What It Is

ENERGY STAR is the U.S. EPA's voluntary labeling and benchmarking program for superior energy efficiency. It covers products, homes, commercial buildings, and industrial plants using performance thresholds, standardized tests, and third-party verification to signal top-tier efficiency.

Key Components

• Category-specific specs with metrics like EER/IEER for HVAC, AFUE for furnaces
• Third-party certification via EPA-recognized labs/CBs and post-market verification (5-20% annually)
• Portfolio Manager for 1-100 building scores (75+ for certification)
• Rigorous brand governance with mark usage rules

Why Organizations Use It

Reduces energy costs ($500B saved since 1992), emissions (4B tons avoided), unlocks rebates/procurement; builds trust via credible label (90% recognition); supports ESG, regulatory compliance in benchmarking laws.

Implementation Overview

Phased: assess/gap analysis, test/certify, deploy/monitor, verify annually. Applies to manufacturers, builders, owners; requires labs, data submission, ongoing testing; third-party PE/RA verification for buildings.

What It Is

The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) is a U.S. federal regulation, enacted in 1998 and effective April 21, 2000. It protects children under 13 from unauthorized online collection of personal information by commercial websites, apps, and services directed at kids or with actual knowledge of users' age. Its control-based approach mandates parental oversight through verifiable consent mechanisms.

Key Components

• **Verifiable Parental Consent (VPC)Required before collection; 11+ methods like credit card or video verification.
• **Privacy NoticesDetailed policies on data practices.
• **Parental RightsAccess, review, deletion of child's data.
• **Data SecurityReasonable procedures; broad PII definition includes persistent IDs, geolocation, audio/video. Compliance via FTC safe harbors; no fixed control count but four core themes: scope, definitions, consent, enforcement.

Why Organizations Use It

• **Legal MandateFTC enforcement avoids $43,792 per-violation fines (e.g., YouTube $170M).
• **Risk ReductionMitigates data breach and reputation risks.
• **Parent TrustBuilds confidence in child-directed services.
• **Market EdgeEnables U.S. kids' content globally.

Implementation Overview

• Analyze audience for child-direction; develop policies, integrate VPC, minimize data.
• Activities: Age gates, audits, training; safe harbor participation.
• Applies to commercial operators worldwide targeting U.S. children; scalable for SMBs to enterprises. No certification, but FTC-approved programs.