The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shared an update on its Energy Star Most Efficient program for 2022 and proposed recognition criteria for 2023.
As of June 2022, 3,308 models from 258 Energy Star partners meet the Most Efficient 2022 recognition criteria. There are 532 models of windows and sliding glass doors that meet the criteria, and 46 Energy Star partners in the same category.

Energy Star Most Efficient is also leveraged for retailer incentives as part of the Energy Star Retail Products Platform (ESRPP), a nationally coordinated, market transformation initiative. ESRPP retailers now represent 822 appliance storefronts in current program sponsors’ service areas. In 2022, there are 13 efficiency program sponsors participating in ESRPP currently serving nearly 15% of U.S. households.

In light of an unexpected budget cut, EPA officials say the agency is pursuing a limited update of the Energy Star Most Efficient criteria for 2023. EPA completed a review of the data associated with currently recognized models and found in all cases that the current criteria would adequately recognize the best of Energy Star for another year. As such, EPA is extending the 2022 efficiency criteria into 2023 for a number of categories, including windows.

Specifically, the EPA states that for “Windows and Sliding Glass Doors: No changes are proposed for the 2023 residential window or sliding door recognition criteria. While high performance window products are widely available, they are still a relatively small slice of the total market. EPA will consider revising the criteria next year after the Version 7.0 Window, Door and Skylight specification is finalized.”

Stakeholders are invited to provide written comments on proposed criteria no later than August 15, 2022, by emailing MostEfficient@energystar.gov.