Energy Star® Program Requirements
For Bottled Water Coolers
Partner Commitments
Commitment
The following are the terms of the Energy Star Partnership Agreement as it pertains to the
manufacturing of Energy Star qualified bottled water coolers. The Energy Star Partner must adhere to
the following program requirements:
comply with current Energy Star Eligibility Criteria, defining the performance criteria that must be
met for use of the Energy Star certification mark on bottled water coolers and specifying the
testing criteria for bottled water coolers. EPA may, at its discretion, conduct tests on products that
are referred to as Energy Star qualified. These products may be obtained on the open market,
or voluntarily supplied by Partner at EPA's request;
comply with current Energy Star Logo Use Guidelines, describing how the Energy Star labels
and name may be used. Partner is responsible for adhering to these guidelines and for ensuring
that its authorized representatives, such as advertising agencies, dealers, and distributors, are
also in compliance;
qualify at least one Energy Star labeled bottled water cooler model within one year of activating
the bottled water coolers portion of the agreement. When Partner qualifies the product, it must
meet the specification (e.g., Tier 1 or 2) in effect at that time;
provide clear and consistent labeling of Energy Star qualified bottled water coolers. The Energy
Star label must be clearly displayed on the top/front of the product, in product literature (i.e., user
manuals, spec sheets, etc.), and on the manufacturer's Internet site where information about
Energy Star qualified models is displayed. It is also recommended that the label appear on the
product packaging;
provide to EPA, on an annual basis, an updated list of Energy Star qualifying bottled water cooler
models. Once the Partner submits its first list of Energy Star labeled bottled water cooler
models, the Partner will be listed as an Energy Star Partner. Partner must provide annual
updates in order to remain on the list of participating product manufacturers;
provide to EPA, on an annual basis, unit shipment data or other market indicators to assist in
determining the market penetration of Energy Star. Specifically, Partner must submit the total
number of Energy Star qualified bottled water coolers shipped (in units by model) or an
equivalent measurement as agreed to in advance by EPA and Partner. Partner is also
encouraged to provide Energy Star qualified unit shipment data segmented by meaningful
product characteristics (e.g., capacity, size, speed, or other as relevant), total unit shipments for
each model in its product line, and percent of total unit shipments that qualify as Energy Star.
The data for each calendar year should be submitted to EPA, preferably in electronic format, no
later than the following March and may be provided directly from the Partner or through a third
party. The data will be used by EPA only for program evaluation purposes and will be closely
controlled. If requested under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), EPA will argue that the
data is exempt. Any information used will be masked by EPA so as to protect the confidentiality of
the Partner;
notify EPA of a change in the designated responsible party or contacts for bottled water coolers
within 30 days.
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Performance for Special Distinction
In orderto receive additional recognition and/or support from EPA for its efforts within the
Partnership, the Energy Star Partner may consider the following voluntary measures and should keep
EPA informed on the progress of these efforts:
consider energy efficiency improvements in company facilities and pursue the Energy Star label
for buildings;
purchase Energy Star labeled products. Revise the company purchasing or procurement
specifications to include Energy Star. Provide procurement officials' contact information to EPA
for periodic updates and coordination. Circulate general Energy Star labeled product information
to employees for use when purchasing products for their homes;
ensure the power management feature is enabled on all Energy Star qualified monitors in use in
company facilities, particularly upon installation and after service is performed;
provide general information about the Energy Star program to employees whose jobs are
relevant to the development, marketing, sales, and service of current Energy Star labeled
product models;
feature the Energy Star label(s) on Partner Web site and in other promotional materials. If
information concerning Energy Star is provided on the Partner Web site as specified by the
Energy Star Web Linking Policy (this document can be found in the Partner Resources section
on the Energy Star Web site at www.enerqvstar.gov). EPA may provide links where appropriate
to the Partner Web site;
provide a simple plan to EPA outlining specific measures Partner plans to undertake beyond the
program requirements listed above. By doing so, EPA may be able to coordinate, communicate,
and/or promote Partner's activities, provide an EPA representative, or include news about the
event in the Energy Star newsletter, on the Energy Star Web pages, etc. The plan may be as
simple as providing a list of planned activities or planned milestones that Partner would like EPA
to be aware of. For example, activities may include: (1) increase the availability of Energy Star
labeled products by converting the entire product line within two years to meet Energy Star
guidelines; (2) demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits of energy efficiency through
special in-store displays twice a year; (3) provide information to users (via the Web site and user's
manual) about energy-saving features and operating characteristics of Energy Star qualified
products, and (4) build awareness of the Energy Star Partnership and brand identity by
collaborating with EPA on one print advertorial and one live press event;
provide quarterly, written updates to EPA as to the efforts undertaken by Partner to increase
availability of Energy Star qualified products, and to promote awareness of Energy Star and its
message.
