ENERGY STAR® is an essential resource for commercial real estate (CRE) professionals who are focused on driving environmental sustainability and energy efficiency. ENERGY STAR® provides several tools that are useful in achieving measurable results in energy use reduction. Among these is ENERGY STAR® Product Finder. 

This interactive reference guide highlights ENERGY STAR® certified products, including product details, rebates, and retailers. CRE professionals can use the guide to find information on building products, lighting, electronics, office equipment, and more.  

ENERGY STAR® Product Finder is not only a valuable resource for CRE professionals; it can also be shared with building tenants to encourage them to make energy efficient choices within their space. 

Products that earn the ENERGY STAR® label meet strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, helping CRE professionals save energy and money while protecting the environment by making choices that count for a clean energy future. 

Clean energy is generated from renewable sources without producing any pollution, which helps to improve the health of the environment and reduces the amounts of harmful emissions people are exposed to. On the other hand, energy that comes from burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas results in greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming, as well as air pollution that impacts human health and the environment. 

Shifting to clean energy is important to slow down global warming and protect the environment from harmful smog and toxic buildups in our air and water. Using renewable sources of energy also helps us conserve natural resources and reduces our dependence on foreign oil. 

Electricity made from clean energy can power our appliances, heat and cool our homes, and fuel our transportation.

Recent legislation (i.e., the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)) is expected to accelerate the transition with billions of dollars in financial incentives designed to make the needed purchases more affordable and other market support to make clean energy and efficient electric equipment more available. A 2023 EPA analysis projects that the IRA lowers economy-wide CO₂ emissions by 35 to 43% below 2005 levels in 2030. Residential and commercial buildings are the most significant source of reductions of any end-use sector, with reductions below 2005 levels reaching up to 63% in 2030 and up to 70% by 2035. The report specifies how energy efficiency is a key source of near-term reductions and the report also cites LBNL/Brattle analysis that energy efficiency and demand flexibility can reduce the annual cost of decarbonizing the electric power system by over a third.

Most experts predict that by as early as 2035, most of our energy demand can be supplied by clean energy.  Energy efficiency will play a critical role in terms of reducing the amount of clean energy that is needed, thereby lowering costs and ensuring there is enough to power all our needs.

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