Standards Comparison

    ENERGY STAR

    Voluntary
    1992

    U.S. voluntary program for energy efficiency certification

    VS

    ISO 45001

    Voluntary
    2018

    International standard for occupational health and safety management.

    Quick Verdict

    ENERGY STAR drives energy efficiency certification for products and buildings via third-party testing, while ISO 45001 establishes OH&S management systems with leadership and worker participation. Companies adopt ENERGY STAR for cost savings and market edge; ISO 45001 for safety, compliance, and risk reduction.

    Energy Efficiency

    ENERGY STAR

    U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR Program

    Cost
    €€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    6-12 months

    Key Features

    • Mandatory third-party certification and verification testing
    • Category-specific performance thresholds above federal minimums
    • Standardized DOE test procedures for measurement
    • Portfolio Manager for building benchmarking scores
    • Strict brand governance and mark controls
    Occupational Health & Safety

    ISO 45001

    ISO 45001:2018 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems

    Cost
    €€€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    6-12 months

    Key Features

    • Top management accountability and worker participation
    • Risk-based planning with hierarchy of controls
    • Annex SL alignment for integrated management systems
    • Operational controls for contractors and change management
    • Performance evaluation and continual improvement loops

    Detailed Analysis

    A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.

    ENERGY STAR Details

    What It Is

    ENERGY STAR is the U.S. EPA-administered voluntary labeling and benchmarking program for energy efficiency. It sets category-specific performance specifications across products, homes, commercial buildings, and industrial plants using standardized testing and verification.

    Key Components

    • Performance thresholds exceeding federal minimums (e.g., 15% better for refrigerators)
    • DOE-referenced test procedures
    • Third-party certification by EPA-recognized bodies
    • Ongoing verification testing (5-20% annually)
    • Portfolio Manager for 1-100 building scores (75+ for certification)
    • Brand governance rules Certification requires independent validation and annual renewal for buildings.

    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, differentiates in markets.

    Implementation Overview

    Phased: assess/gap analysis, testing/certification, deployment, continuous verification. Applies to manufacturers, builders, owners across sizes/industries in U.S./Canada. Demands data governance, lab testing, metering; third-party audits required.

    ISO 45001 Details

    What It Is

    ISO 45001:2018 is the international standard for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSMS). It provides a framework to prevent work-related injuries and ill health, proactively improving OH&S performance. Built on the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle and Annex SL High-Level Structure (HLS), it emphasizes risk-based thinking.

    Key Components

    • Clauses 4-10 cover context, leadership, planning, support, operation, performance evaluation, and improvement.
    • Core elements: hazard identification, hierarchy of controls, worker participation, contractor management, emergency preparedness.
    • Aligned for integrated management systems with ISO 9001/14001; certification via accredited bodies.

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Reduces incidents, legal risks, and costs; enhances resilience and insurance savings.
    • Builds stakeholder trust, talent retention, and market advantage.
    • Drives continual improvement and governance integration.

    Implementation Overview

    • Phased approach: gap analysis, policy/objectives, training, controls, audits.
    • Scalable for all sizes/sectors; 6-12 months typical; optional third-party certification with surveillance audits.

    Key Differences

    Scope

    ENERGY STAR
    Energy efficiency in products, buildings, plants
    ISO 45001
    Occupational health and safety management systems

    Industry

    ENERGY STAR
    All sectors, U.S./Canada focus, any size
    ISO 45001
    All industries worldwide, scalable to any size

    Nature

    ENERGY STAR
    Voluntary U.S. certification program
    ISO 45001
    Voluntary international management standard

    Testing

    ENERGY STAR
    Third-party lab tests, post-market verification
    ISO 45001
    Internal audits, management reviews, certification audits

    Penalties

    ENERGY STAR
    Delisting, label removal, no legal fines
    ISO 45001
    No legal penalties, certification loss only

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions about ENERGY STAR and ISO 45001

    ENERGY STAR FAQ

    ISO 45001 FAQ

    You Might also be Interested in These Articles...

    Run Maturity Assessments with GRADUM

    Transform your compliance journey with our AI-powered assessment platform

    Assess your organization's maturity across multiple standards and regulations including ISO 27001, DORA, NIS2, NIST, GDPR, and hundreds more. Get actionable insights and track your progress with collaborative, AI-powered evaluations.

    100+ Standards & Regulations
    AI-Powered Insights
    Collaborative Assessments
    Actionable Recommendations

    Check out these other Gradum.io Standards Comparison Pages