Green buildings and ENERGY STAR

Photo of a building.

Energy efficiency is the first step to green.

A building can’t be green if it isn’t energy efficient. Why? The energy used by buildings is mostly generated by burning fossil fuels, which releases greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. No building should define itself as “green” unless it consumes less energy and generates fewer greenhouse gas emissions than average.

ENERGY STAR identifies energy-efficient buildings.

How can you be sure that a building is energy efficient?  Many new buildings today are designed and built to be green — a very exciting trend that will pay big dividends in the future for building operators and for the environment.

However, just because a new building is built to be green, doesn't mean it will be energy efficient.  And even more important, buildings often don't perform the way they were designed to. It's important to rely on proven methods to ensure that buildings are designed to maximize energy efficiency, and that they actually perform as intended once they’re operational.

As the leader in commercial building energy efficiency, ENERGY STAR can help you do just that, and ensure that your green buildings are truly energy efficient.

Leading organizations use ENERGY STAR.

Many green building rating systems know that you can’t have a green building unless its energy efficient, and they recognize ENERGY STAR as the leading symbol for energy efficiency. That’s why ENERGY STAR is incorporated into top green building certification systems and listings. Here are just a few. 

  • U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certification
  • The Green Building Initiative’s Green Globes system
  • The U.S. Guiding Principles for High Performance and Sustainable Buildings
  • Travelocity
  • Co-Star
  • Honest Buildings
  • AAA Tour Book
  • Collaborative for High Performance Schools
  • AIA 2030 Commitment

Save energy. Save money. Fight climate change.

A green, energy-efficient building isn't just good for the environment. It's good for the bottom line too. Energy efficiency saves money, reduces financial risk from rising energy costs, and is a proven best practice among leading companies. Learn more about the business case for green.