Standards and related premium performance levels

Along with the ENERGY STAR^®, EnerGuide for Industry and building standards resources offered by Natural Resources Canada's Office of Energy Efficiency, the following national and international organizations play a vital part in setting industrial standards or premium performance levels for energy-efficient products.

The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) is one of four standards-development organizations in Canada accredited by the Standards Council of Canada. Due to the energy efficiency expertise of its technical committees, CSA is the principal developer of energy efficiency standards in Canada and related legislation in some provinces. Some of these standards are referred to in Canada's Energy Efficiency Regulations. Functioning as a neutral third party, the CSA offers a structure and forum for producer, user, regulatory and public interests to meet and develop standards by consensus.

Power Smart in British Columbia and Manitoba is a cost-effective electrical utility initiative that assists residential and commercial/industrial customers in conserving electricity, money and the environment. The Web site is full of how-to information, including an e.Catalog, which offers a range of energy-efficient products for your business. Electricity conservation helps BC Hydro and Manitoba Hydro meet growing customer demands by making more efficient use of the electricity that is currently generated.

The U.S. Department of Energy's Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) works to reduce the costs and environmental impact of the federal government by advancing energy efficiency and water conservation, promoting the use of distributed and renewable energy, and improving utility management decisions at U.S. federal sites. Chartered in 1973, FEMP helps agencies find innovative solutions to their energy challenges and meet all their energy management responsibilities, including new construction, building retrofits, equipment procurements, operations and maintenance, and utility management.

The Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) in the U.S. sets and promotes premium performance levels for a range of products. Since 2001, CEE has co-promoted the use of NEMA Premium™ efficiency specifications as they apply to 114 classes of motors. Natural Resources Canada now offers CanMOST, an online motor selection tool.

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association's NEMA Premium™ standard promotes highly energy-efficient motors that meet the needs and applications of users and original equipment manufacturers, based on a consensus definition of "premium efficiency" and use of the NEMA Premium™ logo for premium products.

The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) is a non-profit, non-membership-based organization dedicated to advancing energy efficiency through information exchange and collaboration on projects and initiatives with and for dozens of organizations. These include federal and state agencies, utilities, research institutions, businesses and public interest groups. ACEEE fulfils its mission by conducting in-depth technical and policy assessments; advising policy-makers, program managers, businesses, public interest groups and other organizations; organizing conferences and workshops; publishing documents; and educating consumers and businesses.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) s a worldwide federation of national standards bodies. The objective of the ISO is to promote the development of standardization and related activities in the world with a view to facilitating international exchange of goods and services, and to developing cooperation in the spheres of intellectual, scientific, technological and economic activity. The results of ISO technical work are published as International Standards. In the area of electrotechnical standards, the ISO has HVAC and refrigeration standards.

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is the leading global organization that prepares and publishes international standards for almost all electrical, electronic and related technologies. These serve as a basis for national standardization and as references when drafting international tenders and contracts. Through its members, the IEC promotes international cooperation on all questions of electrotechnical standardization and related matters, including assessment of conformity to standards.

The ISO/IEC Information Center hosts a joint international standards information site) that features IEC and ISO standards catalogues, standards development as well as dedicated enquiry service.