Keeping the ETL current through research and industry insights
After a summer of high temperatures, the changing season brings renewed attention to energy performance, from cooling and refrigeration to heating and wider operational efficiency. As new technologies and evolving market expectations continue to redefine what energy efficiency looks like, this edition looks at how the ETL is keeping pace with these changes through updates to its criteria, insights from industry, practical guidance and new product information.
We feature new articles on the Annual Research Programme, covering the latest criteria updates from the 2025/26 programme, and the industry consultation and technical review that informs the process.
Two further articles turn to developments across the wider market. One draws on research and industry expertise to explore the challenges and opportunities involved in upgrading commercial kitchens, while the other captures perspectives from manufacturers at InstallerSHOW 2026 to explore emerging industry priorities.
Finally, we spotlight the latest products added to the ETL so far this year, and the new Technical Specification and BIM Object files now available on product listings.
LATEST UPDATES
2025/26 Annual Research Programme outcomes
Updated criteria are now live across 11 sub technologies following the 2025/26 Annual Research Programme. The changes span categories including Energy Monitoring, Boiler Equipment, Motors, Drives and Fans, Compressed Air Equipment, Refrigeration Equipment, Energy Storage and Showers, with revisions to measurement standards, testing routes, performance thresholds and eligibility requirements. The 2025/26 outcomes continue the ETL's programme of criteria review and development, with the 2024/25 Annual Research Programme updates published earlier this year.
Technologies develop, testing standards change and product performance improves. The ETL’s Annual Research Programme responds to these changes by combining technical research, market evidence and industry consultation to review whether its criteria continue to identify the most energy efficient products available in each category. By regularly reviewing technology categories, the ETL maintains a clear benchmark for manufacturers and reliable product information for purchasers and specifiers.
Commercial kitchens bring together multiple technologies, often operating simultaneously for long periods, making them among the most energy intensive spaces in a building. Replacing equipment or planning a refurbishment offers an opportunity to reduce a kitchen’s energy use, carbon footprint and associated costs. Our latest article explores the challenges involved, outlines the key technologies to consider and explains how the ETL can help purchasers and specifiers source and compare suitable energy efficient equipment.
Industry events give the ETL team an opportunity to hear directly from the people developing and specifying energy efficient technologies. At InstallerSHOW 2026, we spoke with manufacturers about the priorities influencing product development and purchasing decisions. The conversations revealed growing demand for efficient, integrated systems, closer links between environmental performance and business value, and greater scrutiny of product claims. Discover what manufacturers told us and explore the wider themes shaping the market.
SKOPE has added 2 Refrigerated Display Cabinets from its ActiveCore range to the ETL, expanding the range of high-performing, independently verified refrigeration products available to purchasers and specifiers.
Commenting on the listings, SKOPE shared: “SKOPE’s ActiveCore range reflects our commitment to reducing the environmental impact of commercial refrigeration. The R290 refrigerant cartridge combines energy-efficient performance with a low Global Warming Potential refrigerant, helping to reduce both operational energy consumption and the climate impact of refrigeration, supporting our sustainability objectives.”
A growing range of ETL-listed products
So far this year, over 40 products from 10 manufacturers have been added to the ETL across 6 sub-technologies. These include Air to Water Heat Pumps from Hamworthy Heating Limited, Ideal Boilers and Dimplex, Energy Monitoring equipment from Hildebrand, and Efficient White Lighting Units from Bumblebee Lighting. The ETL’s Refrigeration Equipment categories have also grown, with Professional Refrigerated Storage and Display Cabinets from Electrolux Professional, Liebherr, Pentland Wholesale and SKOPE, and Evaporative Condensers from MITA Cooling Technologies. These additions offer more verified, energy efficient equipment options for purchasers and specifiers.
Bumblebee Lighting adds more Efficient White Lighting Units
New BIM and Technical Specification files
Following the 2024/25 and 2025/26 Annual Research Programmes, Future Motors, Naked Energy, Chauvin Arnoux, Spirax Sarco, Bosch and Stark have added 30 files to ETL product listings, comprising 25 Technical Specifications and 5 BIM Object files. These provide additional information for purchasers, specifiers and designers comparing energy efficient equipment. Upload files free of charge as part of the application process, or contact the ETL team to update an existing listing.
GET INVOLVED
Showcase your product
Listing on the ETL allows manufacturers access to buyers who prioritise energy efficiency. Covering 21 Technology categories and 65 sub-technologies, ETL accreditation offers independent verification of energy performance, supporting industry best practice. Explore our categories, and watch our short video on how to apply.
Uploading your Technical Specification and BIM Object files to your ETL listings gives purchasers, specifiers and designers access to detailed information on your energy efficient products. Our article explains how to add them at no cost,or you cancontact the team for help.
Whether you’re looking to list your products, seeking verified energy saving technologies, or simply curious about how the ETL works, our Resources page has you covered. Access FAQs, detailed manufacturer guides, scheme information, toolkits to support procurement decisions, and our archive of past newsletters. All designed to help you make the most of the ETL and stay up to date with the latest developments.
With thousands of independently verified, energy efficient products across a wide range of technologies, the ETL helps you identify suitable equipment for your project. Our step by step guide explains how to define your requirements, search and shortlist products, compare the available information and confirm suitability before making a purchase.
