Written by Sam Rashkin, Founder Home2.0 The latest proposal to eliminate the ENERGY STAR program has sparked significant concern among builders, manufacturers, and consumers. Since its inception in 1992, ENERGY STAR has been instrumental in promoting energy...
A Word About Sunsetting The Energy Star Program
Written by Sam Rashkin, Founder Home2.0
The latest proposal to eliminate the ENERGY STAR program has sparked significant concern among builders, manufacturers, and consumers. Since its inception in 1992, ENERGY STAR has been instrumental in promoting energy efficiency. This includes over $500 billion in utility bill savings for American households and 4 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions eliminated from the atmosphere according to EPA.
The program’s recognizable blue label has guided consumers toward energy-efficient appliances, lighting, and building materials, fostering a market for sustainable products and practices. For builders and developers, ENERGY STAR certification has been a valuable marketing tool, signaling a commitment to energy efficiency and quality construction. Manufacturers have leveraged the program to differentiate their products, while consumers have trusted it for making informed purchasing decisions that reduce energy costs and environmental impact.
One of the most critical factors making the program so successful are the people and culture. However, both are at risk of being lost even if the program survives. This is due to significant attrition with staffing cuts and early retirements along with an extremely difficult climate for replacing lost talent due to concerns about federal employment uncertainties.
This all suggests some critical questions everyone in the high-performance home community should be asking:
- What critical lessons-learned helped develop ENERGY STAR into one of the most transformative voluntary programs that are a powerful tool for other programs?
- What challenges have emerged as the program matured that offer impressive opportunities for improvement?
- What are the likely changes should stakeholders vested in the program expect, and how can they best adapt moving forward?
A Word About Sunsetting The Energy Star Program
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