Energy Efficiency Standards for Appliances, Lighting and Equipment

This fact sheet describes the role of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in implementing and enforcing minimum energy efficiency standards for appliances and equipment under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975. It details the economic and environmental benefits of these standards, the distinction between mandatory federal standards and voluntary programs like ENERGY STAR, and the impact of regional standards on heating and cooling equipment.

• The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) implements minimum efficiency standards for over 60 categories of products in residential and commercial buildings, which reduced the national energy bill by approximately $80 billion in 2015.
• Federal efficiency standards have provided significant cumulative financial savings for consumers, with standards phased in from 1987 to 2013 expected to save over $950 billion on utility bills by 2020 and over $1.7 trillion by 2030.
• Energy efficiency standards have led to substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions; standards implemented since 1987 have avoided 2.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
• The ENERGY STAR program, a voluntary joint initiative by the EPA and DOE, promotes products that exceed minimum federal standards. In 2014, ENERGY STAR products prevented more than 300 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions and saved $34 billion in utility costs.
• Regional standards for residential air conditioners and heat pumps effective since January 2015 are projected to save U.S. consumers $4.2 billion over 30 years and avoid up to 143 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions over the same period.
• While residential energy consumption has declined over three decades due to efficiency standards and building codes, these savings have been partially offset by the increasing use of electronic devices, known as "plug load," which has recently become the largest energy load for residential buildings.
• Appliance standards contribute to job creation in the U.S.; the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy estimated 340,000 jobs were attributed to existing standards in 2010, with a projection of 380,000 jobs by 2030.

APA

Environmental and Energy Study Institute (2017). Energy Efficiency Standards for Appliances, Lighting and Equipment. https://www.eesi.org/files/FactSheet_Energy_Efficiency_Standards_2017.08.pdf

Chicago

Environmental and Energy Study Institute. Energy Efficiency Standards for Appliances, Lighting and Equipment. 2017. https://www.eesi.org/files/FactSheet_Energy_Efficiency_Standards_2017.08.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |title=Energy Efficiency Standards for Appliances, Lighting and Equipment |date=August 2017 |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/FactSheet_Energy_Efficiency_Standards_2017.08.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{environmentalandenergystudyinstitute2017energy, author = {{Environmental and Energy Study Institute}}, title = {{Energy Efficiency Standards for Appliances, Lighting and Equipment}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2017}, month = aug, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/FactSheet_Energy_Efficiency_Standards_2017.08.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }