ENERGY STAR® is a voluntary energy efficiency labelling program administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA sets energy efficiency specifications, and products, homes, buildings, and industrial plants that meet them can choose to display the ENERGY STAR logo. The blue ENERGY STAR label provides simple, credible, and unbiased information that consumers and businesses rely on to make well-informed decisions.
ENERGY STAR also hosts
Portfolio Manager, an online tool that commercial building owners and operators can use to measure and track (“benchmark”) energy performance. Nearly 35 billion square feet of commercial floor space across more than 330,000 of buildings has been benchmarked using Portfolio Manager - about 25% of all commercial floor space in the country. Learn more about the benefits of benchmarking
here.
|
ENERGY STAR Product Labels |
To earn the ENERGY STAR label for products, manufacturers are required to sign a formal agreement with EPA and products must be third-party certified against strict performance requirements. Third-party certification ensures products are properly tested and reviewed prior to being labeled.
| ENERGY STAR for New Homes |
ENERGY STAR certified homes and apartments are designed and constructed to be more efficient, exceeding minimum energy code requirements by at least 10 percent. They must be independently verified to meet the EPA’s rigorous requirements for insulation, windows, air sealing, and HVAC systems.
| ENERGY STAR for Commercial Buildings |
ENERGY STAR offers several resources to help commercial building owners and operators manage their building’s energy use.
| ENERGY STAR for Industry |
Manufacturing is extremely energy intensive. ENERGY STAR offers several resources to help manufacturers manage their energy use.
- ENERGY STAR Plant certification: To earn an ENERGY STAR certification, industrial plants must earn an 1–100 ENERGY STAR score of 75 or higher—indicating that they operate more efficiently than at least 75% of similar facilities nationwide.
- ENERGY STAR Industrial Partner: The ENERGY STAR Industrial partnership is open to any manufacturing company with operations in the United States. Partners benefit from a strong network of industrial energy managers who share best practices and practical advice across industries.
- ENERGY STAR Industrial Assistance Network: Small and medium-sized manufacturers can access local energy management support through ENERGY STAR.
- ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager
Homeowners, renters, building owners, and builders can tap into a range of state, federal, utility, and local incentives to help defray the costs of ENERGY STAR appliances, products, and certifications.
The Maryland Energy Administration is committed to help building owners or operators understand the range of incentives that they may be eligible to receive. Questions may be directed to
building.decarbonization@maryland.gov.
Federal
- Sec. 45L New Energy Efficient Home Credit: Homes built to ENERGY STAR for New Homes standards may qualify the developer for a tax credit.
- Sec. 25C Energy Efficient Home Improvement Tax Credit: Homeowners or renters that purchase certain products that meet ENERGY STAR standards may be eligible to receive a tax credit.
- Sec. 25D Residential Clean Energy Tax Credit: Homeowners or renters that purchase geothermal heat pumps that meet ENERGY STAR products may be eligible to receive a tax credit.
- Fannie Mae HomeStyle Energy Mortgage: HomeStyle Energy mortgages let homebuyers use up to 15% of the “as completed” value of the property — the value of the home once the upgrades are completed — for new energy improvements, including ENERGY STAR-certified products and appliances.
- Freddie Mac GreenCHOICE Mortgages: The GreenChoice Mortgage program allows borrowers to finance energy efficient improvements - including ENERGY STAR products and appliances - with any mortgage product, property type and financing terms up to 30 years to provide affordable financing opportunities and greater purchasing power despite higher debt-to-income and housing expense-to-income ratios for manually underwritten loans.
Utility
- BG&E Home Performance Rebates: BG&E’s residential customers may be eligible for rebates for ENERGY STAR-certified products, such as windows, thermostats, and heat pump water heaters.
- BG&E Business Program: BG&E’s commercial customers may be eligible to receive rebates on ENERGY STAR-certified appliances and equipment.
- BG&E ENERGY STAR for New Homes Program: Homebuilders may be eligible for incentives to build homes that meet the ENERGY STAR for New Homes certification.
- Delmarva Power Business Program: Delmarva Power’s commercial customers may be eligible to receive rebates on ENERGY STAR-certified appliances and equipment.
- Delmarva Power Home Performance Rebates: Delmarva Power’s residential customers may be eligible for rebates for ENERGY STAR-certified products, such as windows, thermostats, and heat pump water heaters.
- Delmarva Power ENERGY STAR for New Homes Program: Homebuilders are provided incentives to build homes that meet the ENERGY STAR for New Homes certification.
- Pepco Medium & Large Business Program: Pepco’s large commercial customers (monthly energy demand greater than 100 kW over the last 12 months) may be eligible to receive rebates on ENERGY STAR-certified appliances and equipment.
- Pepco Small Business Program: Pepco’s small commercial customers (monthly energy demand less than 100 kW over the last 12 months) may be eligible to receive rebates on ENERGY STAR-certified appliances and equipment.
- Pepco Home Performance Rebates: Pepco’s residential customers may be eligible for rebates for ENERGY STAR-certified products, such as windows, thermostats, and heat pump water heaters.
- Potomac Edison Business Program: Potomac Edison’s commercial customers may be eligible to receive incentive on ENERGY STAR-certified appliances.
- SMECO New Construction Program: New construction that meets or exceeds ENERGY STAR for New Homes may qualify for incentives from SMECO.
- SMECO Home Energy Improvement Program – Smart Thermostat: SMECO offers discounts to its customers for an ENERGY STAR-certified smart thermostat.
- SMECO Residential Heat Pump Water Heater Rebate Program: SMECO’s residential customers may be eligible for an $800 rebate for an ENERGY STAR-certified heat pump water heater.
- Washington Gas Energy-Saving Home Heating Rebates: Washington Gas offers rebates for ENERGY STAR-certified furnaces, boilers, and combination heating units, as well as rebates for boiler and furnace tune-ups.
- WashingtonGas Energy-Saving Water Heater Rebates: Washington Gas offers rebates for ENERGY STAR-certified storage and tankless water heaters.
- Washington Gas Energy-Saving Clothes Dryers Rebates: Washington Gas offers rebates for ENERGY STAR-certified natural gas clothes dryers.
State
- Shop Maryland Energy Weekend: Shop Maryland Energy Weekend is an annual three-day period in February when Maryland’s sales and use tax does not apply to the sale of solar water heaters and certain ENERGY STAR products. More information can be found within the Maryland Office of the Comptroller.
Local
