Still a Star?

That's a good article. I read a similar article about the ice makers in a Consumer Reports article about a month ago:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/home-garden/resource-center/energy-star-has-lost-some-luster/overview/energy-star-ov.htm

Such loose standards make the Energy Star sticker nothing more than a rubber stamp. On the other hand, now that manufacturers see that the stickers help move product they will want to keep them on their appliances, so if relevant standards are imposed and enforced, then it is possible that the program could accomplish useful goals in the long run.

Should Energy Star continue to be a voluntary program or should there be independent audits to test the standards?

• Voluntary - Yes.
• Audit tests - Absolutely.
• Tougher Standards - Definitely. "Ranked in the top 60% for efficiency" is not what people who are willing to pay extra for Energy Star compliance are shooting for.

If there was no Energy Star program. Due you think that the manufacturers would have ever made the changes on their own to help the public conserve energy? If the initial standards had been made so hard to comply to most would have not tried. Now that the got them pushed in the right direction in manufacturing energy efficient products. Now that Energy Star label has become a recognized sell feature. Most companies will want to keep it on their products.

The product that we manufacture is independently tested to comply with the energy star standard. There has been changes in the Energy Star standards for the product we manufacture to take place in the near future. We are doing what needs to be done to insure that logo stays on our product. The changes made may increase the cost to the public. Since it is a voluntary program. If the Energy Star standards push the cost of the goods to high. The public will also look else where buy cheaper products that will reverse the effect intended. The manufactures that tried to comply will drop the effort to stay marketable.

I am sure that there are companies that cheat. There always has been a few that find ways around any standard or law written, always will be. To make it anything but voluntary would hinder new manufacturing in the US.