New label recognizes Energy Star 'superstar' products

Earning an Energy Star label is good for companies looking to boost their eco-credentials, but a new program will now recognize the most energy efficient of energy-efficient products.

“Most Efficient,” a pilot program of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Department of Energy (DOE), aims to provide manufacturers with an incentive for greater product energy efficiency while also providing consumers new information about products that comprise the top tier of Energy Star categories.

“Highlighting Energy Star’s Most Efficient products is a great way to encourage the strides in innovation that bring even more energy and money saving choices to our stores,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “We know American consumers are eager to make purchases that save them money on their utility bills and reduce the pollution in the air we breathe, and these labels will help them identify the best ways to find those purchases.”

Products that receive the Most Efficient designation will be singled out for having demonstrated exceptional and cutting-edge efficiency performance. The Most Efficient recognition will represent around the top 5 percent of models on the market in the following categories: clothes washers, heating and cooling equipment, televisions, and refrigerator-freezers.

Among the first Energy Star partner products to be recognized as Most Efficient are: Electrolux Major Appliances, Sears’ Kenmore, LG, Samsung, Best Buy’s Insignia Brand, Panasonic, Nordyne, and Rheem. Later this year, the EPA will initiate a process to consider additional product categories for potential inclusion in 2012.