ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROTECTS THE ENVIRONMENT AND STRENGTHENS THE ECONOMY

Global climate change continues to be a pressing environmental problem, but through energy efficiency, individuals and organizations are 

already reaping the benefits of reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Consistent with the President’s 2013 Climate Action Plan, the U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to support the deployment of energy-efficient products, practices, and services through 

the ENERGY STAR program. This voluntary program represents one component of EPA’s ongoing efforts to develop national programs, 

policies, and regulations for reducing air pollution. The investment in both near- and long-term solutions to combat climate change through 

energy efficiency is contributing to important health and environmental benefits while strengthening our economy. 

Since 1992, the ENERGY STAR program has led the way in finding innovative solutions for reducing GHG emissions. Together with its diverse 

set of partners, ENERGY STAR is dismantling market barriers that limit the growth of widespread energy efficiency and persist across the 

residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. By offering technical assistance, developing tools, and sharing best practices, the ENERGY 

STAR program helps consumers and businesses to improve energy efficiency. The ENERGY STAR program continues to be a trusted source 

of information that helps Americans make energy-saving changes in the way they live and work.

This document provides a brief overview of key ENERGY STAR achievements in 2013.

RESULTS FOR 2013 

In 2013, millions of consumers and 16,000 partners tapped the value of ENERGY STAR and achieved impressive financial and environmental 

results. Their investments in energy-efficient technologies and practices reduced utility bills by $30 billion1 and will continue to provide cost 

savings for years to come. 

Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, prevented more than 277 million metric tons of GHG emissions2 (see Fig. 1) in 2013 alone—

providing over $10 billion in benefits to society due to reducing damages from climate change.3

Fig. 1. ENERGY STAR Program Benefits Have Doubled in the Last Five Years

1 ENERGY STAR program cost/benefit calculations began in 1993.

2 All reductions in annual GHG emissions are reported in million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCO2

e).

3 Societal benefits are based on the social cost of carbon which monetizes the damages associated with an incremental increase in carbon emissions in a given year, 

including (but not limited to) changes in net agricultural productivity, human health, property damages from increased flood risk, and the value of ecosystem services. 

Source: Interagency Working Group on Social Cost of Carbon, United States Government. 2013. Technical Support Document: Technical Update of the Social Cost of Carbon 

for Regulatory Impact Analysis Under Executive Order 12866. November. United States Government. Available online at http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/

assets/inforeg/technical-update-social-cost-of-carbon-for-regulator-impact-analysis.pdf.

250

500

750

1,000

1,250

1,500

1,750

2,000

2,250

2,500

(Billion kWh)

2,750

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Energy Savings GHG Emissions Savings

2012 2013 0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

1,800

2,000

2,200

0 2012 2013 (MMTC02e)

ENERGY STAR® OVERVIEW OF 

2013 ACHIEVEMENTS
ENERGY STAR FOR PRODUCTS

As the national symbol for energy efficiency, ENERGY STAR 

makes it easy for consumers and businesses to purchase 

products that save them money and protect the environment. 

EPA remains focused on maintaining program integrity, while 

expanding ENERGY STAR’s role as a trusted resource for 

Americans in the fight against climate change. 

Certified Products. Americans purchased nearly 300 million 

ENERGY STAR certified products in 2013 across more than 70 

product categories for a cumulative total exceeding 

4.8 billion products since 1993 (see Fig. 2). Today, more than 85% 

of the American public recognizes the ENERGY STAR label. 

ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2013. By the end of 2013, more than 

1,500 models from nearly 140 manufacturers were recognized as 

the “best of the best” in energy efficiency. Categories included 

televisions, computer monitors, clothes washers, refrigerators, 

heating and cooling equipment, ventilation and ceiling fans, 

and windows. 

ENERGY STAR Product Specifications. EPA updated 

performance requirements for enterprise servers, imaging 

equipment, computers, telephony, lamps, commercial 

refrigeration and ovens, water coolers, refrigerators, boilers, 

and roofs. ENERGY STAR added requirements for data center 

storage, small network equipment, pool pumps, and commercial 

water heaters.

