D.C. Appliance and Equipment Energy Efficiency Standards

NOTE: The federal government has imposed and updated appliance efficiency standards through several legislative acts,* and now has standards in place or under development for 30 classes of products. In general, states which had set standards prior to federal action may enforce their own standards until the federal standards take effect. States that had not set standards prior to federal action must use the federal standards. This summary addresses (1) state appliance standards that will be in place until the federal standards take effect and (2) products for which the federal government is not currently developing an efficiency standard. Much of the information in this summary comes from the Appliance Standards Awareness Project (ASAP). Visit the ASAP web site for comprehensive information about appliance standards.

In 2007 the District of Columbia (D.C.) enacted legislation, entitled the Energy Efficiency Standards Act of 2007, which created efficiency standards for six products, four of which were immediately preempted by federal law. The efficiency standards thereby apply to bottle-type water dispensers and commercial hot food holding cabinets sold in D.C. on or after January 1, 2009 and installed on or after January 1, 2010. 

While these standards apply currently to limited products, § 8-1771.04 establishes that the Mayor may adopt rules to either 1) increase efficiency standards for the listed products or 2) establish efficiency standards for products not listed if he/she feels it necessary to further promote energy conservation in D.C. 

In December 2020, the 2007 act was amended with updated energy efficiency provisions with an effective date of 03/15/2022 for the aforementioned products and the following:

• air purifiers
• commercial food equipment
• computers
• light bulbs
• portable spas
• high-CRI linear fluorescent lamps

The amendment codifies that at least every 5 years, the Mayor must evaluate whether the efficiency standards for products best serve to promote energy conservation in the District of Columbia and issue a report to the Council on his or her findings. For more information regarding this legislation. 

* These acts include the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act of 1987, the Energy Policy Act of 1992, the Energy Policy Act of 2005, and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.