All Energy Star
The Energy Star program was created in the early 1990s by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in an attempt to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emission by power plants. Devices carrying the Energy Star logo generally use 20%–30% less energy than required by federal standards.
The Energy Star qualification is awarded to only certain bulbs and products that meet strict efficiency, quality, and lifetime criteria. Energy Star qualified fluorescent lighting uses 75% less energy and lasts up to ten times longer than normal incandescent lights. Most fluorescent products meet the requirements but must go through EPA testing to carry the label.
Most LED products also meet Energy Star guidelines. To qualify for Energy Star certification, LED lighting products must pass a variety of tests to prove that the products will display the following characteristics:
• Brightness is equal to or greater than existing lighting technologies (incandescent or fluorescent) and light is well distributed over the area lighted by the fixture.
• Light output remains constant over time, only decreasing towards the end of the rated lifetime (at least 35,000 hours or 12 years based on use of 8 hours per day).
• Excellent color quality. The shade of white light appears clear and consistent over time.
• Efficiency is as good as or better than fluorescent lighting.
• Light comes on instantly when turned on.
• No flicker when dimmed.
• No off-state power draw. The fixture does not use power when it is turned off, with the exception of external controls, whose power should not exceed 0.5 watts in the off state.