Become a Recognized MRO

Application Information for Multifamily Review Organizations

Roles and Responsibilities

Organizations seeking MRO recognition must submit an application satisfactorily demonstrating the ability to fulfill all required roles and responsibilities, including:

  • Establish submitter qualifications;
  • Perform documentation review;
  • Develop and maintain project reviewer qualifications;
  • Develop and implement a quality assurance process for the review process;
  • Develop a process for and perform on-site quality assurance of ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction projects;
  • Develop and implement a dispute resolution process;
  • Develop and implement a process to deliver communications to submitters and developers;
  • Maintain project files and records; and
  • Participate in meetings and communications with ENERGY STAR Multifamily team members.

Eligibility Criteria

  1. Demonstration of ability to operate impartially. MROs must demonstrate that they are organized and operated to preserve the objectivity of their activities, maintaining a system or process to safeguard impartiality. Organizations seeking recognition must demonstrate to EPA that they:
    • Maintain policies to ensure that potential conflicts of interest are identified and avoided;
    • Maintain an open participation policy related to Submitter qualifications;
    • Maintain impartiality and confidentiality in the project approval process;
    • Maintain impartiality in the internal oversight of Reviewers; and
    • Establish an impartial conflict resolution process.

    Further, organizations that are recognized as MROs may not review documentation submittals for multifamily projects for which it performed modeling, testing, or inspections. However, MROs are permitted to perform modeling (but not testing or inspections) of multifamily projects pursuing ENERGY STAR certification, provided that the organization will not serve as the MRO for any projects for which they performed modeling services.
     
  2. Scope of Operations. In other residential sectors where EPA has established comparable oversight organization constructs to the MRO, maintaining a national scope of operations is required (except in unique geographic or code-based circumstances). However, during the pilot phase of the MRO approach, EPA will consider applications for recognition from organizations that operate at a local, state, regional, or national level. Note: that EPA may revisit this policy as more information is available.

Note: There is no plan to cap the number of organizations that may be recognized, and EPA plans to allow for applications to be submitted on a rolling basis.

Termination

If, after recognition, EPA determines that a Multifamily Review Organization is not adequately meeting its required roles or responsibilities or is not acting in good faith to maintain consumer and industry confidence in the ENERGY STAR program, EPA will provide the MRO with written notification and allow a period of 30 days to resolve identified issues and provide EPA with a written response summarizing the changes made. If the organization fails to meet this requirement, EPA will suspend or rescind recognition.

Application Information

View the Application (PDF, 355 KB) and apply to be considered as a Multifamily Review Organization. [Updated 6/27/2022]

Completed applications for recognition should be submitted to EPA at energystarhomes@energystar.gov.

Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. EPA will confirm receipt of applications received within 5 business days and notify the applicant regarding EPA’s determination on the application within 20 business days. EPA will also inform organizations whose applications are not approved of the specific deficiencies identified. Applicants that are not recognized are invited to contact EPA to further discuss their applications and to re-apply based on feedback.