ENERGY STAR is a voluntary energy
efficiency labeling program aimed at forming public-private
partnerships that prevent air pollution rather than control it
after its creation. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
introduced ENERGY STAR in 1992. Since then, EPA and the U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) have expanded the ENERGY STAR Program to
promote energy efficiency in over 60 product categories and in
commercial and residential buildings. President Obama has made
energy efficiency a key element of his effort to address energy
independence and reliability and climate change. Increased energy
efficiency through ENERGY STAR provides cost savings to businesses
and consumers, reduces greenhouse gas emissions from power plants,
and increases U.S. energy security and reliability. EPA announced
ENERGY STAR for New Homes in 1995 as part of its effort to promote
energy efficient new home construction within the residential
sector. EPA rolled out an existing homes initiative in 1999 to
promote cost-effective energy efficiency retrofits. With the help
of ENERGY STAR, American families and businesses have saved about
$230 billion on utility bills and prevented more than 1.7 billion
metric tons of carbon pollution.
There is a program change
increase in hours resulting primarily from EPA's new, more rigorous
guidelines for new homes looking to earn the ENERGY STAR. Compared
to homes built to the prior guidelines, homes built to the new
guidelines are at least 10 percent more energy efficient. As part
of these new guidelines, EPA is asking verification organizations
to use four checklists (of which 3 are new) that are necessary for
ensuring that critical details and systems that impact a home's
efficiency, comfort, and durability are not missed or installed
incorrectly during the design and construction phases. There is a
program change reduction in costs resulting from the fact that
ENERGY STAR increasingly offers respondents the option of
submitting information electronically. This saves them postage
costs. Please refer to Section 6(f) of the supportinig statement
for additional information on both program changes and
adjustments.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Form 5900-269 Energy Star Program in the Residential Sector: Private Sector
ENERGYSTAR_Res_ICR_June 2014 FINAL_6 24 2014.docx
Energy Star Program in the Residential Sector: Private Sector