Appliance Efficiency Program: Outreach and Education

The California Energy Commission (CEC) first developed the Appliance Energy Efficiency Standards in 1977. They apply to appliances sold or are offered for sale in California. These standards include minimum levels of operating efficiency, and other cost-effective measures, to promote the use of energy- and water-efficiency appliances. After standards are adopted, the CEC informs stakeholders and manufacturers of the final appliance efficiency testing requirements, certification instructions, and procedures to comply with the standards. To be sold or offered for sale in California it is the responsibility of appliance manufacturers selling their products to first have the products tested (in accordance with the testing requirements). After testing, manufacturers can then submit their performance data to the CEC’s online Modernized Appliance Efficiency Database System (MAEDbS) to be certified. If the submitted data is compliant with the regulations, then the model is listed in MAEDbS as approved and is considered compliant. A regulated appliance that is not certified cannot be legally sold or offered for sale in the state of California. This page provides manufacturers and stakeholders with appliance-specific information. Outreach and Education Materials by Appliance Category Expand All Collapse All Central Air Conditioners Appliance Type Air Filters Computer Room Air Conditioner Evaporatively-Cooled Air Conditioner Large and Very Large Air Conditioner Small Air-Cooled Air Conditioner Water Cooled Air Conditioner Program Bulletins March 6, 2019 - Regulatory Advisory: Air Filter Marking Update August 23, 2011 - Variable-Speed Residential and Small Commercial Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps – Letter to the Air-Conditioning, Heating, & Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) AHRI Directory of Certified Product Performance for Variable Speed Air Conditioners AHRI Directory of Certified Product Performance for Variable Speed Heat Pumps Central Heat Pumps Appliance Type Gas Fired Heat Pump Geo Heat Pump Heat Pump Water Heating Packages Large and Very Large Heat Pump Small Air Source Heat Pump Computers Appliance Type Computer Monitors Desktops, Thin Clients, and Mobile Gaming Systems Medical Computer Monitors Notebooks and Portable All-in-ones Small-Scale Servers and Rack-Mounted Workstations Fact Sheets 2019 Computer Standards Tier 1 – Link to Energy Code Ace document California Appliance Efficiency Regulations for Computers – Link to Energy Code Ace document FAQs for California Energy Commission Computers and Displays Regulation Cooking and Washing Products Appliance Type Clothes Dryers Clothes Washers Commercial Cooking Dishwashers Residential Cooking Electronics Appliance Type Consumer and Audio and Video Federally Regulated Battery Chargers Large Battery Chargers Small Battery Chargers Televisions and Signage Displays External Power Supplies (Certification to MAEDbS not required) Fact Sheets Federal and State requirements for Battery Chargers  – Link to Energy Code Ace document Frequently Asked Questions Backup Battery Charger Systems Federal Battery Charger System Test Procedure Program Bulletins May 9, 2025 - Request for Information (RFI): 2024 Efficiency Regulations for Televisions and Displays – Revised Data Collection Requirements September 22, 2023 – Regulatory Advisory: Televisions and Signage Displays October 31, 2018 - Regulatory Advisory: Backup Battery Charger Systems June 7, 2018 - Regulatory Advisory: Federally Regulated Battery Chargers Test Method for Large Battery Charger Systems Energy Efficiency Battery Charger System Test Procedure Version 2.2. November 12, 2008. Published by ECOS and EPRI Solutions Fans and Dehumidifiers Appliance Type Ceiling Fans Commercial and Industrial Fans and Blowers Dehumidifiers Residential Furnace Fans Whole House and Residential Exhaust Fans Fact Sheets