Third-Party Certification for ENERGY STAR Products. 

All products that earn the ENERGY STAR are subject to strict 

testing and certification requirements before they can carry the 

label. As of the end of 2013, there were more than 45,000 certified 

products. Verification testing administered by EPA-recognized 

certification bodies is also in process for all product categories. 

In 2013, EPA disqualified 62 models based on the results of this 

post-market testing. The program’s emphasis on testing and 

third-party product review ensures that consumers can trust 

ENERGY STAR certified products to deliver the energy savings 

promised by the label.

Fig. 2. More than 4.8 Billion ENERGY STAR Certified Products 

Purchased Since the Program Began*

* Program began in 1992.

** Lighting category does not include purchases of light bulbs.

Change the World, Start with ENERGY STAR Campaign. 

Through 2013, more than 3.2 million individuals took the ENERGY 

STAR pledge to make energy-efficient changes at home, 

representing more than 15 billion pounds in GHG emissions 

reductions. 2013 also marked the second year of Team ENERGY 

STAR, this time featuring themes from the 20th Century Fox 

movie, EPIC. Nearly 300,000 youths made an EPIC difference with 

ENERGY STAR through pledges, stories, artwork, and community 

service projects. PTO Today engaged thousands through Team 

ENERGY STAR educational events at schools across the country. 

A Boys & Girls Clubs of America event at an Atlantic City Club 

that had been damaged as a result of Hurricane Sandy served as 

a shining example of how energy-efficient improvements can not 

only reinvigorate a Club, but also provide long-term community 

benefits. These initiatives, along with thousands of partner-led 

ENERGY STARs Across America events, represent a vital and 

growing national movement to protect the environment from 

climate change.

ENERGY STAR FOR HOMES

Through ENERGY STAR, EPA works to increase the energy 

efficiency of the nation’s new and existing housing stock to 

cost-effectively reduce GHG emissions, while lowering 

Americans’ utility bills and improving the comfort of their homes. 

Full Implementation of New Requirements for ENERGY 

STAR Certified Homes. 2013 represented the first year for full 

implementation of EPA’s new, more rigorous requirements for 

homes to earn the ENERGY STAR label. Homes certified under 

these requirements are at least 15% more efficient than those 

built to the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), 

and include additional energy-saving features to deliver a 

performance advantage of up to 30% compared to typical new 

homes. More than 90,000 new homes earned the ENERGY STAR 

in 2013, bringing the total number of certified homes to more than 

1.5 million (see Fig. 3). Since EPA began labeling new homes in 

1995, American homeowners have saved over $4 billion on their 

energy bills and reduced GHG emissions by more than 46 billion 

pounds. In 2013 alone, families living in ENERGY STAR certified 

homes saved in excess of $500 million on their utility bills.

ENERGY STAR for New Multifamily High-Rise Buildings. 

Since multifamily high-rise buildings first became eligible to earn 

the ENERGY STAR label, 69 buildings containing more than 6,100 

individual units have been certified. These high-rise buildings 

must meet EPA’s energy efficiency guidelines and be designed to 

be at least 15% more efficient than the building energy code. In 

2013, 28 buildings containing over 2,300 multifamily high-rise units 

were certified. When combined with multifamily low-rise homes, 

more than 100,000 multifamily housing units have been certified 

to date.

Home Performance with ENERGY STAR. In 2013, an estimated 

75,000 homes were improved through the whole house retrofit 

program, Home Performance with ENERGY STAR (HPwES). This 

work was performed by 52 locally sponsored programs, including 

two new programs launched in 2013, and more than 2,000 

participating contractors across the nation. Since the program’s 

inception, more than 330,000 homes have been improved 

through HPwES. The HPwES program is administered by the U.S. 

Department of Energy, with support from EPA.

HVAC and Other Lighting* * Home Office Equipment

Appliances Home Electronics Office Equipment

5.0

4.5

4.0

3.5

3.0

2.5

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0

Units Purchased (Billions)

2012 2013
Fig. 3. More than 1.5 Million Homes Nationwide Have Earned 

the ENERGY STAR Label

Energy Efficiency Guidance and Tools for Homeowners. 

