About ENERGY STAR

History of ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR is a voluntary program designed to identify, promote, and increase the use of energy-efficient products to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the environment for future generations. Established by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) in 1992, the ENERGY STAR is now found on more than 40 product categories for the home and workplace, as well as on new homes. These products deliver the same or better performance as comparable models while using less energy and saving users money. ENERGY STAR also provides easy-to-use home and building assessment tools allowing homeowners and building managers to begin the path to greater efficiency and cost savings.

Through its partnerships with more than 8,000 private and public sector organizations, ENERGY STAR delivers the technical information and tools that organizations and consumers need to choose energy-efficient solutions and best management practices.

For more information about the national ENERGY STAR program, visit www.energystar.gov.

Utility-Sponsored ENERGY STAR Programs

In 1999, the Texas Legislature passed the Texas Electric Choice Act (Senate Bill 7) that introduced retail competition for some investor-owned utilities. The introduction of competition resulted in the separation of functions in electric companies. The operations related to producing and selling electricity at retail were separated from the delivery of electricity to homes and businesses.

Companies that deliver electricity to homes and businesses are known as transmission and distribution utilities. Oncor Electric Delivery is a transmission and distribution utility.

Companies from whom you purchase electricity for your home are known as retail electric providers.

The Public Utility Commission and the Texas Electric Choice Act stipulated that transmission and distribution utilities were required to implement energy efficiency programs to reduce their growth in energy demand by 10 percent.

Since 2001, Oncor Electric Delivery has sponsored a regional ENERGY STAR Homes Program throughout their service territory to achieve annual energy efficiency goals. Funding for the Oncor Electric Delivery ENERGY STAR Homes Program is provided by the regulated electric utility and is approved by the Public Utility Commission of Texas in support of statewide energy efficiency efforts.

Program Statistics:

• More than 60,000 ENERGY STAR qualified homes have been built by Program homebuilders since 2001.

• Nearly 10 percent of the nation’s ENERGY STAR qualified homes are built in Texas by Program homebuilders.

• 48 percent of ENERGY STAR qualified homes in Texas are built by Program homebuilders.

• 28 percent of the nation’s ENERGY STAR homes are built in Texas.

• ENERGY STAR Homes built by Program homebuilders have prevented greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to removing more than 33,000 cars from the road or planting more than 53,000 acres of trees.

• Through savings in kWh, ENERGY STAR Homes built by Program homebuilders have saved more than $22,500,000 since 2002.

Statistics collected by the Oncor Electric Delivery ENERGY STAR Homes Program and the National ENERGY STAR Homes Program from 2001-2006.  An average cost of 9 cents per kWh was used to determine savings.

Click here to learn more about how ENERGY STAR qualified homes help Texans enjoy a big, blue Texas sky!

For more information about the funding for this Program, please visit www.puc.state.tx.us