Minimum Requirements

Sponsors shall use the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR name and mark to promote home performance services in accordance with criteria outlined in the following three documents: 

1. The Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Partnership Agreement
2. The Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Sponsor Guide and Reference Manual (v1.5) 
3. The ENERGY STAR Brand Book.

As detailed in the ENERGY STAR Brand Book, the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR name and mark shall be used in marketing and advertising materials to educate consumers or to show that a company provides services that clearly contribute to the integrated improvement of home systems. Sponsors may choose to co-brand Home Performance with ENERGY STAR with their own organization and/or program names and/or identify their home performance program offerings as offered “in conjunction with,” “partnered with,” “affiliated with,” or similar language to make homeowners and participating contractors aware that the work being performed on a house represents HPwES. Sponsors play a vital role in establishing the value of the HPwES program by increasing the visibility of the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR name and mark. Incorporating the name and mark into program marketing materials instills consumer confidence about the backing of the DOE and EPA and helps the program continue to reinforce national consumer awareness of the brand.

Managing Use of the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Mark

1.1 Comply with the current ENERGY STAR Brand Book, which describes how the ENERGY STAR marks and name may be used. Sponsors are responsible for the proper use of the ENERGY STAR marks, as well as the proper use of the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR mark used by participating contractors.

1.2 Maintain a list of authorized representatives, such as implementation contractors, advertising agencies, and participating contractors who have permission to use the mark in partnership with the Sponsor’s program.

1.3 Establish a process to ensure your business partners and participating contractors comply with the ENERGY STAR Brand Book.

1.4 Use the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR name and mark to inform homeowners that services being rendered by participating contractors under the Sponsor’s program follow the HPwES approach. For instance, Sponsors are encouraged to use the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR name and mark on Sponsors’ program websites and in other promotional materials, particularly those that target homeowners. To link to the Sponsor on the ENERGY STAR website, a Sponsor must first comply with the ENERGY STAR Web Linking Policyii found on the ENERGY STAR website.

1.5 Submit marketing materials and web designs developed for your HPwES program to your HPwES Account Manager for review to ensure accurate use of ENERGY STAR marks and consistent ENERGY STAR messages. The Sponsor will allow a minimum of five full working days for ENERGY STAR to review and approve website designs and marketing materials. Sponsors with a demonstrated track record for appropriate use of the mark and Home Performance with ENERGY STAR name may be given more latitude regarding this requirement at DOE’s discretion. As mentioned in steps 2 and 3 above, Sponsors are responsible for review and monitoring of their contractor and partner network’s use of the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR mark. Participating contractors that are in a “probationary” status may continue to use the mark in any on-going marketing but cannot create new materials or initiate new campaigns using the mark until their status returns to “active.”

1.6 Provide HPwES training to all employees who provide customer service. This training shall include: a) a description of Home Performance with ENERGY STAR, b) tips for answering questions about Home Performance with ENERGY STAR, and c) information on the economic and environmental benefits of energy efficiency.

1.7 Notify your HPwES Account Manager within 30 days of a change in the designated responsible party or contacts for this agreement.

As the ENERGY STAR brand manager, EPA actively monitors proper use of the ENERGY STAR name and marks. DOE and EPA will actively pursue resolution of any non-compliance related to the use of the ENERGY STAR marks.