In 2013, nearly 1 million Americans visited the homes section 

of the ENERGY STAR website to find information about home 

efficiency improvements, and used the Home Energy Yardstick 

and Home Energy Advisor to assess their homes’ energy use 

and get recommendations to help reduce utility bills and improve 

comfort. In 2013, ENERGY STAR improved the Home Energy 

Yardstick with the addition of Green Button. Homeowners with 

access to Green Button can easily upload their home utility data 

into the Yardstick to see how their home energy use compares to 

other similar homes.

Affordable Housing. In fiscal year 2013, more than 5,000 ENERGY 

STAR certified homes were built within the affordable housing 

sector using funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and 

Urban Development’s HOME Investment Partnerships Program. 

In addition, more than 120 Habitat for Humanity affiliates 

nationwide built over 900 ENERGY STAR certified homes for 

low-income families.

ENERGY STAR FOR BUSINESS

More than 7,000 organizations have partnered with EPA to deliver 

GHG emissions reductions, reduce business risk, and increase 

financial value through ENERGY STAR. These ENERGY STAR 

partners demonstrate practical and proven solutions to increase 

the efficiency of buildings and industrial plants and serve as 

examples for others to follow. 

ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager Gets Turbo Charged. 

In 2013, EPA released a complete upgrade for ENERGY STAR 

Portfolio Manager, the industry-leading benchmarking tool used 

by more than 70,000 individual accounts to measure, track, 

assess, and report on the energy and water consumption of 

more than 325,000 commercial buildings nationwide—nearly 

40% of the nation’s commercial building space (see Fig. 4). The 

new tool improves collaboration through advanced reporting 

and increased security. It offers easier data entry and enhanced 

graphics, data checks, and custom tabs to plan and set goals 

for current and future projects. This makes it possible to track a 

building from design to operation. 

1-100 ENERGY STAR Scores Launched in Canada. Through a 

multi-year partnership with Natural Resources Canada, ENERGY 

STAR Portfolio Manager debuted in Canada with a scoring 

system for commercial buildings. The unprecedented launch 

increased the functionality of Portfolio Manager, making it easier 

for multinational organizations to use one platform for consistent 

energy management.

ENERGY STAR Certification for Top Performance. By the end 

of 2013, more than 23,000 buildings and plants representing 

more than 3 billion square feet of space had earned ENERGY 

STAR certification. These top performers demonstrate that it is 

possible to emit 35% fewer GHG emissions than typical facilities 

while delivering financial value to an organization. Academic, 

industry, and EPA studies have shown that ENERGY STAR 

certified buildings cost less to operate, increase the asset value 

of the property, and have increased rents and fewer turnovers 

than similar non-certified buildings.

The Battle of the Buildings Advances. The 2012 competition 

ended with more than 3,000 competitors who reduced annual 

GHG emissions equal to the electricity used by more than 43,000 

homes. The winning elementary school from Bloomfield, NJ cut 

its energy use by 52%. More than 85 buildings reduced energy by 

at least 20% in one year. 

New Levels of Industrial Efficiency. EPA expanded to new 

industries in 2013, creating an ENERGY STAR focus for aluminum 

casting and releasing a new energy guide for concrete 

manufacturers. EPA also updated valuable energy efficiency 

guides for the cement and petroleum industries. Partners 

continued to adopt the ENERGY STAR Guidelines for Energy 

Management as a foundation for significant improvement, and a 

record number of industrial sites also committed to the ENERGY 

STAR Challenge for Industry. Seventy-one met or exceeded their 

targets in 2013 by achieving a 10% reduction in energy intensity. 

Reaching More Audiences. Through the ENERGY STAR 

partnership, service and product providers, utility companies, 

energy efficiency program administrators, and federal, state, and 

local governments are using tools such as Portfolio Manager 

to connect energy users to energy solutions through local 

competitions, mandates, rebates, and other opportunities.

