March 5, 2026 — Washington, DC
The Institute for Market Transformation released the following statement after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) released a Memorandum of Agreement to move primary oversight and management of the ENERGY STAR program from EPA to DOE.
“ENERGY STAR is a remarkably successful public-private partnership that must be preserved and protected. Since 1992, ENERGY STAR has helped American families and businesses save more than $500 billion in energy costs. And, nearly 90% of American households recognize the ENERGY STAR brand. ENERGY STAR provides foundational infrastructure for several sectors of America’s economy. Building owners, investors, lenders, and service providers rely on ENERGY STAR’s buildings program and its Portfolio Manager platform to monitor and track efficiency, lower energy use, save money, and serve as the basis for contracts and agreements. A $20 trillion industry relies on the program,” said Cliff Majersik, Senior Advisor.
Congress demonstrated strong bipartisan support for ENERGY STAR and for keeping the program at EPA by appropriating full funding for ENERGY STAR in the FY2026 budget. Moving the program could imperil its stability.
DOE has a long history of running successful energy-saving programs, but EPA staff and contractors run ENERGY STAR, drawing on expertise and partnerships built over decades. They should continue to run ENERGY STAR until DOE can on-board their expertise, contracts, and partnerships.
Any change of this magnitude calls for transparency, oversight, and public engagement. This is because any disruption could result in significant economic harms including energy waste, higher bills, and threats to electric grid reliability. Moreover, ENERGY STAR’s value relies on continued public trust in the ENERGY STAR brand.
The strength of ENERGY STAR lies in its partnerships with industry and public engagement. Congress and the many stakeholder groups who rely on this program deserve to know more about the transition and how DOE would manage, staff, and fund the program moving forward. To support a successful transition, DOE and EPA should provide a robust, publicly-vetted plan before making changes that could negatively impact the ENERGY STAR program.