The Department of Energy (DOE) is the lead agency in the development and revision of all test procedures for products in the ENERGY STAR® program, including those products that are also subject to DOE's Energy Conservation Standards program. As specifications are updated and new products or metrics are added to the ENERGY STAR program, DOE is responsible for developing and revising methods, responding to stakeholder comments, and answering any testing-related questions that arise as a result of the procedures being utilized.

To simplify the process for interested parties, more information on the test procedure development for ENERGY STAR products can be found on each of the individual product pages on the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) ENERGY STAR website.

ENERGY STAR Verification Testing

In Spring 2011, DOE and EPA introduced new verification testing programs in support of the ENERGY STAR program. These programs address vulnerabilities in the ENERGY STAR program and have been developed as part of the recent ENERGY STAR program enhancements. Both DOE and EPA administer testing programs that protect consumers by ensuring ENERGY STAR certified products deliver the expected energy savings. DOE and EPA are collaborating to minimize duplicate testing except where such testing will make the programs more effective.

The two programs are complementary and are based on lessons learned from the 2010 DOE pilot verification testing program. The DOE program focuses on government-run testing for a subset of ENERGY STAR products that are part of the DOE's regulatory program. EPA's verification program focuses on testing of at least 10% of ENERGY STAR certified basic models through third-party certification bodies (CBs). Both programs are sensitive to the burden associated with verification testing and have developed testing policies accordingly.

ENERGY STAR Verification Testing and the AHAM Verification Program

The U.S. Department is pleased to announce that it has extended and expanded its policy regarding DOE ENERGY STAR verification testing of models that are part of the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) verification program for clothes washers; dishwashers; residential refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers; or dehumidifiers. Given AHAM's history of cooperation and to maximize the impact of government resources while continuing to protect consumers, DOE plans to refrain from conducting ENERGY STAR verification testing of models that are part of the AHAM verification program for clothes washers; dishwashers; residential refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers; or dehumidifiers, so long as AHAM meets several requirements, which it has agreed to do with written acknowledgment of the letters and its contents. For more information, please read the letters of agreement amongst DOE and AHAM.

2015 Letters

2013 Letters

Additional Information

  • EPA requirements for verification testing for CBs are incorporated into the third-party certification requirements.
  • EPA and DOE are sharing product test results. When products are referred to EPA for action as a result of testing conducted in DOE's verification of ENERGY STAR products, they are posted on DOE's General Counsel website. When products are disqualified due to testing failures, they are posted on the EPA website.

Current Activities

Historical Activities

Contact Information

For more information on how DOE test procedure development, testing, and verification of ENERGY STAR products, contact ESTAR_verification_and_testing@ee.doe.gov.

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