Become an ENERGY STAR Partner

Becoming an ENERGY STAR partner is easy. Simply fill out an ENERGY STAR Partnership Agreement by following the appropriate link below. There is no cost to partner with ENERGY STAR or use ENERGY STAR promotional materials.

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Property owner, manager, or tenant organization

Property owner, manager, or tenant organization: This partnership category includes commercial, multifamily, or industrial building owners, managers, or tenant organizations working to make their properties or spaces more energy efficient.

NOTE: Builders of single-family and manufactured homes, as well as organizations whose primary business is multifamily new construction, should apply as a Residential New Construction partner.

To join as an ENERGY STAR partner, EPA asks that you submit an online application through this website and then have the most senior executive of your organization make a commitment to energy management by signing a letter to the EPA. An example of this letter can be found below in the “How Do You Sign Up” section. Partnership is a good opportunity for your organization to publicly commit to the environmental and financial benefits of energy management. Specific commitments are detailed below.

Partnership Agreement and Objectives

Partner will:

• Measure and track the energy performance of your organization's facilities, operations, and commercial new construction projects using tools such as ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager ® for buildings, ENERGY STAR Energy Performance Indicators (EPIs) for plants, and others offered through ENERGY STAR;
• Develop and implement a plan consistent with the ENERGY STAR Guidelines for Energy Management to achieve energy savings;
• Promote the importance of energy efficiency, and the value of partnership with ENERGY STAR, to stakeholders, such as peer organizations, suppliers, staff, and the community at large, and facilitate energy savings among these stakeholders through competitions, campaigns, and other engagement, where possible; and
• Highlight your achievements by pursuing ENERGY STAR recognition and publicizing your program's accomplishments and recognition received.
• Agree to Terms and Commitments (PDF, 115 KB).

EPA will:

• Provide resources and tools to support partner's commitment to measure, track, and improve its energy performance;
• Recognize organization as a partner on the ENERGY STAR website; and
• Provide access to partner resources, including the ENERGY STAR logo, which is recognized by more than 90 percent of American household

How to sign up

To become an ENERGY STAR partner you will need to submit an online application through this website and then have the most senior executive sign a partnership agreement that will be emailed to you upon completion of the online application. The following section goes through the recommended steps for getting internal approval and becoming a partner.

1. Obtain your management's commitment to creating an energy management program and partnering with ENERGY STAR. For more information on how to get senior management support, consult:
   • Make the business case
2. Review the Terms and Commitments (PDF, 115 KB) – Familiarize yourself with the requirements of the ENERGY STAR partnership.
3. Submit information on your organization through this ENERGY STAR online portal by clicking the start application button below. Please note that you cannot save your application once started so please make sure you have the following information before you begin:
   • Organization address
   • Organization website
   • Organization social media handles
   • Brief description of the organization and its business/function
   • For commercial organizations, total square footage and total number of properties owned, managed
   • and/or leased by your organization
   • For industrial organizations, number of plants and employees in the U.S., the number of plants outside the U.S., and types of plants and products manufactured by your organization
   • Whether your organization is a small business and whether it is a franchise organization.Types of properties your organization owns, manages, or leases.
   • Number of new buildings planned for construction by your organization in the next five years (if any).
   • Name, title, and contact information for the partnership, for at least the following three roles (one person may be used in more than one role):
     • Signatory
     • Primary contact
     • Communications contact
4. Once you complete the online part of the application, ENERGY STAR will email you a partnership application packet. This packet contains the information you entered from step 3, the terms and commitments from step 2, and a Partnership Letter which must be put on the company letterhead and signed by a senior executive in your organization. View a sample partnership letter (PDF, 114 KB). This letter will be automatically generated and emailed to you after you complete step 3.
5. Have the signatory sign the letter.
6. Scan and email the signed Partnership Letter back to ENERGY STAR. Just reply to the email that sent you the letter in Step 4.
7. ENERGY STAR will review the letter and email you within 1-2 weeks confirming your partnership. If you have any questions please email CIPartnership@energystar.gov.

Association or non-profit organization

Association or non-profit organization: This partnership category includes membership organizations and non-profit organizations (not included in the other partnership categories) working to promote energy efficiency to their members or stakeholders.

To join as an ENERGY STAR partner, EPA asks that you submit an online application through this website and then have the most senior executive of your organization make a commitment to energy management by signing a letter to the EPA. An example of this letter can be found below in the “How Do You Sign Up” section. Partnership is a good opportunity for your organization to publicly commit to the environmental and financial benefits of energy management. Specific commitments are detailed below.

