Updates to ENERGY STAR Scores

This page includes information about upcoming updates to 1-100 ENERGY STAR scores for U.S. property types, models being explored or developed, and past updates. Please check back regularly for the latest updates.

• Schedule of Future Updates
• Updates in Progress 
• Past Updates
• List of 1-100 ENERGY STAR scores and technical details

Note: For information about updates to Canadian score models, please visit Natural Resources Canada (NRCan’s) ENERGY STAR for Buildings page or contact nrcan.buildings-batiments.nrcan@canada.ca.

Schedule of Future Updates 

*An asterisk indicates an update that we hope to do, but that is dependent on the collection and analysis of sufficient data.

Updates in Progress

1-100 ENERGY STAR score for U.S. vehicle dealerships

Represented by the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), the U.S. vehicle dealership industry includes some 16,500 new car and truck dealerships with 32,500 brand franchises. In the spring and summer of 2021, NADA conducted a survey to gather data on the energy use and operations of U.S. vehicle dealerships and has shared the data  with EPA. EPA is now analyzing the data and will be developing a new 1-100 ENERGY STAR score and certification for U.S. vehicle dealerships, with an expected launch in late 2023. 

Past Updates

1-100 ENERGY STAR score for U.S. convenience stores

EPA developed a new 1-100 ENERGY STAR score and certification for convenience stores, based on energy use data collected by the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS). EPA issued a proposal and requested comments from the public prior to finalizing and releasing the score in March 2023. 

• Technical Reference: ENERGY STAR Score for U.S. Convenience Stores: This document presents details on how EPA developed the 1 – 100 ENERGY STAR score for convenience stores.
• WATCH: Recording of January 10 Informational Webinar: Hear from EPA’s statistical modeling team on how they developed the new 1-100 score for U.S. convenience stores during this 60-minute webinar recording.
• Proposal and Request for Comment: 1-100 ENERGY STAR Score for U.S. Convenience Stores (PDF, 309 KB) Note: The comment period ended February 10, 2023 and comments are no longer being accepted.
• Summary of Public Comments with EPA Responses (PDF, 115 KB): This two-page document shows a summary of the comments submitted during our public comment period, along with EPA's responses to each one.

1-100 ENERGY STAR score for single family homes

EPA had historically provided an energy efficiency score for homes through its Home Energy Yardstick tool, but in 2022 we took the underlying model and incorporated it into Portfolio Manager as a new 1 - 100 ENERGY STAR score for single family homes. The Home Energy Yardstick remains as a standalone tool with the option to save data in Portfolio Manager. While homeowners may prefer to continue using this tool, the new score in Portfolio Manager is most useful to owners and managers of large residential portfolios. Single family homes are not eligible to earn ENERGY STAR certification. 

For details, see our technical reference document on the 1-100 ENERGY STAR score for single family homes.

1-100 ENERGY STAR score for U.S. medical office buildings 

EPA rolled out an updated 1-100 ENERGY STAR score for U.S. medical office buildings on February 7, 2022. In addition, after an eight-year hiatus, U.S. medical office buildings once again became eligible to earn EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification for superior energy performance. The updated ENERGY STAR score is based on 2015 data collected by the American Society for Health Care Engineering, reflecting the most recent data available—both in terms of energy performance, but also in terms of modern equipment and operations. For example, the new score adjusts for MRI machines and surgical operating beds—equipment that was not factored into the old score.

For full details, watch our informational webinar, recorded in early January 2022.

2021 Update of the 1-100 ENERGY STAR Score for U.S. Hospitals

In February 2021, EPA updated the 1-100 ENERGY STAR score for U.S. hospitals to reflect new market data from 2015 collected by the American Society for Health Care Engineering (replacing the prior data from 2008). This update also included the addition of heating degree days (HDD) to the scoring model.  While the score change for each hospital will depend on a number of factors unique to that property, the average score change for U.S. hospitals in Portfolio Manager was an increase of 1.4 points, and ~95% of hospitals experienced score changes ranging from -2 to +5 points.

For full details, download the webinar slides.

2018 updates to ENERGY STAR^® metrics

In August 2018, EPA updated performance metrics for U.S. buildings in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager® based on the most recent market data available. This update is part of EPA’s standard process to keep ENERGY STAR metrics as current as possible, and reflective of current market performance. At this time, the 1–100 ENERGY STAR scores and other source energy metrics for were updated for U.S. buildings benchmarking in Portfolio Manager across all time periods to reflect the latest performance metrics.

This update was followed by a score review period for U.S. K-12 schools, worship facilities, warehouse properties, hotels, offices, retail stores, and supermarkets, during which EPA engaged industry to get feedback, conduct additional analysis, and ensure the score models deliver metrics that support organizations' energy efficiency goals. Certification was temporarily suspended and resumed on a rolling basis as EPA finalized its analysis for each score model. In July 2019, EPA concluded the score review period and certification resumed for all eligible U.S. building types.

Note that none of these changes impacted Canadian buildings.

Details about EPA’s analysis and key findings for each of the models are available for download:

• Office
• Retail
• Supermarkets
• K-12 School
• Hotel
• Warehouse and Distribution Center Properties
• Worship Facilities

Details about this round of updates are available in the following slide decks that EPA shared between 2014 and 2018:

• New Rules to Apply for 2018 ENERGY STAR Certification Before Metric Updates (PDF, 4.5 MB)
• Preparing for EPA's ENERGY STAR Metrics Updates (PDF, 1.9 MB)
• Update on CBECS Data and ENERGY STAR Score Development
  • Dec. 2016 (PDF, 1.2 MB), May 2016 (PDF, 339 KB), Dec. 2015 (PDF, 880.76 KB)  
• A deeper dive into 2012 CBECS characteristics data (PDF, 903.37 KB)  
• 2012 CBECS Preliminary Data and Updates to the 1 – 100 ENERGY STAR Score (PDF, 526.89 KB)  
• Planning for Updates to the 1 to 100 ENERGY STAR Score with 2012 CBECS Data (PDF, 993.75 KB)

List of 1-100 ENERGY STAR scores and technical details

The table below provides a quick overview of 1–100 ENERGY STAR scores that were updated, a link to the technical reference, a link to the technical webinar slides, if available, and data source summary.