ENERGY STAR is the most recognized energy efficiency label to help consumers identify and purchase energy efficient products for their businesses and homes. It is also an effective energy management tool helping businesses measure energy performance, track savings, and rewards improvements.
HOW TO EARN A LABEL
ENERGY STAR is the quickest, simplest, and cheapest method to track and monitor your buildings energy consumption:
Step 1:
Set-up your free Portfolio Manager account. This online tool acts as an energy monitoring systems allowing you to track and monitor the energy consumption within your operating spaces.
Step 2:
Begin taking energy efficient actions. ENERGY STAR provides you with energy management strategies that helps in measuring current energy performance, engaging in building retrofits, as well as energy consumption reductions.
Step 3:
Apply for a label. All top performing buildings ranking in the top 25% of buildings nationwide are recognized with an ENERGY STAR label. DBEDT's State Energy Office offers a subsidized program that covers majority the cost for a label, at a fixed $500 fee (as opposed to $1500-$2000). Additionally, DBEDT's State Energy Office recognizes and promotes those ENERGY STAR labeled buildings showcasing progress and success towards achieving Hawaii's clean energy goals.
SCHOOLS
The ENERGY STAR program applies to any facility space used as a school building for Kindergarten through 12th grade students. This does not include college or university classroom facilities and laboratories, vocational, technical, or trade schools. The total gross area should include all supporting functions such as administrative space, conference rooms, kitchens, lobbies, cafeterias, gymnasiums, auditoria, classrooms, greenhouses, stairways, atria, elevator shafts, small landscaping sheds, storage areas, etc.
SUPERMARKETS
The supermarket/grocery store space type applies to facility space used for the retail sale of food and beverage products. It should not be used by restaurants, which are not eligible for a rating at this time. The total gross floor area should include all supporting functions such as kitchens and break rooms used by staff, storage areas (refrigerated and non-refrigerated)m administrative areas, stairwells, atria, lobbies, etc.
HOTELS
Hotel applies to buildings that rent overnight accommodations on a room/suite basis, typically including a bath/shower and other facilities in guest rooms. The total gross floor area should include all interior space, including guestrooms, halls, lobbies, atria, food preparation and restaurant space, conference and banquet space, health clubs/spas, indoor pool areas, and laundry facilities, as well as all space used for supporting functions such as elevator shafts, stairways, mechanical rooms, storage areas, employee break rooms, back-of-house offices, etc.
DORMITORY/RESIDENCE HALL
The program applies to buildings associated with educational institutions or military facilities which offer multiple accommodations for long-term residents. The total gross floor area should include all supporting functions such as food service facilities, laundry facilities, meeting spaces, exercise rooms, health club/spas, lobbies, elevator shafts, storage areas stairways, etc.
RETAIL STORES (INCLUDING SMALL BUSINESSES)
A retail store applies to facility space used to conduct the retail sale of consumer product goods. Sores must be at least 5,000 square feet and have an exterior entrance to the public. The total gross floor area should include all supporting functions such as kitchens and break rooms.
Retail segments typically included under this definition are: department stores, discount stores, supercenters, warehouse clubs, drug stores, dollar stores, home center/hardware stores, apparel/hard line specialty stores.
Retail properties are eligible to earn the ENERGY STAR label at the store level only. Therefore, they must be either freestanding or located in open air or strip centers, and mall anchors. Stores located within enclosed malls do not qualify.
HOSPITALS
Hospital applies to facility space used as Acute Care and Children’s Hospitals between 20,000 to 5,000,000 square feet in total gross floor area. These facilities provide acute care services intended to treat patients for short periods of time for any brief, but severe, medical condition, including emergency medical care, physician’s office, diagnostic care, ambulatory care, and surgical care.
Note: Long-term care hospitals that are certified as acute care hospitals are not eligible due to federal statute.
At least 51% of beds must be licensed and used for acute services. And at least 51% of the total gross floor area must be used for acute care services.
WORSHIP CENTERS
A House of Worship applies to any building area used as a place of worship. This includes churches, temples, mosques, synagogues, meeting houses, or any other buildings that primarily functions as a house of worship. The rating applies to buildings that function as the primary place of worship and not to other buildings that may be associated with a religious organization, such as living quarters, schools, or buildings used primarily for other community activities. The facility must also have 4,000 seats or fewer.
OFFICE BUILDINGS
Offices apply to facility space used for general office, professional, and administrative purposes. The total gross floor area should include all supporting functions such as kitchens used by staff, lobbies, atria, conference room and auditoria, fitness areas for staff, storage areas, stairways, elevator shafts, etc.