The EPA and DOE aim to identify and promote the market’s most energy efficient products with a new pilot program, ENERGY STAR Most Efficient.
Created as a complement to the familiar ENERGY STAR mark, the Most Efficient designation will recognize the most energy-efficient products that have already qualified for ENERGY STAR, representing about 5% of models in the market in certain product categories.
Like the ENERGY STAR mark, the Most Efficient designation will help customers easily identify the top tier of energy-efficient products.
This year, Most Efficient designations are awarded for clothes washers, heating and cooling equipment, televisions, and refrigerator-freezers.
The EPA plans to initiate a process to consider more product categories in 2012.
In the meantime, manufacturers can submit products in the current categories to earn recognition as long as the product is already ENERGY STAR qualified and certified by an EPA-recognized certification body.