# /energystar/product_types

`POST /api/energystar/product_types`

Price: 1 credit

List the ENERGY STAR certification categories. Each is a separate dataset with its own set of measured columns, and every other ENERGY STAR endpoint is scoped to one of them. Returns the category's dataset id, the alias the other endpoints take, its display name, how many certified models it currently holds, the full list of column names it publishes, the sub-types found within it, and the alias and current size of its Most Efficient list where one exists.

## How to use it

Read this before building a product search: `alias` is what the other endpoints take as `product_category`, and `columns` is the only place the category's filterable and sortable column names are listed — they differ almost completely between categories, and a name from the wrong one is rejected. `model_count` is counted live, so it also answers how big a category is before pulling it; asking for every category counts them all, so pass `product_category` when only one is wanted. `most_efficient_alias` is what energystar/products/most_efficient takes, and a `most_efficient_model_count` of zero means that list is empty between annual cycles.

## Parameters

- `access-token` (string, required)

## Request body

- `timeout` (integer) — Max scrapping execution timeout (in seconds) (default: 300; min: 20; max: 1500)
- `product_category` (string, nullable) — Restrict the answer to one category. Left unset, every category is returned (one of: "boilers", "ceiling_fans", "commercial_boilers", "commercial_clothes_washers", "commercial_coffee_brewers", "commercial_dishwashers", "commercial_electric_cooktops", "commercial_fryers", "commercial_griddles", "commercial_hot_food_holding_cabinet", "commercial_ice_machines", "commercial_ovens", "commercial_refrigerators_and_freezers", "commercial_steam_cookers", "commercial_water_heaters", "computers_v9_0", "data_center_storage_block_i_o", "data_center_storage_file_i_o", "dehumidifiers", "displays", "electric_vehicle_supply_equipment_ac_output", "electric_vehicle_supply_equipment_dc_output", "enterprise_servers", "furnaces", "geothermal_heat_pumps", "heat_pumps", "imaging_equipment", "laboratory_grade_refrigerators_and_freezers", "large_network_equipment", "light_commercial_hvac", "light_fixtures_downlights", "medical_imaging_equipment", "pool_pumps", "residential_clothes_dryers", "residential_clothes_washers", "residential_dishwashers", "residential_electric_cooking_products", "residential_freezers", "residential_refrigerators", "room_air_cleaners_v3_0", "room_air_conditioners", "smart_thermostats", "storm_windows", "telephones", "televisions", "uninterruptible_power_supplies", "vending_machines", "ventilating_fans", "water_coolers", "water_heaters"; examples: "residential_clothes_washers")
- `count` (integer, required) — Max number of results to return. The catalogue currently holds 50 categories, so a count above that returns every category rather than erroring (min: 1; max: 60)

## Response

### 200 — Successful Response

- `@type` (string) (default: "EnergystarProductType")
- `id` (string, required)
- `alias` (string, required)
- `name` (string, required)
- `model_count` (integer, nullable)
- `columns` (array) (default: [])
- `product_types` (array) (default: [])
- `most_efficient_alias` (string, nullable)
- `most_efficient_model_count` (integer, nullable)

## Errors

### 422 — Validation Error

The request body did not validate

What to do: Check the fields against this schema. A URN with the wrong prefix is the most common cause.

- `detail` (array)
  - `loc` (array, required)
  - `msg` (string, required)
  - `type` (string, required)
  - `input` (any)
  - `ctx` (object)

### 408

The request ran past its time limit

What to do: Raise `timeout` in the request body, up to the maximum this endpoint documents. Lowering `count` or turning off the `with_*` flags also helps, because less work finishes sooner.

### 412

No category matched.

What to do: Retrying will not help: either the entity does not exist, or the input points at a different one.

### 429

Too many requests: a rate limit or a usage window is exhausted

What to do: When the response carries an X-Retry-After header, wait that many seconds and retry: the same number is in the body as `detail.retry_after`, and the limit clears once that window passes. The message in the body names the limit that was hit.

### 500

Something broke on our side

What to do: Retrying will not help. If it keeps happening, send us the X-Request-ID from the response headers.

### 529

Rate limit reached, or the endpoint is overloaded

What to do: Wait at least 30 seconds, then retry.

## Response envelope

Success: Array of objects (may be empty if no results)

Error: Error may coexist with partial results if it occurs mid-execution. Check X-Error header and status code.

Every response carries these headers:

- `X-Error` — Error message text (present only on error)
- `X-Request-ID` — Unique request identifier
- `X-Execution-Time` — Execution time in seconds
- `X-Result-Count` — How many records the body carries. 0 means an empty result, which is a normal answer and not by itself an error. A non-zero count can come back together with X-Error when the failure happened partway through — read this header and X-Error independently.
- `X-Total-Available-Results` — How many records exist for this query, when the endpoint can say. On a `dry_run` request this is the answer and the body is empty. It saturates: the endpoint's documented maximum means 'at least that many', any smaller number is exact.
- `X-Warning` — Present when the request body carried keys this endpoint does not document. They were ignored, so any filter you meant to apply through them did not apply. Check the spelling against this schema and retry.
- `X-Retry-After` — Seconds to wait before retrying. Present only on 429.