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Energy Star® Program Requirements
for Bottled Water Coolers
Eligibility Criteria

Below is the product specification for Energy Star qualified bottled water coolers. A product must meet
all of the identified criteria to qualify as Energy Star by its manufacturer.
1) Definitions: Below is a brief description of a bottled water cooler and common energy consumption
characteristics relevant to Energy Star. The Energy Star specification focuses on reducing standby
energy consumption.
A.	Bottled Water Cooler: A freestanding device that dispenses water from removable 4- to 5-gallon
plastic bottles commonly positioned on top of the unit.
B.	Standby Energy Consumption: The required energy to maintain cold and/or hot water at
appropriate dispensing temperatures.
2) Qualifying Products: For the purposes of Energy Star, bottled water coolers include the following:
A.	Cold Only Bottled Units: These units dispense either cold water only, or both cold and room-
temperature water.
B.	Hot and Cold Bottled Units: These units dispense both hot and cold water. Some units may have
a third room-temperature tap. Units have an electric resistance heater and a refrigeration cycle.
C.	Cook and Cold Bottled Units: These units dispense both cold and room-temperature water.
3) Energy-Efficiency Specifications for Qualifying Products: Only those products listed in Section 2 that
meet the criteria outlined in Table 1 below may qualify as Energy Star.
Table 1: Energy-Efficiency Criteria for Energy Star Qualified Bottled Water Coolers
Product Category
Energy Use Under Test Conditions
cold only and cook and cold bottled
units
<0.16 kW-hours/day
hot and cold bottled units
< 1.20 kW-hours/day
4) Test Criteria: Test conditions are described below. Tests will focus on overall standby losses and
water will not be withdrawn during the testing procedure.
A.	Power Measurement: Energy use shall be measured as the total true power (kilowatt-hours)
consumed in one 24-hour period.
B.	Starting Conditions: Before starting the energy measurements, the unit should be at operating
conditions, with water temperatures as defined in item (f) below.
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C.	Water Withdrawal: No water may be withdrawn from the unit during the test.
D.	Timer Usage: If the unit has an integral, automatic timer, the timer can be set to turn off the unit
for not more than 10 hours in the 24-hour test period. The unit must operate for the last 2 hours of the
24-hour test to ensure that it fully warms up or cools down after the shut-off period.
E.	Ambient Temperature: Ambient air and water temperature must be 75° ± 2°F.
F.	Dispensed Water Temperatures: Cold water temperature shall not exceed 50°F and hot water
temperature shall be at least 165°F. These temperatures shall be measured before conducting the
standby energy use test described in this specification when the respective function, compressor, or
heating element turns on.
G.	Cooler Location: The unit must be no more than 6 inches from a wall at least 7 feet high and
extending horizontally at least 2 feet from each side of the unit.
H.	Airflow: Airflow around the unit must be natural; no artificial means of increasing the airflow are
permitted. Airflow created by components integral to the unit itself, such as internal fans, are
permitted.
5) Effective Date: The date that manufacturers may begin to qualify products as Energy Star will be
defined as the effective date of the agreement. The effective date of the Energy Star Bottled Water
Cooler specification is September 1, 2000.
6) Future Specification Revisions: Energy Star reserves the right to change the specification should
technological and/or market changes affect its usefulness to consumers, industry, or the environment.
In keeping with current policy, revisions to the specification are arrived at through industry
discussions.
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