Impacts At-a-Glance | US EPA (2024)

Environmental Impacts

Cumulative Reductions

EPA’s climate partnership programs have prevented more than 6 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from entering our atmosphere, while helping American consumers and businesses save more than $500 billion.

2019 Reductions

In 2019 alone, EPA’s climate partnership programs helped Americans save $44 billion and prevented 530 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emission of greenhouse gas emissions from entering our atmosphere. These savings are roughly equivalent to 8% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2019.

Impacts on Harmful Pollutants

• In 2019, savings from the SmartWay program led to reductions of 234,000 short tons of nitrogen oxides and 10,000 short tons of fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
• Since 2007, the Responsible Appliance Disposal program partners properly disposed of 209,000 mercury containing components and 321,000 polychlorinated biphenyl capacitors.
• In 2019, savings from the ENERGY STAR program led to reductions of 220,000 short tons of sulfur dioxide, 220,000 short tons of nitrogen oxides, and 27,000 short tons of fine particulate matter (PM2.5).

Public Health Benefits

In 2019, avoided air pollution due to ENERGY STAR was responsible for an estimated $7 billion in public health benefits.

Economic Impacts

EPA’s Climate Partnership Programs have built a nationwide coalition across sectors, and the pace of expansion continues to grow.

• The estimated annual market value of ENERGY STAR product sales is more than $100 billion.
• The private sector has invested $300 billion within a framework that EPA’s ENERGY STAR program created nearly 30 years ago.
• More than 800,000 Americans are employed in manufacturing or installing ENERGY STAR certified equipment—roughly 35% of all energy efficiency jobs in 2019.
• Nationwide, utilities invested $8.4 billion in energy efficiency programs in 2019.
• Over the life of the program, for every $1 EPA spends, the private sector has added $250 of their own investment.
• For every $1 of EPA investment, American individuals and businesses save over $350. ENERGY STAR leverages private sector investment to deliver 350 times more savings than what EPA spends.

Market Share

• 40% of Fortune 500 organizations partner with EPA’s climate programs.
• 33 industrial sectors, from integrated steel mills and petroleum refineries to bakeries and pharmaceutical plants, work with ENERGY STAR.
• More than 840 utilities, reaching 97% of American households, leverage ENERGY STAR in their efficiency programs.
• All of the nation’s 20 largest homebuilders build ENERGY STAR certified homes.
  • 1 in 12 new homes built in America are ENERGY STAR certified.
• 300,000 commercial buildings are actively benchmarking energy use in Portfolio Manager.
  • These buildings represent one-quarter of all commercial floor space.
• More than half of U.S. households knowingly purchased an ENERGY STAR product last year.
  • Every day, Americans purchase 800,000 ENERGY STAR certified products (plus another 800,000 light bulbs).
• More than 30% of all supermarkets work with GreenChill to reduce refrigerant emissions.
• Nearly 100 energy companies work with Natural Gas STAR to reduce methane emissions