Fig. 4. Steady Growth in Building Space Benchmarked

Cumulative square footage represents the unique building floor space benchmarked in Portfolio 

Manager. Building space benchmarked over multiple years is only counted once in the 

cumulative total.

Number of Homes to Earn the ENERGY STAR

Cumulative Homes Built Annual Homes Built

1,600,000

2013

Buildings Square Footage (Billions)

Cumulative Annual

2013

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0.0

2011 2011
All values and figures for 2013 are preliminary as of March 1, 2014. Source for all figures: EPA Climate Protection Partnerships Division.

For more information, visit www.energystar.gov.

PARTNER OF THE YEAR - 

SUSTAINED EXCELLENCE

3M Company

St. Paul, MN

AEP Ohio

Columbus, OH

AEP Texas Central

Corpus Christi, TX

Air King Limited

West Chester, PA

Allergan, Inc.

Irvine, CA

Arizona Public Service

Phoenix, AZ

Austin Energy

Austin, TX

AVR Homebuilders

Yonkers, NY

Baltimore Gas and Electric 

Company (BGE)

Baltimore, MD

Beacon Capital Partners LLC

Boston, MA

Bentall Kennedy

Seattle, WA

BOMA International

Washington, DC

Bosch Home Appliances

Irvine, CA

CalPortland Company

Glendora, CA

CBRE, Inc.

Los Angeles, CA

Cenergistic 

Dallas, TX

CenterPoint Energy

Houston, TX

Colgate-Palmolive Company

New York, NY

Columbia Gas of Ohio

Columbus, OH

ComEd

Chicago, IL

Des Moines Public School 

District

Des Moines, IA

Eastman Chemical Company

Kingsport, TN

Ecova

Spokane, WA

Energy Inspectors Corporation

Las Vegas, NV

EnergyCAP, Inc.

State College, PA

EnergyLogic, Inc.

Berthoud, CO

Entergy Texas

Beaumont, TX

Evergreen Public Schools

Vancouver, WA

Fanning Howey

Celina, OH

Focus on Energy

Madison, WI

Food Lion and Bottom Dollar 

Food

Salisbury, NC

General Motors Company

Detroit, MI

Gresham-Barlow School District

Gresham, OR

Habitat for Humanity of Greater 

Nashville

Nashville, TN

Habitat for Humanity of Metro 

Denver

Denver, CO

Hanesbrands Inc.

Winston Salem, NC

Hines

Houston, TX

Houston Habitat for Humanity

Houston, TX

ITW Food Equipment Group, LLC

Troy, OH

J. C. Penney Company, Inc.

Plano, TX

JLL

Chicago, IL

KB Home

Los Angeles, CA

Kentucky Pollution Prevention 

Center

Louisville, KY

Kohls Department Stores, Inc.

Menomonee Falls, WI

LG Electronics, Inc.

Englewood Cliffs, NJ

Liberty Property Trust

Malvern, PA

Loudoun County Public Schools

Broadlands, VA

Manitowoc Foodservice

New Port Richey, FL

Merck & Co., Inc.

Whitehouse Station, NJ

Meritage Homes Corporation

Scottsdale, AZ

New Jersey Board of Public 

Utilities

Trenton, NJ

New York State Energy 

Research and Development 

Authority (NYSERDA)

Albany, NY

New York-Presbyterian Hospital

New York, NY

Nissan North America, Inc.

Franklin, TN

Northeast Energy Efficiency 

Partnerships, Inc. (NEEP)

Lexington, MA

Panasonic Eco Solutions North 

America

Newark, NJ

PepsiCo, Inc.

Purchase, NY

ProVia Door, Inc.

Sugarcreek, OH

PSEG Long Island

Uniondale, NY

Raytheon Company

Waltham, MA

Saint-Gobain

Valley Forge, PA

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Suwon, South Korea

Sears Holdings Corporation

Hoffman Estates, IL

Servidyne

Atlanta, GA

Southern California Edison

Rosemead, CA

Staples, Inc.

