Energy Star, a certification that allows Americans to earn up to $3.200 in energy savings, is planned to be eliminated by the Trump administration.
According to Reuters and the Washington Post, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to eliminate Energy Star - a green label program that has certified the energy efficiency of home appliances and buildings for more than three decades.
Ben Evans, federal legislative director at the U.S. Green Building Council (UGBC), estimates the program saves consumers and businesses more than $40 billion a year by providing clear information about the energy efficiency of products or buildings. “It only costs $32 million to implement, which is an incredible investment,” Evans said.
Homebuilders can now claim a $2.500 federal tax credit for Energy Star construction and $3.200 for energy efficiency improvements. For example, they will receive a $500 credit for installing doors and $600 for installing skylights and windows that meet standards.
However, the fate of those credits is uncertain as Republicans seek to repeal subsidies under the Climate Act under former US President Joe Biden.
The EPA declined to comment specifically on the program's elimination on May 6, but said it was making organizational and staffing improvements that would "directly benefit the American people."
US President Donald Trump
Last week, EPA announced that its Office of Atmospheric Protection (OAP), which implements the Energy Star program, would be disbanded. This is part of the EPA’s restructuring plan that will see 1.500 job cuts and a $300 million operating budget reduction in fiscal year 2026.
According to a 2023 federal report, Energy Star has saved American families and businesses more than $500 billion in energy costs since 1992. The program has also helped prevent about 4 billion tons of greenhouse gases from entering the Earth's atmosphere, an emissions reduction equivalent to removing more than 933 million gasoline cars from the road for a year.
In addition to Energy Star, other programs under the Office of Atmospheric Protection, such as voluntary methane reporting for the oil and gas industry, are also uncertain about their survival amid the restructuring.
Energy Star has been in the sights of US President Donald Trump since his first term, with plans to eliminate or privatize the program, but has not been implemented.
Mr Trump has long targeted efficiency standards for appliances, specifically blaming showerhead water pressure restrictions for ruining his “perfect” hair. Last month, he signed an executive order lifting those restrictions, saying his administration would “make America’s showers great again”.
According to the VnExpress