To assist the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency in their combined efforts to more effectively monitor the performance of Energy Star–labeled appliances, the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) has launched the Refrigerator, Refrigerator-Freezer, and Freezer Verification Program. Through independent laboratory CSA International, this voluntary program will conduct random tests on participating manufacturers’ refrigerator, freezer, and fridge-freezer combination models to verify their energy usage claims.
AHAM’s intention is to instill a greater level of consumer confidence in appliance energy usage claims.
Currently, nine manufacturers—which make up the majority of the U.S. refrigerator and freezer industry—have signed on to participate in the verification program. According to AHAM, the program is an all-or-nothing proposition. Once a manufacturer joins, it can’t simply submit one or two selected models for testing. Instead, its entire production line of products is enrolled in the program and any model can be tested randomly at any time. All testing will be conducted using DOE’s federal test procedure for home refrigeration products.
Accepted by Energy Star as one of its third-party providers of ongoing performance testing, the program currently is the only one in place to do so for refrigerators, fridge-freezers, and freezers. AHAM also plans to develop performance verification programs for other home appliances that fall within its scope, such as dishwashers and washing machines.
Beginning in September, AHAM will publish an online directory at www.aham.org of all test results. This database of products will be searchable by product configuration, energy usage rating, and other characteristics to allow appliance consumers to easily find a product that best matches their needs.
