The ENERGY STAR Brand

Since its launch in 1992, ENERGY STAR has grown to become the national symbol for energy efficiency. The familiar blue-and-white label now appears on tens of thousands of products, as well as commercial buildings, industrial facilities, and millions of new homes and apartments.

What Is the ENERGY STAR Brand?

ENERGY STAR is the simple choice for energy efficiency, motivating individuals and organizations to protect the environment while saving on energy bills and maintaining their quality of life. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for ensuring that ENERGY STAR consistently delivers value and maintains the following attributes:

• ENERGY STAR qualified products, homes, buildings, and services are more energy efficient than conventional products, homes, buildings, and services (between 10 and 90%) and therefore help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• ENERGY STAR identifies cost-effective solutions, providing payback within several years for any higher initial cost.
• There are no tradeoffs in performance or quality.
• ENERGY STAR, as offered by the EPA, builds upon the technical resources and objectivity of the federal government.

Brand Awareness and Loyalty

According to a national household survey of consumer awareness of ENERGY STAR, sponsored by the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE), about 90% of households recognized the label and 72% of knowing purchasers would likely recommend ENERGY STAR to a friend. Learn more.

The Value of ENERGY STAR

EPA monitors the performance of ENERGY STAR to ensure that it continues to deliver value for American consumers and businesses. Below are several performance indicators that EPA uses to assess the value of the ENERGY STAR brand in the marketplace:

• ENERGY STAR partners have invested $300 billion within the ENERGY STAR framework since 1992.
• ENERGY STAR product sales are worth over $100 billion per year.
• Utility programs leveraging ENERGY STAR reach 95% of American households.

Protecting the ENERGY STAR Brand

EPA has brand management tools and standards in place to ensure the continued success of the ENERGY STAR brand. These tools and standards ensure:

1. The ENERGY STAR name and marks are applied properly and consistently in the marketplace.
2. ENERGY STAR delivers on its promise to designate products and services that protect the environment through superior energy efficiency, without tradeoffs in performance or quality, and with attractive financial paybacks on any additional initial purchase costs.
3. Consistent messaging is used to communicate clearly to target audiences about ENERGY STAR qualifying products, homes, buildings, and services.
4. The integrity of the brand is maintained overall.

Specifically, EPA actively tracks the use of the ENERGY STAR name and logo in the marketplace and works to stop any violations. The ENERGY STAR name and trademark are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.