ENERGY STAR

Name

ENERGY STAR

Legal name

ENERGY STAR (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Program)

Website

https://energystar.gov

Company type

Public

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Energy Efficiency Certification

NAICS

Regulation and Administration of Communications, Electric, Gas, and Other Utilities (92613), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)

akta.pro primary industry

Energy, Utilities & Natural Resources Regulators (BPAIAOAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Third-Party Verification & Assurance (ISO 14064, ISAE 3000, limited/reasonable) (EUAHADAE), REC/GO Claims, Labeling & Consumer Programs (Green Claims, Eco-labels) (EUAMAKAK)

Keywords

• Energy efficiency certification
• Product labeling program
• Building energy benchmarking
• Home performance programs
• Utility energy programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Appropriation: ENERGY STAR operates as a U.S. government program under the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE), funded through federal appropriations. Operates under statutory authority of Clean Air Act Section 103(g). In 2025, the program's continuation was threatened after EPA restructuring under the Trump administration, with the American Bakers Association and others advocating for congressional funding.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ENERGY STAR is a voluntary U.S. government certification and labeling program operated by the EPA and DOE that certifies products, new homes, commercial buildings, and industrial plants meeting strict federal energy efficiency standards. The program delivers third-party labeling across 70+ product categories, supports residential energy upgrades through contractor-delivered programs, and operates the Portfolio Manager benchmarking platform co-managed with Natural Resources Canada for commercial and multifamily buildings.

Product overview

ENERGY STAR is a government-backed certification program operated by the EPA that provides energy efficiency labeling and programs across residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. The core offering is the ENERGY STAR product certification covering 70+ categories including appliances, HVAC, lighting, electronics, and water heaters. Supporting programs include Portfolio Manager (building energy benchmarking platform), Home Performance with ENERGY STAR (contractor-delivered whole-house assessments), the ENERGY STAR Home Upgrade (6-measure efficiency package), and ENERGY STAR New Homes certification. The program also provides tools including a Rebate Finder, Tax Credits resources, DIME incentive database, and Business Intelligence Reporting Platform. Industrial programs include plant certification and the Challenge for Industry. Partner support includes the MESA portal, Retail Products Platform, and Inclusive Utility Investment financing programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ENERGY STAR Home Upgrade: A set of six generally applicable electric energy efficiency improvements designed to work together to deliver significant energy and cost savings, including heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, smart thermostats, windows, attic insulation, and electric-ready wiring.
• ENERGY STAR NextGen
• ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager
• Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR
• ENERGY STAR Most Efficient
• ENERGY STAR Emerging Technology Award

Products and services

• ENERGY STAR Certified Products Voluntary third-party product certification and labeling program covering more than 70 categories of appliances, HVAC, lighting, electronics, water heaters, and commercial equipment that meet strict EPA efficiency requirements.
• ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager Free web-based benchmarking tool for commercial and multifamily building energy performance, providing 1-100 ENERGY STAR scores, energy use tracking, and the pathway to building certification. Co-developed and jointly operated with Natural Resources Canada for Canadian buildings.
• Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Whole-house energy efficiency program delivered through 40+ local programs and 1,500+ participating contractors who assess homes and implement improvements including air sealing, insulation, HVAC upgrades, and smart controls, with projects averaging $500 in annual savings.
• ENERGY STAR Home Upgrade Coordinated package of six generally applicable electric energy efficiency home improvements (heat pump, heat pump water heater, smart thermostat, windows, sealed attic, and electric-ready wiring) that can be implemented together or progressively as equipment needs replacing.
• ENERGY STAR Certified New Homes Certification program for new residential construction verifying that homes meet strict energy efficiency requirements covering the thermal enclosure, heating/cooling systems, indoor air quality, and lighting/appliances, qualifying builders for Section 45L federal tax credits.
• ENERGY STAR NextGen Next-generation certification for new homes and apartments building on the standard ENERGY STAR certification with enhanced requirements for energy efficiency and sustainability.
• ENERGY STAR Certified Buildings Recognition program for commercial buildings that earn ENERGY STAR certification by achieving a Portfolio Manager score of 75 or higher and meeting all certification requirements; over 20,000 office buildings, schools, and hospitals have earned the label.
• ENERGY STAR Industrial Certification Plant certification program for manufacturing facilities demonstrating superior energy performance, including the ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry and recognition for top-performing plants across multiple industrial categories.
• ENERGY STAR Retail Products Platform (ESRPP) National collaborative midstream initiative connecting energy efficiency program sponsors with national retailers and buying groups (Best Buy, Home Depot, Lowe's, Ace Hardware, Costco) to influence stocking and promotion of certified products across 11 categories in more than 1,700 stores.
• Inclusive Utility Investment Financing approach that enables utilities to provide upfront capital for customer energy efficiency upgrades and recover costs through fixed charges on utility bills while ensuring positive cash flow for participants.

