PETER BANWELL EPA

Awareness, retail participation and utility promotion for ENERGY STAR^® all made significant advances in 2006.

“It was a good year,” reported EPA’s Peter Banwell, Team Lead for ENERGY STAR Product Marketing. “All the work being done [by efficiency program administrators and retailers] is paying off.”

Banwell pointed to successes in major retail chain promotions as well as nationwide campaigns such as “Cool Your World” and “Change a Light.” ENERGY STAR enlisted new partners (Menards and Wal-Mart) and established new or revised specifications for 18 product categories. For many of these products, CEE submitted comments on behalf of its members.

“Awareness is the first step,” Banwell said., “and according to CEE’s research, national awareness levels are at an all-time high.”

Advertisements that featured (or included) ENERGY STAR also continue to be on an upswing, according to Banwell.

In 2007, ENERGY STAR plans to explore additional energy-efficiency opportunities in data centers, computers, televisions and monitors, digital-to-analog (DTA) converters, home electronics and commercial food service.

CEE committees continue to work closely with ENERGY STAR staff, providing input and finding areas for co-promotion in member programs.

In addition to the continued involvement of CEE committees in specific product areas, CEE is also working closely with EPA and DOE to enhance the ENERGY STAR brand to better serve the needs of program administrators (see related story).

[ back to top ]