CSA International lab receives accreditation for new ENERGY STAR verification requirements

CSA International, a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory in the U.S. and an Accredited Certification Organization by Standards Council of Canada, announced that its Atlanta, Georgia laboratory has received accreditation from the International Accreditation Service (IAS) to test selected products to help ensure that they meet ENERGY STAR(R) requirements. The scope of this accreditation includes computers, external and internal power supplies, televisions, imaging equipment and display monitors.

"CSA International’s accreditation from IAS will help provide manufacturers and consumers with extra assurance that eligible electronic products have been tested and documented by a third party laboratory and meet energy efficiency requirements, as will soon be required by the Environmental Protection Agency under the new ENERGY STAR program," says Randall W. Luecke, President, CSA International. "This designation will also expand our portfolio of service offerings to electronic manufacturers that wish to certify eligible products for North America for electrical safety in combination with ENERGY STAR energy efficiency requirements."

In November 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency (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 percent higher than basic regulatory compliance.

CSA International is doubling its capacity to accommodate the increased demand for energy efficiency verification services in the coming years. It will initially offer services in 35 product categories, out of the approximately 53 product categories affected by the ENERGY STAR enhancements.

In addition to achieving accreditation for its Atlanta laboratory, CSA International is working to ensure that its Cleveland, Ohio, Toronto, Canada and Guangzhou, China testing laboratories are also officially recognized as qualified in testing to ENERGY STAR requirements.

IAS accreditation to the ANS/ISO/IEC 17025, General criteria for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories standard measures an organization’s quality management system, as well as competencies of staff, methodologies applied in testing, and calibration of test equipment.
www.csa-international.org/product_areas/energy_efficiency/