When you shop for goods and appliances for the house, you probably see labels on some of the items that say “Energy Star”. Many people do not look into what this label means, but it is actually quite important for those who are searching for items that will help them save on their electric bills each month. Energy Star is a government program that determines quality efficiency levels for electrical appliances (along with many other types of products). In order for a product to have this label, it needs to meet certain requirements and specifications.

The main purpose of the label is so that it would be possible to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollutants, and to make it easy for customers to know which of the products on the market are going to be the most energy efficient and provide them with the most savings on their electrical bills each month.

Earning the Energy Star Label

The EPA, or Environmental Protection Agency, creates the Energy Star label requirements that a product must meet in order to display the label. They have some guidelines that they use when they create the specifications. The product categories have to be in an area that will be able to provide savings nationwide. The products have to have features and performance levels that the customer expects and demands in addition to being energy efficient. This means that the products still have to work just as well as those that are not energy efficient. There can be no loss in quality.

The product needs to be able to achieve energy efficiency through non-proprietary technologies that other manufacturers would be able to use as well. The energy savings have to be verifiable and measurable as well.

As you can see, companies do have to go through quite a bit of testing, and they have to meet stringent requirements if they are going to be able to have and display an Energy Star label. They do not simply give out the labels; the companies and the products really do have to earn them, and that’s a good thing. It ensures that the products that come out with this label attached are able to do exactly what they say. You know that you can trust the products that have the label, and that’s a great thing for consumers.

Why the Bother?

Why do companies bother if it takes so much to get the label? The world is moving toward a greener lifestyle, and people are starting to look for the Energy Star label. They know that it can help them save money, and that it can help to protect the environment. Getting the label is good for the environment, but it is good for business as well.

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