You can’t help but be aware of the blue ‘Energy Star Ratings’ that appear on the labels and packaging for appliances and electronics. What I didn’t realize is that the program has come of age and might be benefited greatly by some major revisions according to Consumer Reports. Energy Star Ratings turn 18 years old this autumn after first being introduced by the Environmental Protection Agency back in 1992. It has accomplished a great deal in raising consumer awareness while simultaneously improving the emphasis of manufacturers when testing and designing new products so that they would get a high enough Energy Star rating when a new product was brought to the market.

The EPA now lists over 20,000 products with Energy Star ratings while the US government proclaim annual energy savings in excess of $14 billion (based upon 2006 estimates). What amounts to a certificate of energy efficiency gained widespread use rapidly, ably assisted by regulations that curtail the manufacture of inefficient appliances and equipment. In 1994 Energy Star was also applied to new product licenses outside of the consumer market and applied equally to commercial patents, meaning public works departments and state jurisdictions each had to the consideration of purchasing devices that were more environmentally friendly; such as traffic signals, street lighting and other electrical hardware.

The program was always aimed at being educational rather than a mandate and has grown to such an extent that now it is estimated that more than 40% of Americans have purchased a product with an Energy Star approval. In early years if you were purchasing a computer monitor for example your choice may have been limited to one or two models that met the government standards, now for certain lines of consumer electronics over a third of all products get the stamp of approval. While this sounds like good news from manufacturers making better products, Consumer Reports argues that the bar needs to be raised so that the standards are higher in turn providing the consumer with the ability to make better choices with greater impact.

There are different standards dependent upon the product category and the range of items being granted approval fluctuates between 10 and 40%, Consumer Reports say this is too high and results in the consumer not always buying the most efficient product and/or being confused by the range of choice. I’m not sure how sound of an argument this is, surely more consumers buying more efficient products is ultimately a win-win and that the real goal should be to eradicate wherever possible appliances that do not reach the standards that are considered acceptable. The success of Energy Star has been linked greatly to sufficient savings in operating costs while environmental factors have almost been a byproduct, if anything I would suggest changing the emphasis would be ideal although the two factors do go hand-in-hand.

The single largest impact by Energy Star so far has been residential and commercial customers upgrading to more efficient heating or cooling systems for buildings, in many cases piggybacked with the governmental rebate when new programs are introduced. Critics of Energy Star should really celebrate the success of the program and look for ways to build upon it. If standards need to be altered it should not be done in a way where consumers feel that being energy-efficient means less choice or less convenience, in an ideal sense that could happen and perhaps should but I’m more realistic and feel that consumers need to feel that their choice is being catered for. Hopefully a balance can be struck that allows the program to reach new heights and continue to lower domestic energy consumption per capita, one of the most important goals we face.

For a program that was rolled out by the EPA in 1992, to see it adopted in similar guises throughout Europe, Canada, Australia and New Zealand is a testament to its success. I think it’s important to make changes as needed to ensure they incorporate the overall success of the initiative.