Partnership Agreement and Objectives

Partner will encourage its members to:

• Measure and track the energy performance of facilities, operations, and commercial new construction projects using tools such as ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager for buildings, ENERGY STAR Energy Performance Indicators (EPIs) for plants, and others offered through ENERGY STAR;
• Develop and implement plans consistent with the ENERGY STAR Guidelines for Energy Management to achieve energy savings;
• Promote the importance of energy efficiency, and the value of partnership with ENERGY STAR, to stakeholders, such as staff, association members, peer organizations, suppliers, and the community at large, and facilitate energy savings among these stakeholders through competitions, campaigns, and other engagement, where possible; and
• Highlight achievements by pursuing ENERGY STAR recognition and publicizing the accomplishments and recognition received by successful programs.
• Agree to Terms and Commitments (PDF, 110 KB).

EPA will:

• Provide resources and tools to support partner's commitment to encourage its members to measure, track, and improve the energy performance of organizations.
• Recognize organization as a partner on the ENERGY STAR website.
• Provide access to partner resources, including the ENERGY STAR logo, which is recognized by more than 90 percent of American households.

How to sign up

To become an ENERGY STAR partner you will need to submit an online application through this website and then have the most senior executive sign a partnership agreement that will be emailed to you upon completion of the online application. The following section goes through the recommended steps for getting internal approval and becoming a partner.

1. Obtain your management's commitment to partnering with ENERGY STAR. For more information on how to get senior management support, consult:
   • Make the business case
   • Get buy-in from leadership and staff
2. Review the Terms and Commitments (PDF, 115 KB) – Familiarize yourself with the requirements of the ENERGY STAR partnership.
3. Submit information on your organization through this ENERGY STAR online portal by clicking the start application button below. Please note that you cannot save your application once started so please make sure you have the following information before you begin:
   • Organization address
   • Organization website
   • Organization social media handles
   • Brief description of the organization and its business/function
   • Number of members
   • A description of your organization's mission
   • A list of any regular correspondence with members (e.g., publications, newsletters, or blogs)
   • Name and contact information for the partnership for at least the following three roles (one person may be used in more than one role):
     • Signatory
     • Primary contact
     • Communications contact
4. Once you complete the online part of the application, ENERGY STAR will email you a partnership application packet. This packet contains the information you entered from step 3, the terms and commitments from step 2, and a Partnership Letter which must be put on the company letterhead and signed by a senior executive in your organization. View a sample of the partnership letter (PDF, 139 KB). This letter will be automatically generated and emailed to you after you complete step 3.
5. Have the signatory sign the letter.
6. Scan and email the signed Partnership Letter back to ENERGY STAR. Just reply to the email that sent you the letter in Step 4.
7. ENERGY STAR will review the letter and email you within 1-2 weeks confirming your partnership. If you have any questions please email CIPartnership@energystar.gov.

Service and product provider

Service and product provider: This partnership category includes companies offering ENERGY STAR benchmarking and certification services to property owners, managers, and tenants using ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager.

NOTE: This partnership category requires that the applicant has assisted in completing benchmarking of at least 10 properties or certification of at least 1 property in the last year.

To join as a partner, EPA asks that the most senior executive of your organization makes a commitment to use ENERGY STAR in the delivery of services to customers. In order to join as a partner your organization must support either the existing commercial building, industrial and/or commercial new construction markets. Partnership is a good opportunity for your organization to publicly commit to the environmental and financial benefits of energy management. Specific commitments are detailed below.

Pre-Requisites for Partnership

• For SPPs supporting the Existing Commercial Building Market
  • In the 12 months prior to applying for partnership, the organization must benchmark at least 10 client commercial buildings using Portfolio Manager, and/or serve as the primary SPP in helping at least one client commercial building to earn ENERGY STAR certification.
  • Information and guidance on Benchmarking and Earning ENERGY STAR certification using Portfolio Manager is available on the ENERGY STAR website.
  • Within the 2 years prior to applying for partnership, the organization must work with an ENERGY STAR Industrial partner on at least one energy efficiency project and submit a Teaming Profile outlining the project scope and resulting savings for that project. -OR-
  • Within the 2 years prior to applying for partnership, the organization must serve as the primary SPP in helping at least one client earn ENERGY STAR industrial plant certification or participate in the ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry. The applicant must also submit a Teaming Profile outlining how it has helped the client participate in the ENERGY STAR industrial program.
  • If you would like to create a Teaming Profile, or you are unsure of the suitability of a project for a Teaming Profile, please send an inquiry to energystrategy@energystar.gov.
  • Submit at least one commercial new construction project (completed within the past 12 months of application date) that received Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR Recognition.
  • Submit a Design Profile (optional) for display along with the listing of "Projects and Architects to Achieve Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR".
  • Information and guidance on How to Apply for Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR recognition is available on the ENERGY STAR website.