Quantifiable outcome

• Americans saved $26 billion on utility bills in 2012 alone
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ace Hardware, Best Buy, Costco, Lowe's, The Home DepotcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor national retailers participating in the ENERGY STAR LED Bulb Challenge, reporting over 10 million certified bulbs sold. These retailers are part of the ENERGY STAR Retail Action Council and participate in the Retail Products Platform promoting certified products in 1,700+ stores.
• 700 Utilities and Energy Efficiency Program SponsorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApproximately 700 utilities and program administrators partner with ENERGY STAR, collectively serving 95% of U.S. households and spending more than $7.6 billion annually on electric and gas efficiency programming. Partners include major utilities like Baltimore Gas and Electric, Eversource, PSE&G, and many regional co-ops.
• AO Smith, CLEAResult, Energize CT, Energy Solutions, Energy Trust of Oregon, NEEA, SDG&E, VEICcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTechnical Advisory Group and program operators for distributor-focused midstream programs and utility efficiency initiatives. Organizations like CLEAResult, Energy Solutions, and Energy Trust of Oregon provide program implementation expertise.
• Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNEEA facilitates the ENERGY STAR Retail Products Platform as a national collaborative midstream initiative involving program sponsors, retailer partners, and key stakeholders. NEEA coordinates the program and provides evaluation resources.
• AZ Energy Efficient Home, Ciel Power LLC, EDGE Energy, Green Team LI, GreenSavers, Home Energy Medics, Ideal Air Conditioning and Insulation, Wise Home Energy LLCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHome Performance with ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence, Contractor of the Year award winners for 2023. These contractors deliver whole-house energy savings through 40+ local programs and represent the 1,500+ contractor network.
• Midwest Energy, Ouachita Electric Cooperative Corporation, Eversource New HampshireminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerUtilities operating Inclusive Utility Investment programs (tariffed on-bill) that provide up-front capital for energy efficiency upgrades and recover costs through fixed charges on utility bills.
• U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint program administrator with EPA for ENERGY STAR. DOE collaborates on standards, technical guidance, and the Weatherization Assistance Program integration with Home Performance with ENERGY STAR.
• Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint operator of the Portfolio Manager tool for benchmarking commercial building energy efficiency. NRCan manages data for buildings in Canada while EPA manages U.S. and other international building data.
• HUD, Freddie MacminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal housing partners collaborating on multifamily building energy efficiency. EPA and HUD signed joint letter asking utilities to make energy and water usage data available for multifamily properties.
• Home Performance CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry organization that developed HPXML Implementation Guide based on BPI-2100 and BPI-2200 data standards for home performance data exchange between market actors.

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• EnergySage: Online marketplace and consumer education platform for rooftop solar, heat pumps, EV chargers, and home efficiency upgrades. Adjacent to ENERGY STAR's Home Upgrade program with overlapping consumer audiences but focused on project-level shopping rather than product certification.

Direct peers

• BREEAM (BRE Group): International green building certification operated by BRE Group covering commercial and residential buildings globally. Direct competitor to ENERGY STAR Commercial Buildings and Portfolio Manager in international markets, with similar benchmarking and certification mechanics.
• LEED (U.S. Green Building Council): Private-sector green building certification competing directly with ENERGY STAR in the commercial building space, particularly for new construction and major renovations. Comparable category (building certification) with overlapping partner base of developers, architects, and property owners.
• WaterSense (EPA): EPA's sister voluntary labeling program certifying water-efficient products, homes, and services. Operates under the same federal agency and partnership model as ENERGY STAR, targeting analogous consumer, builder, and utility audiences with the same brand-and-certification structure.
• EU Energy Label: European Commission's mandatory energy labeling program covering appliances and electronic products with an A-G rating scale. Direct functional peer to ENERGY STAR's product certification, with similar scope and consumer-facing purpose, but operating under different regulatory authority in Europe.
• Better Buildings Initiative (U.S. DOE): DOE's voluntary leadership program partnering with commercial, industrial, and multifamily building owners to improve energy efficiency. Sister federal program to ENERGY STAR Commercial/Industrial, engaging the same utility and corporate audiences through a goal-based (rather than certification-based) model.

Regional players

• GEMS (Australia Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water): Australia's Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards regulatory framework mandating energy performance labels on appliances. Functional peer to ENERGY STAR product certification but operating under Australian federal law with a mandatory (rather than voluntary) regime.
• Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI): Ireland's national energy authority administering consumer-facing energy efficiency programs, grants, and product labeling. Comparable scope to ENERGY STAR's utility-partnered consumer programs but operating at a national scale in a single jurisdiction.
• Top Runner Program (Japan METI): Japan's energy efficiency standard-setting program that periodically raises appliance efficiency benchmarks to the level of the most efficient products on the market. Comparable regulatory philosophy to ENERGY STAR but executed through mandatory standards updates rather than voluntary certification.

Broad incumbents

• UL Solutions (Greenguard / EcoLogo): Private third-party certification provider offering Greenguard (indoor air quality) and EcoLogo (environmental) certifications across consumer products. Competes with ENERGY STAR product certification through fee-based private certification with broader sustainability scope beyond energy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/energystar
• Facebookfacebook.com/energystar
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/energystar-limited

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ENERGY STAR