ENERGY STAR certification for commercial & multifamily buildings
If your building scores 75 or higher, we prepare your ENERGY STAR application, clean up the data, coordinate the licensed professional verification and submit it to EPA.
Proof your building is a top performer
ENERGY STAR certification is the EPA’s recognition for commercial and multifamily buildings that perform in the top 25% of similar buildings nationwide. To qualify, a building needs an ENERGY STAR score of 75 or higher in Portfolio Manager, based on 12 consecutive months of energy data.
Certification is valid for one year and can be earned again each year. Certified buildings are listed in EPA’s public registry and can display the ENERGY STAR plaque — a credential that tenants, buyers, lenders and ESG reporting frameworks recognize.
If you already benchmark for a city or state law, you’re most of the way there. The same Portfolio Manager data that we file for benchmarking compliance is the starting point for your certification application.
Certification requirements at a glance
- ENERGY STAR score of 75 or higher
- 12 consecutive months of data for all energy used
- Data no more than 120 days old when you apply
- Accurate floor area and property use details
- Verification and stamp by a licensed Professional Engineer (PE) or Registered Architect (RA), including a site visit
- Indoor environment meets industry standards for comfort, ventilation and lighting
Our certification process
- Eligibility checkWe review your Portfolio Manager score and data. If you’re at 75 or above — or close — we tell you what it would take to apply, and when the best 12-month period ends.
- Clean up the dataWe confirm every meter, fill gaps, and check floor area and use details, because errors can lower your score or stop an application.
- Generate the applicationWe create the application in Portfolio Manager for a period ending no more than 120 days before submission.
- Licensed professional verificationA PE or RA visits the building, confirms the information and indoor environment criteria, and signs and stamps the application.
- Submit and follow upWe submit to EPA, answer any reviewer questions, and let you know when the building is certified so you can order your plaque.
Why certify?
Leasing and value
Certified buildings are easier to market to tenants and investors who track energy performance and sustainability commitments.
ESG and green building reporting
Certification is widely accepted evidence of energy performance for GRESB, ESG disclosures and some green building rating systems.
Local compliance benefits
Some building performance laws treat ENERGY STAR certification or a high score as one way to show you meet a requirement — we’ll tell you if yours does.
Not at 75 yet?
A building’s score depends on accurate data as much as on efficient equipment. Missing meters, an overstated floor area or the wrong property type can hold a score down. We start every certification review by correcting the data — sometimes that alone moves a building over the line. If it doesn’t, we’ll show you how far you are from 75 so you can plan improvements.
Recertifying every year
Certification lasts one year. If you benchmark with us, we’ll watch your score as each year’s data comes in and let you know as soon as you’re eligible to apply again, so you keep your certification without gaps.
Frequently asked questions
What score do you need for ENERGY STAR certification?
A building needs an ENERGY STAR score of 75 or higher, meaning it performs better than at least 75% of similar buildings nationwide, based on 12 consecutive months of energy data in Portfolio Manager.
How long does ENERGY STAR certification last?
Certification is valid for one year. Buildings can apply again each year using their most recent 12 months of data.
Who has to verify an ENERGY STAR application?
A licensed Professional Engineer (PE) or Registered Architect (RA) must verify the application, including a visit to the building, and sign and stamp it before it is submitted to EPA.
How recent does the data have to be?
The 12-month period in your application must end no more than 120 days before you submit it to EPA, so timing matters.
Which buildings can be certified?
Commercial and multifamily property types that receive a 1–100 ENERGY STAR score in Portfolio Manager, such as offices, hotels, retail, K-12 schools, warehouses, hospitals and multifamily housing.
Is ENERGY STAR certification the same as benchmarking compliance?
No. Benchmarking compliance is required by law for covered buildings whatever their score. Certification is voluntary recognition for high performers. The same Portfolio Manager data supports both.