"The Trump administration wants to eliminate the energy-efficiency program, but bakers, builders, hot tub lobbyists, and chemical companies are trying to save it."
"When the Environmental Protection Agency’s plans to eliminate the Energy Star program became public, pushback from environmental groups was expected. The government-funded labeling system helps consumers identify energy-efficient products and practices, saving them $40 billion annually in energy costs. Since its founding in 1992, Energy Star has helped avoid at least 4 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions and has been lauded as one of the most effective decarbonization tools in U.S. history.
But over the last few months, a broad and unexpected coalition of industry groups has come out in support of the program. They range from the American Chemistry Council and the National Association of Home Builders to the Spray Foam Coalition, American Bakers Association, and the Pool and Hot Tub Alliance. The American Chemistry Council regularly fights the EPA’s regulation of power plants, and the Pool and Hot Tub Alliance’s previous lobbying efforts have promoted natural gas use in homes. Now, they find themselves aligned with environmental groups like the Sierra Club in defending Energy Star.
It’s an “interesting bedfellows” situation, said Justin Koscher, president of the Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association, which represents manufacturers of a type of rigid insulation used mostly in commercial roofing projects. “It’s not too often you get all of those groups saying the exact same thing on one particular issue.”
Most Americans recognize Energy Star from the iconic cyan-and-white logo on appliances like light fixtures, computers, and refrigerators, signaling that a third party has certified that the product uses less energy than other comparable options. But entire homes and buildings can also be certified as energy-efficient, and the Energy Star Portfolio Manager helps building managers track energy use. Residential and commercial buildings combined make up about a third of the country’s total energy use, and nearly a quarter of all commercial buildings in the country use the tool. Energy Star incentivizes energy-efficient building practices, guides appliance choice, and drives demand for products like insulation. Koscher worries that if Energy Star disappears, so might the incentive."
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