Energy Star was created in 1992. Through actions like certifying highly efficient appliances like HVAC equipment, the program has saved 5 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity, avoided more than $500 billion in energy costs, and achieved 4 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emission reductions, according to the Energy Star website. 

The $33 million is a small increase from the $32 million provided in fiscal year 2024. This is also the first time Congress has mandated spending on Energy Star, said Sabine Rogers of the U.S. Green Building Council on the group’s website. This means there is a binding legal requirement on the administration to fund the program for fiscal year 2026. 

“ENERGY STAR funding levels have historically been left up to the discretion of the administration, with program funding decreasing steadily over the past 10 years,” Rogers wrote. “This marks a positive reversal of that trend.” 

In May 2025, reports came out that the EPA sought to end the popular program. Officials said it didn’t seem like “a good use of hard-working Americans’ money” and that it would be deprioritized and eliminated. 

More than 1,000 companies and organizations, including 14 HVAC associations and 19 HVAC manufacturers, reached out to members of Congress to voice their support of the program. By November 2025, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin reversed course on ending the program. The EPA moved the program to the Office of Atmospheric Protection that same month. 

National credentialing programs for HVAC contractors are available through the Air Conditioning Contractors of America. More than 700 contractors nationwide have qualified for the QA New Homes program, launched in 2011 after the EPA had ACCA develop a contractor accreditation program for Energy Star Certified Homes. 

“Quality installation remains the foundation of contractor success, regardless of federal programs. But ENERGY STAR provides valuable market recognition that helps contractors differentiate their work and access important incentives,” ACCA wrote in a blog post. 

Energy Star is a voluntary labeling program that uses energy-efficiency specifications set by the EPA; those products that meet them, including furnaces, water heaters, and a/c units, can display an Energy Star logo. Using the label, consumers can easily make purchasing decisions when looking to save money or energy. Nearly 90% of American households recognize the program, according to the Energy Star website.