL_Market_

Profile_2010.pdf.

34 EIA, 2011.

35 Homan, G., Sanchez, M., and Brown, R. (2010, November). Calendar Year 2009 Program Benefits for ENERGY STAR Labeled Products. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Environmental Energy 

Technologies Division, University of California, Berkeley, California.

36 Consumer Reports. (2011, August 30). Consumer Reports Shines a Light on the Best CFL and LED Bulbs. Retrieved from http://pressroom.consumerreports.org/pressroom/2011/08/crs-first-full-report-on-ledenergy-savings-lightbulbs-finds-more-choices-and-savings-yonkers-ny-the-days-of-ineff.html.

37 Ibid.

38 Suozzo, M., and Thorne, J. (1998, January 8). U.S. EPA Launches First Attack on Leaking Electricity: ENERGY STAR TV/VCR Program Enables Consumers to Identify Products with Low Standby. ACEEE press 

release. Retrieved from http://www.oocities.org/southbeach/strand/6116/env_eco/greentvuspol4.htm.

39 Siderius, H.P. (1998). Standby Consumption of Households State of the Art for Possibilities for Reduction for Home Electronics. Prepared by Van Holsteijn en Kemna BV, Delft, the Netherlands with funding from 

NOVEM. Retrieved from http://standby.lbl.gov/pdf/siderius.html.

40 Suozzo and Thorne, 1998.

41 Homan, G., Sanchez, M., Brown, R., and Lai, J. (2010, August). Calendar Year 2008 Program Benefits for ENERGY STAR Labeled Products. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Environmental Energy 

Technologies Division, University of California, Berkeley, California.

42 iSupply Television Systems Market Tracker. Quarter 4, 2005.

43 Ostendorp, P., Foster, S., and Calwell, C. (2005, March). Televisions: Active Mode Energy Use and Opportunities for Energy Savings. Natural Resources Defense Council. p. 1.

44 Ibid., p. 11.

45 Foster, S., Calwell, C., and Horowitz, N. (2004). If We’re Only Snoozing, We're Losing: Opportunities to Save Energy by Improving the Active Mode Efficiency of Consumer Electronics and Office Equipment. 

Published in the 2004 Proceedings of ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings. Retrieved from http://www.eceee.org/conference_proceedings/ACEEE_buildings/2004/Panel_8.

46 Ostendorp et al., 2005, p. 2.

47 U.S. EPA. ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Televisions. Retrieved from http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/product_specs/eligibility/tv_vcr_elig.pdf.

48 Consumer Electronics Association. (2008, March). Market Research Report: Trends in CE Reuse, Recycle and Removal. 

49 Anglade, A., Lebot, B., and Meier, A. (2000). Global Implications of Standby Power Use (LBNL-46019). Published in the 2000 Proceedings of ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings.

50 International Energy Agency. (2001). Things That Go Blip in the Night: Standby Power and How to Limit It. Paris, France: International Energy Agency. Retrieved from http://people.trentu.ca/rloney/files/

blipinthenight01.pdf.

51 Webber, C.A., Roberson, J.A., Brown, R.E., Payne, C.T., Nordman, B., and Koomey, J.G. (2001, September). Field Surveys of Office Equipment Operating Patterns (LBNL-46930). Berkeley, CA: Lawrence 

Berkeley National Laboratory. Retrieved from http://enduse.lbl.gov/info/LBNL-46930.pdf. 

52 Based on U.S. EPA calculations.

53 Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories, U.S. EPA, Climate Savers Computing Initiative, and The Cadmus Group, Inc. (2011). Summary of Workgroup Findings: Estimated U.S. Enabling Rates of Computer 

Power Management in the Non-residential Sector.
47

54 Horowitz, N., Dolin, J., Suozzo, M., and LaFrance, M. (1998). A Roadmap for Simultaneously Developing the Supply and Demand for Energy-Efficient Beverage Vending Machines. Published in the 1998 

Proceedings of ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings.

55 Kubo, T., and Nadel, S. (2002, May). Commercial Packaged Refrigeration: An Untapped Lode for Energy Efficiency (Research Report A015). American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

56 Ibid., p. 3.

57 Ibid., p. 4.

58 U.S. EPA. (2004, April 1). Refrigerated Beverage Vending Machines Can Now Earn the ENERGY STAR. Press Advisory. Retrieved from http://www.energystar.gov/ia/news/downloads/vending_machines_pr.pdf.

