BOMA Members Deserve Credit for Energy Star Victory
February 18, 2026
BOMA Members Deserve Credit for Energy Star Victory
Almost one year ago, upon learning the EPA’s Energy Star program was in jeopardy, supporters of the program, including BOMA, jumped into action. Working through coalitions and direct lobbying, BOMA worked to educate Congress that Energy Star was an important program used by 25% of commercial buildings across America.
BOMAPAC funds were strategically used to cut through the noise and make sure the right people heard BOMA’s message that the Energy Star portfolio manager program deserved support. In this case, it was the chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee with jurisdiction over the program. BOMA President & COO, Mary Lue Pack, and VP of Advocacy and Building Codes, John Boling, attended an event with Rep. Mike Simspon to explain the importance of the program to the industry. Additionally, BOMA members sent emails through our Legislative Action Center outlining the importance of the Energy Star portfolio manager program to their members of Congress.
Together, our hard work paid off when Congress passed a package of spending bills, including funding for the Energy Star program, in early January. President Trump signed that bill into law on January 23rd, providing $33M for the remainder of FY26. Furthermore, the spending bill created an appropriations line item for Energy Star and inserted a reference to the law that created the program. The first action raises the visibility of the program and makes its funding harder to cut.
The second reminds opponents that the program was created by law and therefore removing it would require passage of another law. If such a law is ever proposed to cut Energy Star, BOMA will be there to fight it at every turn. Thus, January 23rd marked a triple win for the Energy Star program: funding, visibility, and longevity.
Well done, Team BOMA.