While much of the EnergyStar® program is sound, and has led to real quantifiable energy savings over time, over the last four years, alarm bells have been sounding on the increasingly lax certification process. Just how lax?
A gasoline-powered alarm clock the size of a microwave was one of the more ridiculous items able to get an automated label in a year-long undercover sting operation by the General Accounting Office.
Alarms had been sounding for the last 4 years, leading up to a year long investigation that uncovered the flawed certification process. So this month, the EPA and the DOE announced that it will begin a long overdue overhaul of certification processes to get the EnergyStar® program back on track.
For the first time, all products seeking the EnergyStar® label will be tested in approved labs and require manufacturers to participate in an ongoing verification testing program to will ensure continued compliance.
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