Appliances - The EnerGuide Label

An EnerGuide label tells you about the appliances you're buying, but can you tell them the story behind it?
Before a major household appliance or room air conditioner can carry an EnerGuide label, the product must be tested for its energy performance. These tests establish how much energy the appliance consumes under average conditions and whether it meets minimum energy-efficiency standards set out by the Energy Efficiency Act. It's all part of an effort to help consumers use less electricity, which is good for the environment and good for their pocketbooks.

Testing for energy performance

Standards are developed by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) through a consensus process. Specifically, each product's energy performance standard is developed by a CSA Technical Subcommittee, which includes manufacturers, federal and provincial energy efficiency regulators, electric utilities and consumer representatives who are knowledgeable in the product area.

Testing procedures ensure that all appliances on the Canadian retail floor are tested according to the same criteria and that the EnerGuide rating is fair and comparable. The tests also provide a basis for quality assurance for the consumer. Also, by following the appropriate test procedure, the federal government can be assured that all products are tested in compliance with the Energy Efficiency Regulations. Energy performance test procedures rely on estimates of usage in an average Canadian household. A subset for each model type is tested to achieve an acceptable level of accuracy that is the best possible compromise between precision and cost.

Testing the testers

Manufacturers have two testing options: they can send their prototypes to an accredited testing laboratory, such as the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) or Underwriters Laboratories (UL), or they can test their prototype at their own in-house facilities. Before accepting manufacturers' data, however, engineers from the testing organization will visit the in-house testing facilities to confirm that the facilities and test methods comply with CSA standards.

A look behind the label

Thanks to CSA testing standards, you're getting assurances about energy performance and savings. The following appliance descriptions will answer your about how manufacturers come up with the EnerGuide rating on the EnerGuide label.

This fact sheet was written from material provided by Rick Morrison, P. Eng, Project Engineer, Energy Efficiency Verification Program, Canadian Standards Association.