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The Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) sets forth an energy conservation program for certain appliances. These appliances are required to be tested in accordance with Federal test procedures to meet mandated efficiency standards. These test procedures can be found in the current U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR, Title 10, Part 430). The CFR also identifies the individual standards, which specify a minimum level of energy efficiency or a maximum level of energy use for regulated appliances. The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Codes and Standards (OCS) is responsible for developing and periodically updating these standards, as well as monitoring compliance with the standards.
Before any clothes washers can be distributed into commerce in the United States, specific compliance information must first be submitted. Compliance information consists of a statement of compliance and a certification report. Collectively, these documents certify that each clothes washer basic model meets the applicable energy conservation standard. A basic model refers to all units manufactured by one manufacturer which have the same primary energy source, which have essentially identical electrical characteristics and which do not have any differing physical or functional characteristics that affect energy consumption. By following the sample formats of compliance statement and the certification report provided in this brief, compliance requirements under the applicable standards will be considered adequately met.
Energy Conservation Standards
- All clothes washers manufactured between January 1, 1988 and May 14, 1994 shall include an unheated rinse water option.
- Top loading, automatic clothes washers manufactured after May 14, 1994 shall have an energy factor no less than 0.90 ft3/kWh/cycle for compact size washers (less than 1.6 ft3 capacity) and no less than 1.18 ft3/kWh/cycle for standard size washers (1.6 ft3 or greater capacity).
- Top loading semi-automatic, front loading, and suds saving clothes washers manufactured on or after May 14, 1994 must include an unheated rinse option.
All manufacturers or private labelers of clothes washers should submit the compliance information requested above. A company which imports this product into the United States will be treated as a manufacturer and will be subject to the same provisions of compliance. A manufacturer or private labeler may authorize a third party representative (e.g., a trade association) to submit the compliance information on their behalf.
Compliance information is to be submitted prior to or concurrent with the effective date of any change in the applicable energy conservation standards for any new model of a regulated appliance, before the model is distributed into commerce. Whenever an existing model is discontinued, a written notice is required.
A hardcopy version of the compliance statement should be submitted to OCS. The certification report will be accepted either in hardcopy format or on a 3.5" disk using a current version of Lotus 1-2-3.
The compliance statement and certification report for clothes washers should be submitted by certified mail to:
Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Appliance Standards Division
Forrestal Building
1000 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20585
For more information on the certification of clothes washers contact:
Bryan Berringer, Program Manager
Appliance Standards Division, EE-431
(202) 586-0371
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