ENERGY STAR Transition Plan Sets Twelve-Month Path from EPA to DOE

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A newly released federal transition plan lays out a timeline for moving ENERGY STAR program leadership and administration to the U.S. Department of Energy, with the full transfer expected to be completed by July 2027.

ASA has worked independently and alongside coalition partners to support the ENERGY STAR program, including advocacy on Capitol Hill to protect funding and by direct engagement with the Administration. A newly released transition plan would shift ENERGY STAR from joint Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-Department of Energy (DOE) administration to sole DOE oversight, preserving the program while streamlining its management.

EPA and DOE released the 2026 ENERGY STAR Program Transition Plan on August 28, following a March agreement between the agencies that designated DOE as the lead federal agency for the voluntary efficiency program. Under the plan, ownership of the ENERGY STAR trademark, program leadership and oversight of core operations will transition to DOE, with the transfer of the program's IT portfolio and associated databases targeted for completion by July 2027.

ENERGY STAR is entering a significant transition period, and the priority is straightforward: preserve a voluntary, market-recognized program while ensuring the transfer is efficient, accountable, and free from unnecessary regulatory expansion.

How the transition will work

The plan identifies three areas: protecting institutional knowledge without growing bureaucracy, safeguarding the ENERGY STAR brand without adding new mandates, and keeping technology systems reliable for the businesses and consumers that use them.

The transition encompasses the transfer of program expertise, legal responsibilities and technology infrastructure. DOE and EPA's March Memorandum of Agreement specifically calls for the orderly transfer of primary management activities, including partnership agreements, trademarks, IT systems and databases.

DOE will assume control of ENERGY STAR trademarks and related partnership agreements, including foreign agreements with nations like Canada, Switzerland, and Japan. Strong oversight should ensure the ENERGY STAR name remains a consistent, voluntary market signal rather than a vehicle for expanded federal control.

Funding and staffing will also be important considerations as the transition moves forward. The March agreement states that EPA and DOE initially will fund transition activities using their respective appropriated funds and allows EPA to enter into separate agreements to transfer funding to DOE as the process progresses. The agreement also notes that activities remain subject to the availability of appropriated funds, resources and personnel.

Why it matters to PHCP-PVF businesses

ENERGY STAR is more than a consumer-facing label; its specifications apply across a range of products connected to the industry, including HVAC and water-heating equipment, making consistency in program administration, product specifications and supporting systems important to companies that manufacture, market and distribute qualifying equipment.

The immediate issue for businesses is therefore not simply which federal agency oversees the program, but whether the transition can occur without creating uncertainty or disruption for companies that interact with ENERGY STAR requirements, specifications and certification information.

This transition should be treated as both an administrative change and an accountability test. ENERGY STAR’s value has long depended on predictable standards, voluntary participation, and market confidence. The handoff should reinforce, and not weaken, those qualities by keeping the program focused, transparent, and responsive to businesses and consumers.

Throughout the transition, ASA will continue to monitor implementation and advocate for an ENERGY STAR program that remains adequately supported, predictable for businesses and firmly rooted in its voluntary, market-based purpose.

In short, the transition aims to protect consumer choice, limit disruption, and deliver competent stewardship of a respected efficiency label without expanding federal reach. With transparency, fiscal discipline, and sustained engagement with the private sector, DOE can inherit the ENERGY STAR platform while preserving the trust and market value that made the program work in the first place.

By Steve Rossi