ENERGY STAR® News

ENERGY STAR Logo - High Efficiency

Trade news: Changes to regulations,
specifications or qualifications

Canada's ENERGY STAR® Market Transformation Awards 2012

Call for Award Submissions - Deadline March 12, 2012

Now it's time to submit your application for the 2012 ENERGY STAR awards. All ENERGY STAR Participants are encouraged to apply for an award. Organizations may apply for more than one award if they meet the eligibility requirements. Participants can also nominate themselves.

Celebrating ENERGY STAR Achievements – Canada's ENERGY STAR Market Transformation Awards recognize companies and organizations that have surpassed the competition in offering Canadian consumers the most energy-efficient product, technology or service available on the market. Eligibility criteria, award categories and additional assessment criteria.

Revised ENERGY STAR Specifications for Set-top Boxes

New, more stringent specifications for ENERGY STAR qualified set-top boxes are now in effect. Version 3.0 of the criteria for set-top boxes came into effect September 1, 2011. The revised requirements include more stringent performance levels as well as incentives for operation in Deep Sleep Mode (less than or equal to 15% of power in On Mode) and use of thin clients in multi-room setups. ENERGY STAR qualified set-top boxes now use 40% less energy on average than conventional models. Technical Specification

Revised ENERGY STAR Specifications for Televisions

New, more stringent specifications for ENERGY STAR qualified televisions are now in effect. Version 5.3 of the criteria for televisions came into effect September 30, 2011. Current ENERGY STAR requirements demand larger sets meet even more stringent efficiency levels to earn the label. For example, an ENERGY STAR qualified 60-inch television will be, on average, 60 percent more efficient than a standard model. ENERGY STAR qualified televisions are now 40% more energy-efficient than conventional models. Technical Specification

Register now!
2011 ENERGY STAR Participants' Meeting
June 1, 2011
Convention Center, Ottawa, Ontario

Come and join us in celebrating the 10th anniversary of ENERGY STAR in Canada. We are pleased to have our annual meeting located at the brand new Ottawa Convention Center. This one day event will brings Natural Resources Canada's ENERGY STAR team together with Participant organizations to share information and experiences, brainstorm new ideas and build relationships. The Market Transformation Awards Dinner will follow the Participants' Meeting. These Awards recognize participating companies and organizations that have surpassed the competition in offering Canadian consumers the most energy-efficient product, technology or service available on the market. More information

External Power Supplies and Adapters No Longer ENERGY STAR Qualified

The ENERGY STAR Initiative in Canada does not support External Power Supply (EPS) or Adaptors. For ENERGY STAR qualified products that require use of an EPS, the EPS shall meet the level V performance requirements under the International Efficiency Marking Protocol and include the level V marking.

Digital to Analog Converters (DTA) – Specification Ended

Please note that the ENERGY STAR specification for Digital to Analog Converters (DTA) is suspended, effective December 31, 2010. DTA manufactured after December 31, 2010 may not be labelled with the ENERGY STAR symbol. Qualified products manufactured before that date are allowed to carry the ENERGY STAR symbol. Retailers and distributors will be allowed to sell off their existing inventory of labelled products.

Revised Specifications for Hot Food Holding Cabinets

A revised specification for Hot Food Holding Cabinets will come into effect on July 1, 2011. Version 2 of the specification replaces Version 1 which as been in effect since August 15, 2003. Elements include the inclusion of the more recent ASTM Standard F2140-10 test standard and a family qualification approach based on the testing of a representative model.

Technical Specification | PDF (131 KB)

Canada's ENERGY STAR® Market Transformation Awards 2011

Call for Award Submissions

Now it's time to submit your application for the 2011 ENERGY STAR awards. All ENERGY STAR Participants are encouraged to apply for an award. Organizations may apply for more than one award if they meet the eligibility requirements. Participants can also nominate themselves.

Winners will be announced on June 1st during the 2011 ENERGY STAR Participants' Meeting, to be held at the new Ottawa Convention Center in Ottawa, Ontario.

Celebrating ENERGY STAR Achievements – Canada's ENERGY STAR Market Transformation Awards recognize companies and organizations that have surpassed the competition in offering Canadian consumers the most energy-efficient product, technology or service available on the market. Eligibility criteria, award categories and additional assessment criteria.

Presentation on Fenestration Products at the Windoor Trade Show – November 18, 2010

An update of the ENERGY STAR program for windows, doors and skylights was given by S. Hopwood from NRCan at the Windoor Trade Show on November 18, 2010. Included in the presentation was an outline of Phase Two to change the technical specification for these products. Phase One was begun in 2008 and ended October 1, 2010 with the implementation of a new technical specification and mandatory labelling. It is anticipated that Phase Two will see more stringent critieria once again for 2014. View the presentation Power Point (3.3 MB) | PDF (747 KB)

New ENERGY STAR Specification for Clothes Washers

New ENERGY STAR specifications for residential clothes washers and residential-style commercial clothes washers come into effect on January 1, 2011. These specifications ensure that only the top energy performers on the market are eligible to use the ENERGY STAR symbol. The new specifications affect only standard-size washers with a tub size greater than 45 litres (1.6 cubic feet).