Framingham, MA

The Boeing Company

Chicago, IL

The Home Depot

Atlanta, GA

TIAA-CREF

New York, NY

Toyota Motor Engineering & 

Manufacturing North America, 

Inc.

Erlanger, KY

TRANSWESTERN

Houston, TX

USAA Real Estate Company

San Antonio, TX

PARTNER OF THE YEARCLIMATE 

COMMUNICATIONS

Air King Limited

West Chester, PA

Allergan, Inc.

Irvine, CA

Des Moines Public School 

District

Des Moines, IA

General Motors Company

Detroit, MI

Georgia Interfaith Power & Light

Decatur, GA

JLL

Chicago, IL

KB Home

Los Angeles, CA

LG Electronics, Inc.

Englewood Cliffs, NJ

New York-Presbyterian Hospital

New York, NY

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Suwon, South Korea

PARTNER OF THE YEAR 

Beazer Homes USA, Inc.

Atlanta, GA

Best Buy Co., Inc.

Richfield, MN

Brandywine Realty Trust

Radnor, PA

Brighton Homes Idaho, Inc.

Boise, ID

Building Energy, Incorporated

Star, ID

Burton Energy Group

Alpharetta, GA

Cassidy Turley

Washington, DC

Consumers Energy

Jackson, MI

Corning Incorporated

Corning, NY

D.R. Wastchak, LLC

Tempe, AZ

Delmarva Power & Light 

Company (Delmarva Power)

Washington, DC

DIRECTV

El Segundo, CA

Efficiency Vermont

Burlington, VT

Entergy New Orleans

New Orleans, LA

Goby

Chicago, IL

Good Earth Lighting, Inc.

Wheeling, IL

Hoshizaki America, Inc.

Peachtree City, GA

Illinois Energy Office at the 

Department of Commerce and 

Economic Opportunity

Springfield, IL

Institute for Sustainable Energy

Willimantic, CT

Integral Building & Design, Inc.

New Paltz, NY

Intertape Polymer Group, Inc.

Sarasota, FL

Kenton County School District

Ft. Wright, KY

Kentucky School Boards 

Association

Frankfort, KY

Kilroy Realty Corporation

Los Angeles, CA

Mansfield Independent School 

District

Mansfield, TX

Masco Home Services

Daytona Beach, FL

MaxLite

West Caldwell, NJ

Memorial Hermann Health 

System

Houston, TX

Nationwide Marketing Group

Winston Salem, NC

New Mexico Gas Company

Albuquerque, NM

NH CORE Energy Efficiency 

Team

Manchester, NH

North Penn School District

Lansdale, PA

Parmenter Realty Partners

Miami, FL

Pella Corporation

Pella, IA

Pentair Aquatic Systems

Sanford, NC

Philips Lighting Company

Somerset, NJ

Potomac Electric Power 

Company (Pepco)

Washington, DC

Salt River Project Agricultural 

Improvement and Power 

District

Tempe, AZ

SkyeTec

Jacksonville, FL

Soft-Lite Windows

Streetsboro, OH

South Carolina Electric & Gas

Cayce, SC

Southern Maryland Electric 

Cooperative (SMECO)

Hughesville, MD

Technical Consumer Products, 

Inc. (TCP)

Aurora, OH

Verizon Wireless

Basking Ridge, NJ

Vornado Realty Trust

New York, NY

AWARDS FOR 

EXCELLENCE

ENERGY STAR Promotion

Dominion East Ohio Gas 

Company

Cleveland, OH

Northwest Energy Efficiency 

Council

Seattle, WA

The Energy Efficiency Fund

New Britain, CT

The United Illuminating 

Company

Orange, CT

Retailing

Metro Lighting

Brentwood, MO

Energy Efficient Product Design

Cree, Inc.

Durham, NC

Ricoh Americas Corporation

Malvern, PA

Affordable Housing

Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas 

County, Inc.

Clearwater, FL

Tennessee Valley Authority 

(TVA)

Knoxville, TN

ENERGY STAR® PARTNER OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS