Energy Star, the popular Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) program that appeared on the chopping block last year due to budget cuts, appears to be safe for at least another year.
As the federal government works through its next budget cycle, Politico reported that the appropriations committees for the House and Senate are expected to set aside $33 million for the program.
Energy Star is a program that rates products based on their energy efficiency. The program helps facility managers and executives feel confident that the systems and products they choose for their institutional and commercial facilities are the most energy efficient options available.
Though the reported money allotted to the program is less than the $36 million that was available last year, suggestions that Energy Star would be scrapped entirely were met with opposition from groups on both sides of the political aisles as well as manufacturing companies and environmental groups.
While Energy Star looks like it will survive another year, its future beyond 2026 is not as certain. When initial talk of the program being scrapped emerged, the belief was that EPA officials were interested in privatizing it.
Dave Lubach is the chief editor of the facilities market.