The last ENERGY STAR specification for clothes washers came into effect in July 1, 2009. Since then, manufacturers have increased the availability of more energy efficient models. To ensure that the ENERGY STAR symbol identifies only the top performers, specifications are changing.

Retailers must remove the ENERGY STAR symbol from ineligible models and cannot use the symbol at point of purchase or when advertising these models as of April 1, 2011.

Room air cleaners can now qualify to bear the ENERGY STAR symbol in Canada.

Effective immediately, room air cleaners can now qualify for the ENERGY STAR designation in Canada.

To be considered under this specification, room air cleaners must produce a minimum 50 Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) for Dust. The minimum Performance Requirement is ≥ 2.0 CADR/Watt (Dust). Qualifying models that perform secondary consumer functions, such as clock or remote control, must meet a standby power requirement of ≤ 2.0 Watts. Additionally, models that emit ozone as a by-product of air cleaning must meet UL Safety Standard. Technical specification.

New combination washer-dryers no longer qualify to bear the ENERGY STAR symbol

Effective July 8, 2010, new combination washer-dryers units no longer qualify to bear the ENERGY STAR symbol. Models that qualified prior to July 8, 2010 will remain on the listing until the end of December 2010. Previously only the washer component of a combination washer-dryer could be ENERGY STAR qualified. A new test procedure that will look at the efficiency of the washer and dryer components will be developed. In 2011, units that meet the new requirements will eligible to qualify for the symbol.

The 2010 ENERGY STAR Participants' Meeting
June 9, 2010
Crowne Plaza Hotel, Ottawa, Ontario

This one day event brought Participant organizations that are selling, promoting and manufacturing energy efficient products together with Natural Resources Canada's ENERGY STAR team, to share information and experiences, brainstorm new ideas and build relationships.

Excellence in energy efficiency was showcased and celebrated with the presentation of the 2010 ENERGY STAR Market Transformation Awards. The awards, presented annually, recognize leadership in a wide range of energy-efficient products, technologies and services. The awards recognized 10 organizations from across Canada for their outstanding efforts in promoting ENERGY STAR qualified products to benefit Canadian consumers and businesses. More details

Notice to ENERGY STAR® Participants - Residential Refrigerators, Freezers and Refrigerator-Freezers (Refrigerators) - February 18th, 2010

In order to display the ENERGY STAR symbol in Canada all refrigerators must meet the requirements of the ENERGY STAR technical specifications, including testing procedures, as subject to modifications and clarifications provided by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) or the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This Notice comes into effect March 5, 2010. More information.

Canada's ENERGY STAR® Market Transformation Awards 2010

Call for Award Submissions - Nominations are no longer accepted.

Now it's time to submit your application for the 2010 ENERGY STAR awards. All ENERGY STAR Participants are encouraged to apply for an award. Organizations may apply for more than one award if they meet the eligibility requirements. Participants can also nominate themselves.

Winners will be announced on June 9th during the 2010 ENERGY STAR Participants Meeting, to be held at the Crowne Plaza in Ottawa, Ontario.

Celebrating ENERGY STAR Achievements – Canada's ENERGY STAR Market Transformation Awards recognize companies and organizations that have surpassed the competition in offering Canadian consumers the most energy-efficient product, technology or service available on the market. Eligibility criteria, award categories and additional assessment criteria.

Programmable Thermostats – Current specification ending

Please note that the ENERGY STAR Version 1.2 Programmable Thermostat Specification will be suspended on December 31, 2009. Programmable thermostats manufactured after December 31, 2009 may not be labelled with the ENERGY STAR symbol. Qualified products manufactured before that date are allowed to carry the ENERGY STAR symbol. Retailers and distributors will be allowed to sell off their existing inventory of labelled products. Comments on the Draft 1 Version 2.0 ENERGY STAR Programmable Thermostat (PT) Specification are available on the U.S. ENERGY STAR Web site. These comments are being reviewed and stakeholders will be informed of next steps with this specification development process early in the new year.

Window, Door and Skylight Technical Specification Announcement

Over the past sixteen months Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) has conducted a consultation process with Participants and key stakeholders to develop a new version of the technical specification for ENERGY STAR qualified windows, doors and skylights sold in Canada. NRCan would like to publicly thank everyone who has taken the time to work with us or submit comments over the past 16 months. The results of the consultation process are as follows:

  1. The effective date for the new specification is October 1, 2010.
  2. All qualification levels for each product become more stringent.
  3. Window models must meet a minimum ER requirement on the U-factor compliance path.
  4. There is a new separate qualification table for doors.
  5. Full structural testing is a requirement for windows, sliding glass doors and skylights. Certification for structural testing is not a requirement.
  6. Insulating Glass Units are certified for durability effective September 1, 2010.
  7. Mandatory labelling is effective October 1, 2010. This is a change from the previous date of September 1, 2009.
  8. A transitional labelling strategy is being developed to help manufacturers adjust their labelling to the new specification.
  9. All existing participants will be asked to sign a new Administrative Arrangement with NRCan before October 1, 2010.

Window, Door and Skylight Technical Specification Announcement