  Partnership Agreement and Objectives

  Partner will:

  • Promote a comprehensive and strategic energy management approach. Use the ENERGY STAR Guidelines for Energy Management to help customers think strategically about energy performance.
  • Demonstrate the financial value of energy performance improvements. Use ENERGY STAR tools such as the Financial Value Calculator, Building Upgrade Value Calculator, and Cash Flow Opportunity Calculator to quantify the financial value of energy performance improvements.
  • Participate in ENERGY STAR communications and recognition. Help increase knowledge in the market through supporting ENERGY STAR communications, and help customers earn recognition such as ENERGY STAR building/design certification and Partner of the Year awards.
  • Assist customers with measuring, managing, and improving commercial building performance with ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. Portfolio Manager provides benchmarking metrics, including the ENERGY STAR 1-100 score, for evaluating the energy performance and estimated design energy use for commercial new construction projects.
  • Follow Terms and Conditions as outlined in the SPP Agreement (PDF, 113 KB).

  For Industrial SPP Partners (additional guidance)

  • Encourage customers to take the ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry
    Provide assistance, if appropriate, with registering, identifying energy savings opportunities, and validating energy savings for recognition.
  • Encourage customers to benchmarking their facility using the appropriate Energy Performance Indicator (EPI)
    For eligible plant types, assess the energy performance of the plant and determine if the facility qualifies for ENERGY STAR certification.

  For Commercial New Construction Building Partners (additional guidance)

  • Assist customers with achieving energy use goals
    Use with EPA's online tools Portfolio Manager and/or Target Finder to establish energy targets and compare estimated design energy use to the target and median property.
  • Use the ENERGY STAR Energy Design Guidance Checklist
    Evaluate energy performance during all phases of the building design process using the ENERGY STAR Energy Design Guidance Checklist.

  EPA will:

  • Provide resources and tools to support partner's commitment to measure, track, and improve its energy performance;
  • Recognize organization as a partner on the ENERGY STAR website; and
  • Provide access to partner resources, including the ENERGY STAR logo, which is recognized by more than 90 percent of American households.
  • For SPPs who have demonstrated supporting the existing commercials buildings market: Show the SPP on the existing commercial building Most Active List provided that the partner maintains at least 10 buildings benchmarked in Portfolio Manager or serves as the primary SPP in helping at least one client commercial building to earn ENERGY STAR certification in the most recent 12-month period.
  • For SPPs who have demonstrated supporting the industrial market: Show the SPP and its Teaming Profiles on the ENERGY STAR for Industry Service and Product Provider Directory webpage.
  • For SPPs who have demonstrated supporting the commercial new construction market: Show the SPP on the list “Projects and Architects to Achieve Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR”.

  How to Sign Up

  1. Complete the Pre-requisites above.
  2. Review the Partnership Agreement text (PDF, 113 KB).
  3. Obtain your senior leadership ’s commitment to partnering with ENERGY STAR. For more information on how to get senior management support, consult:
     • Make the business case
     • Get buy-in from leadership and staff
  4. Submit information on your organization through this ENERGY STAR online portal including:
     • Organization address
     • Organization website
     • Organization social media handles
     • Brief description of the organization and its business/function
     • Whether your organization is a small business and whether it is a franchise organization.
     • Types of services your organization offers and the markets to which your organization offers services.
     • Project information demonstrating your support for one of the following markets:
       • For SPPs supporting the existing commercial buildings market: Portfolio Manager IDs of the benchmarked and/or certified building(s).
       • For SPPs supporting the industrial market: Finalized teaming profile that was approved from energystrategy@energystar.gov.
       • For SPPs supporting the commercial new construction market: Portfolio Manager ID of one commercial new construction project that received Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR Recognition.
         Upon approval of your application you may provide criteria to demonstrate support in other markets.
     • Name, title, and contact information for the partnership, for at least the following three roles (one person may be used in more than one role):
       • Signatory
       • Primary contact
       • Communications contact
       • Contact to be listed in SPP Directory

  CHOOSE ONE:

  SPPS in the Commercial Buildings Market must have:

  • Benchmarked 10 customer commercial or institutional buildings in Portfolio Manager within the last 12 months
    OR
  • Served as the primary SPP helping one customer commercial or institutional building earn ENERGY STAR certification within the last 12 months
    OR
  • Submitted one Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR application for a customer commercial or institutional new construction project within the last 24 months

  OR

  SPPS in the Industrial Market must have:

  • Completed an energy efficiency project within the past two years for a client who is an ENERGY STAR Industrial partner in good standing and submit a teaming profile in advance of starting the application. See Prerequisites for Partnership for details.