What Is ENERGY STAR and Why it Should Matter to You?

Every little penny counts! That’s why the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR^® program became the “most successful voluntary energy efficiency movement in history.”¹ The ENERGY STAR^® program highlights energy efficient products that have been certified to use less energy than their standard counterpart products. The idea is that when homeowners purchase ENERGY STAR^® certified products, they can save money on energy costs.

When your home’s heating and cooling can account for up to 42% of your energy bill, purchasing ENERGY STAR^® certified products to use less energy may help you keep more of your hard-earned dollars.²

ENERGY STAR^® Certification

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires all ENERGY STAR^® products to be third-party certified. Products are tested in an EPA-recognized laboratory and reviewed by an EPA-recognized certification body prior to being ENERGY STAR^® certified.³ ENERGY STAR^® heating and cooling products must be proven to save energy without sacrificing features or functionality.

In order to become an ENERGY STAR^® partner, organizations enter into a formal agreement with the EPA. “As a partner in the program, organizations agree to abide by the ENERGY STAR^® program identity guidelines to ensure proper use of the logo.”⁴ This partnership can provide homeowners with confidence that the product they are purchasing uses less energy than other products in that category.

In addition to up-front testing, ENERGY STAR^® products can also be subject to "off–the–shelf" verification testing each year. These checks ensure that manufacturing process changes or variations don’t undermine an ENERGY STAR^® product's qualification.⁵ In 2015, 97% of the 1,789 models that underwent verification testing met energy-saving expectations.⁶

Why Choose an ENERGY STAR^® Product?

The ENERGY STAR^® program, which was introduced in 1992, applies to products in more than 70 categories. When compared to the standard product model in the same category, ENERGY STAR^® certified products:

• Have higher energy-efficiency ratings
• Cost less money to operate
• Are better for the environment

You can assess your home’s annual energy use compared to similar homes by using the EPA's Home Energy Yardstick.⁷ With the Home Energy Yardstick, you can get:

• Your home's energy use score
• Insights into how much of your home's energy use is related to heating and cooling versus other everyday uses like appliances, lighting, and hot water
• Links to guidance from ENERGY STAR^® on how to increase your home's score, improve comfort, and lower utility bills
• An estimate of your home's annual carbon emissions

1 The ENERGY STAR^® Story. (n.d.). Retrieved from Energystar.gov: https://www.energystar.gov/about
2 Third-Party Certification. (n.d.). Retrieved from ENERGY STAR^®: https://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=third_party_certification.tpc_index
3 Where Does My Money Go? (n.d.). Retrieved from Energystar.gov: https://www.energystar.gov/products/where_does_my_money_go
4 Maintaining the Integrity of ENERGY STAR^®. (n.d.). Retrieved from Energystar.gov: https://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=partners.pt_es_integrity
5 Origins and Mission. (n.d.). Retrieved from Energystar.gov: https://www.energystar.gov/about/origins_mission
6 ENERGY STAR^® Labeled Products: 2015 Verification Testing. (n.d.). Retrieved from Energystar.gov: https://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/downloads/2015_Verification_Testing_Summary.pdf?7bc3-ec96
7 Home Energy Yardstick. (n.d.). Retrieved from Energystar.gov: https://portfoliomanager.energystar.gov/pm/hey#:~:text=EPA's%20Home%20Energy%20Yardstick%20(HEY,average%20home%20scoring%2050)%3B