Appliances and Commercial Equipment Standards Program

The Department of Energys Appliances and Commercial Equipment Standards Program follows a set schedule for setting new appliance efficiency standards. The schedule commits the US government to issue standards by 2011 for all products requiring regulatory revision. The five-year plan, developed in 2005 and released January 31, 2006, outlines how DOE will address the appliance standards rulemaking backlog and meet the statutory requirements established in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005), the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007), or Backlog (before EPAct 2005). In addition to products required under EPAct 2005 and EISA 2007, the schedule provides for the issuance of one standard for each of the 18 products currently in the backlog, including - residential furnaces and boilers; - mobile home furnaces; - small furnaces; - residential water heaters; - direct heating equipment; - pool heaters; - electric motors; - incandescent reflector lamps; - fluorescent lamps; - incandescent general service lamps; - fluorescent lamp ballasts; - residential dishwashers; - ranges and ovens; - microwave ovens; - residential clothes dryers; - room air conditioners; - packaged terminal air conditioners and heat pumps; and - residential central air conditioners. Appliances and Commercial Equipment Standards Program is a DOE-managed program which develops, promulgates, and enforces test procedures and minimum energy efficiency standards for residential appliances and certain commercial equipment. Under the EISA 2007 and EPAct 2005 the Department of Energy is required to set new appliance efficiency standards. The program: Provides information on its history and impacts, statutory authorities, regulatory processes, plans and schedules, and program reports and publications; Issues regulations for appliance and equipment standards and test procedures, and for implementation, certification, and enforcement; Issues waivers for appliance and equipment test procedures; Provides further guidance to aid in the implementation; Seeks the participation of the public in current rulemakings and notices, announces all public meetings and comment deadlines, provides information on how to participate, and explains how to access rulemaking dockets and documents; and Supports the voluntary ENERGY STAR ® program by working with EPA to ensure products that display the label meet Energy Star specifications.

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