Twenty years ago, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created a unique partnership 

to overcome market barriers to energy efficiency 

and create a healthier climate for all Americans. 

Today, we celebrate two decades of partnership, 

promise, and progress with the ENERGY STAR 

program. 

Together with the Department of Energy, we have 

seen the ENERGY STAR program grow to include nearly 20,000 organizations from every sector of the economy. More than 80 percent of Americans 

now recognize the ENERGY STAR label. American families and businesses 

have saved a total of nearly $230 billion on utility bills and prevented more 

than 1.7 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions with help from 

ENERGY STAR.

As we celebrate our past, we also look to the future. We remain committed 

to helping America embrace energy efficiency as one of the fastest and 

easiest ways to save money, prevent pollution, and create jobs. We look 

forward to continued partnership and enduring progress toward a healthy 

environment and a prosperous economy for our families and our future.

Lisa P. Jackson

Administrator

United States Environmental Protection Agency

A Message from the Administrator

20 years of partnership, 

promise, and progress.

A blue box with just two words, ENERGY STAR—it may seem like a 

small thing. But it stands for a landmark program that is changing our 

world. 

On the 20th anniversary of the EPA’s ENERGY STAR program, we honor 

a remarkable partnership between American businesses and the federal government that is transforming how America uses energy. 

Through our vast network of partners, ENERGY STAR helps Americans 

make informed decisions about cost-effective ways to save energy in 

every facet of our lives—at home, at work, and in our communities. 

Together, we have achieved meaningful reductions in greenhouse 

gas emissions that will help protect our climate, our families, and our 

future. 

We are making our world a better place.
More than a mark of efficiency, 

ENERGY STAR is also a 

symbol of trust, quality, and 

responsible stewardship 

of the environment.

In the early 1990s, an innovative idea took hold with the advent 

of the ENERGY STAR program. EPA’s vision was bold and 

untested in the environmental arena: capture and channel the 

ingenuity of the marketplace to overcome barriers to energy 

efficiency, and prevent pollution rather than remedy it. ENERGY 

STAR has traveled a carefully planned journey, considering each 

step with deliberate and thoughtful examination. 

Today, more than 80 percent of Americans recognize the 

ENERGY STAR label. Organizations from small school districts to 

large Fortune 500 companies have embraced its value and made 

it their own. Families and businesses have saved nearly $230 

billion on utility bills and prevented more than 1.7 billion metric 

tons of greenhouse gas emissions over the past two decades. 

The interplay of government, business, and market forces 

brought together through ENERGY STAR literally has changed 

history.

A Promise of 

Superior Performance, 

 Proven Value, and 

 a Clear Choice.
20 Years. 20 Memorable Moments. 

1992: First ENERGY STAR qualified 

computers and monitors introduced; 

by 2012, more than 5 billion ENERGY 

STAR qualified products across more 

than 60 different categories have 

been purchased. 1993: Executive Order 12845 signed by 

President Clinton requiring Federal agencies 

to purchase ENERGY STAR products when 

buying new office equipment; just one year 

later, more than 2,000 ENERGY STAR qualified 

products were available and all major manufacturers were participating in the program. 

1995: ENERGY STAR launched in the commercial and 

industrial building markets leading to the first ENERGY STAR 

certified building in 1999; by 2012, tens of thousands of 

buildings and plants have earned EPA’s ENERGY STAR and 

perform in the top 25% of facilities nationwide.

2000: ENERGY STAR Portfolio 

Manager launched; by 2011, nearly 

40% of the commercial marketplace 

had benchmarked in ENERGY STAR 

Portfolio Manager, representing the 

largest inventory of commercial 

building performance data worldwide.

2005: First ENERGY 

STAR Change a Light 

Day held nationwide; by 

2012, nearly 3 million 

Americans have pledged 

to Change the World with 

ENERGY STAR.

2010: New rigorous guidelines for 

ENERGY STAR certified homes 

announced; new requirements make 

certified homes at least 15% more 

efficient than those built to the 2009 

International Energy Conservation 

Code (IECC), and include additional 

features to deliver a performance 

advantage of up to 30% compared to 

typical new homes.

2010: 25% of all singlefamily homes built in 

America in 2010 earned 

EPA’s ENERGY STAR.

2009: Energy information became transparent with 

the signing of the Greener, Greater Buildings Plan by 

the Mayor of New York City requiring large buildings 

to track and report energy use with ENERGY STAR 

Portfolio Manager; by 2012, more than two dozen 

federal, state, and local policies and campaigns use 

ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager.

2000: First National Awareness 

Survey showed 40% of Americans 

recognized the ENERGY STAR label; 

by 2012, awareness has more than 

doubled to more than 80%.

2011: New ENERGY STAR 

requirements for televisions took 

effect, projected sales reached 

approximately 40 million, and 

average screen size increased 

to 50 inches; despite dramatic 

growth, TV electricity use was 

36 billion kWh/year less than 

it might have been without 

ENERGY STAR. 

