CSA receives EPA ENERGY STAR recognition

CSA International ENERGY STAR Certification enables EPA-recognized, third-party testing and verification for energy efficiency, covering appliances, HVAC, electronics, IT, lighting, and commercial foodservice equipment through accredited laboratories, compliance audits, and data submission.

CSA International, a leading testing and certification organization, today announced that it has received recognition by the Environmental Protection Agency EPA as a Certification Body under the enhanced ENERGY STAR program and is doubling its capacity to accommodate the increased demand for energy efficiency qualification and verification services.

This recognition by the EPA establishes CSA International as an independent third-party eligible to certify products to the ENERGY STAR program requirements framework.

“As a leading provider of energy efficiency verification services for more than 32 years in Canada through ENERGY STAR adoption initiatives and efforts, this recognition allows CSA International to expand its services in the U.S. and globally to enable our customers in obtaining the highly-respected ENERGY STAR mark for their products,” says Terry Drew, director, energy efficiency and sustainability, CSA International.

Under this recognition, CSA International is able to qualify and verify that products meet ENERGY STAR requirements by testing them in its EPA recognized laboratories, by witness or supervised testing at manufacturers’ labs, or by verifying testing data from other EPA recognized independent third-party laboratories. As a Certification Body, CSA International will confirm a manufacturer’s compliance with ENERGY STAR requirements and upload the data required for EPA to authorize the use of the ENERGY STAR mark by a specific manufacturer for a specific product.

The EPA recognition covers a broad range of products including: home appliances heating, ventilating and air conditioning equipment consumer electronics information technology, including data centers facilities and operations, lighting and commercial food service equipment. In addition to being recognized as an ENERGY STAR Certification Body, CSA International is also working to ensure that its facilities in Toronto, Cleveland, Vancouver and Irvine, CA are recognized for testing to ENERGY STAR requirements. CSA’s Atlanta Laboratory received accreditation in September 2010.

In November 2009, the EPA announced that the ENERGY STAR program was to require third-party testing of all eligible products starting in 2011. Previously, the program allowed companies to self-declare their compliance with ENERGY STAR requirements. ENERGY STAR was launched in 1992 and has set efficiency levels that are 10 to 25 per cent higher than basic regulatory compliance; it has also seen over 1 million ENERGY STAR homes built in the U.S. market to date.

Recognition by EPA applies only to the energy efficiency requirements of the ENERGY STAR program, while top ENERGY STAR partners are recognized by DOE each year to highlight best practices. For certification to applicable standards, CSA International is accredited as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory in the U.S. and an Accredited Certification Organization by Standards Council of Canada.

With these combined accreditations, CSA will now offer clients a single source for testing, certification and energy verification services for both Canada and the U.S.

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