The ENERGY STAR Challenge

The ENERGY STAR Challenge is on-going, and projects can be submitted at any time to achieve Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR.

View the list of projects recognized at the 2009 AIA National Convention.

Learn how architecture firms can achieve Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR, participate in the ENERGY STAR Challenge, and receive recognition from EPA.

You Can Take the ENERGY STAR Challenge

WHY

Architects and their clients have an opportunity to design and construct buildings that reduce the demand for energy and prevent future greenhouse gas emissions. By taking the ENERGY STAR Challenge and achieving Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR, your firm can respond to EPA's call to fight global warming and design a better world for future generations.

WHO

• Architect of Record must be an ENERGY STAR Partner.
• Check if your firm is a Partner. If not, join today.

HOW

• Use Target Finder to determine the EPA rating for estimated energy use of your projects.
• Achieve an EPA rating of 75 or higher for the design project.
• Submit the following documents to EPA:
  • Statement of Energy Design Intent (90KB) (printed from Target Finder)
  • AOR Letter of Intent on your firm's letterhead; and either the
  • Owner-Occupied or CRE Developer/Owner letter on company's letterhead.

Project Requirements

Design projects must be at least 95 percent complete with construction documents, and the building cannot be occupied or generating utility bills.

Building Types Eligible for an EPA Rating

Office, Courthouse, Bank/Financial Institution, K-12 School, Supermarket/Grocery, Retail (big box), Hospital, Medical Office, Hotel, Residence Hall/Dormitory, Warehouse (refrigerated/non-refrigerated), and House of Worship.

Target Finder Training Sessions and AIA CES Credits

Take Responding to the Climate Change Imperative: Setting Energy Use Targets with ENERGY STAR and earn 1.0 HSW AIA CES credit.

You Can Talk About ENERGY STAR for Building Design

EPA's unbiased symbol for energy efficiency. EPA's ENERGY STAR is the national symbol for energy efficiency recognized by more than 70 percent of Americans, displayed on qualified energy-efficient products, appliances, homes, buildings, and building design projects.

• Use the Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR graphic in marketing materials, trade publications, and case studies to show that the project has the potential to help prevent greenhouse gas emissions and save money and energy over the life of the building.

Easy to understand. The ENERGY STAR program was established as a simple indicator of energy efficiency.

• Let your clients and peers know that your projects achieve Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR and have the potential to deliver long-term benefits of performance and a sustainable, positive impact on the environment.

Level playing field for partners and technologies. The ENERGY STAR program is designed to distinguish performance levels that differentiate highly efficient buildings and designs from less efficient buildings and designs and is not used to give one technology an advantage over another.

• Use Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR to convey energy design intent, help translate energy goals of the operating building, and show that buildings can reduce energy associated with burning fossil fuel, which contributes to global warming.
• Help your clients earn the ENERGY STAR label and demonstrate that the operating building meets energy and carbon reduction goals.

EPA recognizes design projects and architecture firms. See photos from the 2008 ENERGY STAR Challenge Gallery, case studies from the 2007 ENERGY STAR Challenge, and EPA's public service announcement (PSA) (121KB).

Establish industry goals. Architects can use ENERGY STAR to communicate carbon reduction goals for fighting global warming specified by industry leaders.

• Use ENERGY STAR to communicate with clients about your building design projects and meet industry goals established by EPA, Architecture 2030, and AIA Sustainable Practice.
• American Institute of Architects Promote integrated, energy performance design, including resource conservation resulting in a minimum 50 percent or greater reduction in the consumption of fossil fuels used to construct new and renovated buildings and operate buildings, by the year 2010.
• Architecture 2030 All new buildings, developments, and major renovations shall be designed to meet a 50 percent fossil fuel and greenhouse gas emission reduction standard, measured from the regional (or country) average for that building type.
• U.S. Green Building Council All new commercial LEED projects are required to reduce CO₂ emissions by 50 percent when compared to current emission levels.
• U.S. Conference of Mayors Work to increase the fossil fuel reduction standard for all new buildings to carbon neutral by 2030.