59 U.S. EPA. (2011, March 24). Letter to Vending Machine Manufacturers and Other Interested Parties. Retrieved from http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/prod_development/revisions/downloads/vending_

machines/Vending_Machine_V2.1_Revision_Memo.pdf.

60 U.S. Department of Energy. (2009, August 31). DOE Technical Support for Standard Rulemaking for Refrigerated Beverage Vending Machines (FR 74. 44914).

61 "External AC-DC Power Supplies Worldwide Forecasts.” (2008, May), Third Edition.Darnell Group, Inc. Corona, California.

62 Personal communication with Chris Calwell, Senior Fellow, Ecova, 2011. 

63 Sanchez, M., Homan, G., Lai, J., and Brown, B. (2009, September). Calendar Year 2007 Program Benefits for U.S. EPA Energy Star Labeled Products: Expanded Methodology. Lawrence Berkeley National 

Laboratory, Environmental Energy Technologies Division, University of California, Berkeley, California. Rosenberg, M. (2011). Assessment of the Benefits and Costs of Seven PIER Supported Projects (CEC500-2009-014). California Energy Commission.

64 Calwell, C., and Reeder, T. (2002, May). Power Supplies: A Hidden Opportunity for Energy Savings. Prepared by Ecos Consulting for Natural Resources Defense Council. Retrieved from http://www.

efficientpowersupplies.org/pages/NRDC_power_supply_report.pdf.

65 Rosenberg, M. (2011). Assessment of the Benefits and Costs of Seven PIER Supported Projects (CEC-500-2009-014). California Energy Commission.

66 U.S. EPA. (2010, May 26). ENERGY STAR External Power Supply Sunset Proposal Memorandum. Retrieved from http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/prod_development/revisions/downloads/eps_eup_

sunset_stakeholder_proposal.pdf?93b3-6d9c.

67 Ibid.

68 Ibid.

69 Ibid.

70 Johnson, D. (2006, July 21). DTA Overview: ENERGY STAR DTA Workshop. Presentation. Consumer Electronics Association. Retrieved from http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/prod_development/new_

specs/downloads/CEA_DTA_Overview.pdf. 

71 California Energy Commission. (2006). Appliance Efficiency Regulations (CEC-400-2006-002-REV2). p. 131. Retrieved from http://www.energy.ca.gov/2006publications/CEC-400-2006-002/CEC-400-2006-002-

REV2.PDF. 

72 Rudnick, P. (2006). Low Power DTA Designs. Presentation. EGCS. Retrieved from http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/prod_development/new_specs/downloads/Low_Power_Rudnick.pdf.

73 U.S. EPA. (2007, January 31). EPA Working to Make Digital Television Technology Energy Efficient. Press release. Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/7c02ca8c86062a0f8

5257018004118a6/dd87fab13244d90285257274006cb78a!OpenDocument.

74 National Telecommunications and Information Administration. (2007). Rules to Implement and Administer a Coupon Program for Digital-to-Analog Converter Boxes (47 C.F.R. 301, Docket Number: 0612242667-

7051-01). Retrieved from http://www.ntia.doc.gov/frnotices/2007/DTVFinalRule_technical.htm.

75 U.S. EPA. (2010, October 19). Memo to ENERGY STAR Digital-to-Analog Converter (DTA) Manufacturers and Other Interested Parties. Retrieved from http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/prod_development/

revisions/downloads/DTAs_Sunset_Memo.pdf?0077-9c71.

76 Homan, G., Sanchez, M., and Brown, R. (2010, November). Calendar Year 2009 Program Benefits for ENERGY STAR Labeled Products. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Environmental Energy 

Technologies Division, University of California, Berkeley, California.

77 Natural Resources Defense Council. (2011, January). “Reducing the National Energy Consumption of Set-Top Boxes."

78 U.S. EPA’s ENERGY STAR Version 3.0 Set-top Box Savings Analysis, February, 2011.

79 Personal communication with William Comstock of the U.S. Energy Information Association, January 2011.

80 Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers. Trends in Energy Efficiency 2010. Dishwasher Energy Efficiency and Consumption Trends. Retrieved from http://www.aham.org/ht/d/ProductDetails/sku/

ENERGY10/from/5256/pid/.

81

United States 

Environmental Protection Agency 

Air and Radiation 6202J 

EPA 430-K-12-001

www.epa.gov

March 2012

Recycled/Recyclable 

Printed on paper containing 

30% post-consumer waste.