2012: Over the past 20 years, 

Americans, with help from ENERGY 

STAR, have saved nearly $230 

billion on utility bills and prevented 

more than 1.7 billion metric tons of 

greenhouse gas emissions.

2001: First Home Performance with 

ENERGY STAR program launched; 

by 2012, more than 150,000 families 

have improved their homes using 

a comprehensive, whole-house 

approach to energy efficiency.

1992: EPA launched the 

ENERGY STAR program 

with a small group of pioneering partners; by 2012, 

nearly 20,000 organizations 

across every sector of 

the economy have joined 

ENERGY STAR.

1996: White goods became eligible for the 

ENERGY STAR label, drawing the attention 

of leading national retailers; by 2012, 

ENERGY STAR certified appliances have 

saved Americans about $1.5 billion a year 

in energy costs. 

1995: ENERGY STAR program 

expanded into labeling new 

homes; by 2011, the number 

of ENERGY STAR certified new 

homes climbed to more than 

1.3 million.

1996: Department of Energy 

(DOE) and EPA ENERGY STAR 

partnership announced; 

leveraged long-standing DOE 

expertise in appliance and 

lighting technologies and 

testing as well as whole-home 

improvement. 

2008: ENERGY STAR @ home 

animated web tool debuted; 

together with other interactive 

tools from ENERGY STAR, such 

as the Home Energy Advisor 

and the Home Energy Yardstick, 

it helped empower millions of 

Americans with tips for saving 

energy at home, at work, and in 

their communities. 

1997: ENERGY STAR program 

expanded into lighting, labeling 

products that were 75% more 

efficient than their incandescent 

counterparts; by 2012, ENERGY 

STAR certified compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) represent about 

a quarter of U.S. light bulb sales.

1999: EPA’s first 1–100 scale introduced that 

allowed for energy performance comparisons 

between similar facility types; by 2012, ENERGY 

STAR Energy Performance Scales/Indicators are 

the only national performance-based comparative 

metrics in the marketplace and are available for 25 

different facility types.

1995: First ENERGY STAR 

international agreement 

established between EPA and 

Japan; laid foundation for 

future agreements with global 

economic leaders, including the 

European Union and Canada, 

and international harmonization of voluntary efficiency 

standards for globally traded 

products.
“ENERGY STAR is more than a label awarded 

for energy efficiency. It is a partnership among 

government, business, and consumers, united 

in the pursuit of a common goal—to protect our 

environment for future generations.”

 Christine Todd Whitman

EPA Administrator, 2001 – 2003

A broad range of nearly 20,000 partners across 

every sector of the economy drive the ENERGY 

STAR program’s success—from manufacturers and trade associations, to retailers and 

efficiency program providers, to home builders 

and small businesses. 

From the first ENERGY STAR qualified computer 

in 1992, ENERGY STAR has grown to represent 

products in more than 60 different categories, 

with more than 5 billion sold over the past 20 

years. Over one million new homes and tens 

of thousands of facilities proudly carry EPA’s 

ENERGY STAR certification, use dramatically 

less energy, and are responsible for substantially less greenhouse gas emissions than their 

peers. Families and companies across America 

are improving the energy efficiency of their 

homes and businesses with help from ENERGY 

STAR in ways that cost less and help the 

environment. 

This success is possible because ENERGY STAR 

continues to deliver on its promise to America 

of cost-effective, relevant, and high-quality 

energy efficiency solutions.

It’s a partnership that works.

Powerful partnerships. 

Remarkable results.
Consumers and companies trying to navigate increasingly complex 

environmental and economic decisions have come to rely on ENERGY 

STAR to help them make informed choices that lead to cost-effective 

energy savings. EPA will continue to safeguard the values that 

brought ENERGY STAR to this remarkable point in history, yet adapt 

as needed to the changing world in which we live. Together with our 

partners, we will create and deliver innovative offerings that bring 

even greater value to consumers and businesses. 

We as a society must also must build a larger action-oriented ethos 

around protecting the environment through energy efficiency; for 

all of the technology innovations that are possible, we still must 

encourage greater changes in our behavior and be more conscious of 

how we use energy—and how much we use. Together, we can help 

America preserve our climate and strengthen our economy at the 

same time.

We believe the future is bright. We will embrace the possibilities and 

rise to the challenges that lie ahead and soar to even greater heights. 

Thank you for 20 remarkable years of partnership, promise, and 

progress. We look forward to continuing the journey with you.

A future bright with promise.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, 

committed citizens can change the world. 

Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” 

Margaret Mead
Learn more about the 

20th Anniversary of ENERGY STAR at 

www.energystar.gov/20th

ENERGY STAR® is a U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency Program helping businesses 

and individuals fight climate change through 

superior energy efficiency.

Office of Air and Radiation

(6202J) EPA 430-F-12-009

March 2012

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Paper (Minimum 50% Post-Consumer Content)