ENERGY STAR Certification for Buildings

Did you know that your building can earn ENERGY STAR certification just like a refrigerator or light bulb?

Certified Buildings Save

ENERGY STAR certified buildings save energy, save money, and help protect the environment by generating fewer greenhouse gas emissions than typical buildings. To be certified as ENERGY STAR, a building must meet strict energy performance standards set by EPA. 

Specifically, to be eligible for ENERGY STAR certification, a building must earn an ENERGY STAR score of 75 or higher on EPA’s 1 – 100 scale, indicating that it performs better than at least 75 percent of similar buildings nationwide. This 1 – 100 ENERGY STAR score is based on the actual, measured energy use of a building and is calculated within EPA’s ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool. The score accounts for differences in operating conditions, regional weather data, and other important considerations.

Certification Is Annual and Verified by a Third-Party

Certification is given on an annual basis, so a building must maintain its high performance to be certified year to year. And the information submitted in the certification application must be verified by a licensed Professional Engineer (PE) or Registered Architect (RA) to be eligible for approval.

The cost of hiring a Professional Engineer (PE) or Registered Architect (RA), Energy Efficiency Consultants like gilleranenergy.com to verify your application for ENERGY STAR certification will vary based on the size of your building and your location. It usually takes a professional about one day to complete the process. You may be able to lower these costs if you do the following:

Use In-House Staff

Your application can be validated by a PE or RA on your staff, even if they are not at that specific property, provided they hold a current license in any U.S. state or territory, or in Canada.

Compare Quotes

Use the ENERGY STAR online Licensed Professional Finder to help you identify PEs and RAs that have completed ENERGY STAR verifications in your area. Secure multiple bids to find the best option for you.

Find Pro-Bono Verification

Among the filtering options of our Licensed Professional Finder, simply check the box for “Cost-free verification offered” to see a list of  PEs and RAs willing to provide verification services on a cost-free basis.

Contact Your Public Relations Department

Earning the ENERGY STAR is good news, and your PR department will want to help you promote it in your community. Rather than looking for funds for a PE or RA in your operations budget, try your PR department first. They’ll likely see it as a worthwhile investment.

Contact Your Utility Provider

Your utility provider may have PEs or RAs on staff and may be willing to offer their services free of charge or at a lower cost than you’re quoted by other PEs and RAs. If you’re a major customer for the utility, they may be willing to help you as a customer service offering.

Search for Incentive Programs

Some local and state government entities, as well as industry associations, may offer incentives to offset the costs of PE or RA verifications. Take a few minutes to contact your local or state energy office or department of environmental protection, or an industry contact, to learn about any programs and opportunities.