Skip Navigation to main content U.S. Department of Energy Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Communication Standards and Guidelines
Communication Standards and Guidelines Home Page
Print Guidelines
Exhibit Guidelines
Web Governance
Web Project Management Guidelines
Web Content Guidelines
Web Technical Guidelines Coding Content Management System Electronic Newsletters Graphics Multimedia File Naming Conventions and Directory Structure PDFs QA Checklist Redirects and Proxies Templates Technical Maintenance Web Applications
Style Guide
Glossary
Updates to Standards and Guidelines
Training
Contacts

Web Applications

This page describes the requirements for developing Web applications for EERE sites. These are required for all public applications, including those hosted on partnership sites branded to EERE.

Process

To ensure that all EERE Web applications have a consistent professional look, navigation, and meet EERE, DOE, and federal Web standards, all Web applications must go through a review and approval process managed by the Office of Technology Advancement and Outreach (TAO) before being published.

If you have any questions about the Web application development and approval process, contact Michael Thomas.

Every new application must go through these steps:

  1. Before beginning your Web application project, send an email to your site's Web Coordinator for that site with the following information:
    • Name of Web application
    • Purpose and audience of application
    • The sponsoring program and a list of the project team members developing the Web application
    • Proposed hosting environment
    • Proposed domain
    • Recommendations for how the application will be linked from the EERE Web site and/or EERE program Web site.
  2. Because developing a new application is similar to developing any full-scale Web project, follow the guidelines on the Process and Approvals page. Start by filling out the project information form (MS Word 80 KB) and sending it to the Project Review Team Facilitator.
  3. The Project Review Team will approve the project, the hosting environment, and domain. See the hosting and domain requirements below.
  4. The project team will develop the application. All applications must be designed such that they meet the required Web application standards.
  5. EERE will conduct a QA of the application to ensure that it meets all application standards.
  6. The project team will make any changes that are identified in the QA.
  7. The project team will request permission from the program director and the Project Review Team for the application to go live.
  8. When approval is given, the application may be sent live.

Standards

EERE has developed the following standards for all EERE public applications and databases. The EERE Web Enterprise Manager must approve any exceptions to these standards.

If you have any questions about the application standards, please contact Michael Thomas.

Hosting Environment

All EERE applications must be hosted in an environment that meets DOE's requirements for Certification and Accreditation (C&A). Approved hosting environments are:

  • The EERE centralized Web site hosting environment
  • The EERE Web hosting environment at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
  • Other hosting environments that have received Certification and Accreditation (with preapproval from EERE Web Enterprise Manager.)

Supported Databases and Application Languages

Web applications should be coded using technologies that conform to the current hosting environment. Applications should not include third-party plug-ins that need to be installed on the Web server itself. Front-end Web application languages that are supported are:

  • ASP v3.0
  • .NET v2 (Visual Basic .NET or C#)
  • ColdFusion MX 7.

Databases must be in Microsoft SQL Server 2000 format.

If you have any questions about supported applications or databases, contact Michael Thomas.

Domains

All EERE applications must use a ".gov" domain per the requirements of the Office of Management and Budget.

EERE is in the process of developing specific domain guidelines for EERE applications. See EERE's domain and URL standards.

Search

If you want your application to be searchable in EERE's search tool, Ultraseek, contact the EERE Template Coordinator for information on how Ultraseek indexes dynamic URLs.

Branding

Applications must be branded to EERE. See an example on the AFDC Web site.

Navigation

Applications must:

Site Integration

Applications can either be standalone sites, integrated into a larger site, and/or be linked via a pop-up window.

Style Sheets

All applications must use the EERE style sheet. Styles may be added for elements not included in the master EERE style sheet. However, they should also reflect established standards.

Technical Standards

Technical standards for static Web pages also apply to Web applications. These include, but are not limited to, standards for data tables, forms, and HTML syntax.

One exception to these standards for Web applications is the inclusion of a printable version. While printable versions are considered a best practice, they are not required for Web applications.

Web applications must also adhere to a special set of standards written specifically for dynamic applications. These include:

Security

The U.S. Department of Energy Office of the Chief Information Officer requires that public Web applications are not vulnerable to cyber security threats. Before a Web application can be sent live, it must be scanned with a Web application security assessment tool such as IBM's Rational Appscan. Any security issues found must be fixed prior to going live. After the application is live, the application should be scanned whenever there is a vulnerability update for the tool and be remediated as needed. In the absence of a vulnerability update, the application must be scanned at least once per year.