What does it mean to buy ENERGY STAR® certified appliances?

When you shop for appliances and electronics for your home, do you look for the blue label? We’re talking about ENERGY STAR.

The program was created by the US Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency as a way to help consumers and businesses protect the environment by saving energy and reducing CO₂ emissions.

What started as a label to identify energy-efficient computers and printers quickly expanded into many of the household appliances and products we use every day like refrigerators, dehumidifiers, heating and cooling equipment, clothes washers and dryers, and many more. Even entire buildings can earn the ENERGY STAR designation.

But what does it mean for a product to be ENERGY STAR certified? For starters, it’s a voluntary program. Manufacturers recognize the market potential and consumer demand for energy-saving products. No one is forcing them to make efficient products, it just makes good business sense.

To earn the label, products must meet strict standards set by the program for energy savings. These energy standards go beyond the federal minimum standards for energy efficiency. However, energy savings alone do not qualify a product to earn the label. The products also need to perform with the same level of quality—or better—as their less efficient counterparts. You get savings and the quality you expect.

Each product category has its own standards to achieve ENERGY STAR status. For example:

• ENERGY STAR certified room air purifiers are 40% more energy efficient than standard models.
• ENERGY STAR certified refrigerators use about 9% less energy.
• ENERGY STAR certified dehumidifiers use nearly 15% less energy than similarly sized conventional units.
• ENERGY STAR certified clothes dryers use 20-60% less energy than standard models depending on usage.
• ENERGY STAR certified room air conditioners use 10% less energy compared to traditional room ACs.

As federal efficiency standards increase, so do the requirements for ENERGY STAR.

Since 1992, ENERGY STAR and its partners have helped American families and businesses save 5 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity, avoid more than $450 billion in energy costs, and achieve 4 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas reductions. That’s a lot of success.

Looking for the blue ENERGY STAR label is an easy way to find products that will help you save energy, while providing quality and convenient features. An easy way to save money on ENERGY STAR certified products is with the many rebates offered by the Sponsors of Mass Save®. Click here to find savings on the ENERGY STAR certified products you’re looking for.