CARICOM Energy Efficiency Standards and Labelling Programme (CEESLP)

The CARICOM Energy Efficiency Standards and Labelling Programme (CEESLP), an initiative spearheaded by the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ), promotes energy efficiency and sustainability in the region. The programme focuses on implementing energy efficiency standards and labelling requirements for selected electrical products commonly used in households - specifically, refrigerators, freezers, refrigerator-freezers, and wine chillers; room air conditioners (ACs), and lighting products (Light Emitted Diodes - LEDs and Compact Fluorescent Lamps – CFLs).

The overall goal of the CEESLP is to reduce energy consumption, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and promote sustainable development across the CARICOM region by encouraging the adoption of energy-efficient appliances and practices. By providing consumers with information about the energy performance of appliances through standardized labelling, the programme aims to empower them to make more informed purchasing decisions that contribute to energy savings and environmental protection.

The programme was developed and implemented through funding support from the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) via two energy efficiency projects: the Regional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (R3E) Project and the Quality for Sustainable Energy in the Caribbean (QSEC) Project. These projects were managed by the German National Metrology Institute (PTB) and implemented by the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ), and the Instituto Dominicano para la Calidad (INDOCAL). Other regional and international agencies provided complementary technical and financial support.  Under the QSEC Project (which ended in March 2024), the programme was operationalized in five (5) CARICOM Member States: Barbados, Belize, Jamaica, St Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago. 

Key Components of the CEESLP 

• Energy Efficiency Standards - There are regional energy efficiency standards for refrigerators, (as well as freezers, refrigerator-freezers, and wine chillers); room air conditioners; and lighting products, specifically, CFLs and LEDs. These standards include Minimum Energy Performance (MEPs) requirements and labelling requirements for the aforementioned products.  The standards are:

  • CRS 57:2018/Amd 1:2022 Energy labelling – Refrigerating appliances – Requirements  
  • CRS 59:2019 Energy labelling – Air conditioners – Requirements  
  • CRS 58:2019 Energy labelling – Compact fluorescent lamps and light emitting diode lamps – Requirements

Note: A minimum energy performance standard (MEPS) is a specification, containing several performance requirements for an energy-using device, that effectively limits the maximum amount of energy that a product may consume in performing a specified task.

• Testing of Electrical Products - Within CARICOM are two Regional Testing Centres for the aforenamed appliances. The Energy Efficiency Testing Laboratory at the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) in Jamaica conducts label inspection energy efficiency testing of room air conditioners, refrigerators, freezers, refrigerator-freezers, and wine chillers.  The Energy Efficiency Lighting Laboratory at the Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards in Trinidad and Tobago conducts label inspection and energy efficiency testing of CFLs and LEDs.

Note: The Energy Efficiency Testing Laboratory in Jamaica can test these types of ACs: non-ducted air-conditioners, single-package or split-system, with only one interior unit.

• Affixing of Energy Efficiency Labels - Manufacturers, retailers or distributors are required to label their products with standardized energy efficiency labels, providing consumers with information about the energy consumption and efficiency of the appliance. The relevant national authority in each Member State issues these labels. The labels enable consumers to compare different models of a specific product. The labels must be affixed to the correct product and appropriately placed on the product.  Click on the links below to see images of the labels:
  • CEE label for Refrigerating Appliances
  • CEE label for ACs 
  • CEE label for Lighting Products

• Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration - Capacity-building support is provided to manufacturers, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders in implementing energy efficiency standards and labelling requirements. This includes coordinating efforts to ensure the smooth ingress and egress (where necessary) of appliances for testing at the Regional Testing Centres. 

• Consumer Awareness and Empowerment - Consumer awareness campaigns and educational initiatives are conducted to inform consumers about the importance of energy efficiency, how to interpret energy labels, and the benefits of choosing energy-efficient appliances.  An online portal, the CROSQ Regional Energy Efficiency Products Database, provides consumers with detailed information on the energy efficiency of the electrical products under the programme.

• Compliance and Enforcement - For countries that have implemented the programme, mechanisms are in place to ensure compliance with energy efficiency standards and labelling requirements, including monitoring, testing, and enforcement measures, to address non-compliant products. In some Member States, a legally independent national authority is responsible for monitoring and enforcement, in others, these activities are undertaken by the National Standards Body.