About the Awards

Organizations that:

• manufacture, sell and/or promote ENERGY STAR certified products
• signed a Participant Arrangement with ENERGY STAR Canada prior to September 1, 2025
• are in good standing with Natural Resources Canada.

Eligibility for the Awards depends on your organization type, defined by your signed Participant Arrangement with NRCan. Please review the categories in the sections below to determine which awards your organization is eligible to apply for.

Retailers

Retailers may apply for the following awards:

• Retailer of the Year
• Promotional Campaign of the Year
• Promoter of the Year - ENERGY STAR Most Efficient
• New Recruit of the Year

Manufacturers/Product Brand Owners

Manufacturers/Product Brand Owners may apply for the following awards:

• Manufacturer/Product Brand Owner – Appliances
• Manufacturer/Product Brand Owner – Commercial Products
• Manufacturer/Product Brand Owner – Electronics
• Manufacturer/Product Brand Owner – Fenestration Products
• Manufacturer/Product Brand Owner – Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Products
• Promotional Campaign of the Year
• Promoter of the Year – ENERGY STAR Most Efficient
• New Recruit of the Year

Utilities

Utilities may apply for the following awards:

• Utility of the Year (Provincial or Regional)
• Promotional Campaign of the Year
• Promoter of the Year – ENERGY STAR Most Efficient
• New Recruit of the Year
• Energy Efficiency Program Administrator of the Year

Advocates

Advocates may apply for the following awards:

• Advocate of the Year
• Promotional Campaign of the Year
• Promoter of the Year – ENERGY STAR Most Efficient
• New Recruit of the Year
• Energy Efficiency Program Administrator of the Year

Applicants may apply for more than one award category, provided eligibility requirements are met for each. Organizations may earn a maximum of two ENERGY STAR Awards per calendar year, regardless of the number of award categories applied for.

Manufacturer of the Year/Product Brand Owner of the Year – Recognizes a manufacturer/product brand owner that has shown leadership and innovation in developing and marketing ENERGY STAR certified products and raising the profile of ENERGY STAR in Canada.

Retailer of the Year – Recognizes a retailer that has shown leadership and innovation in developing and marketing ENERGY STAR certified products and raising the profile of ENERGY STAR in Canada.

Utility of the Year – Recognizes a utility (provincial or regional) that has shown leadership and innovation in developing and marketing ENERGY STAR certified products and raising the profile of ENERGY STAR in Canada.

Energy Efficiency Program Administrator of the Year – Recognizes an organization (for example, federal, provincial, territorial or municipal government; utility; sector or trade association; or non-government organization) that has administered an energy efficiency program which has helped raise the profile of ENERGY STAR in Canada.

Advocate of the Year – Recognizes an organization (for example, government, non-governmental organization, sector or trade association, health care provider, housing authority, educational institution and any other organization) that has shown leadership and innovation in the promotion of ENERGY STAR certified products and helped raise the profile of ENERGY STAR within or outside its organization.

Promotional Campaign of the Year – Recognizes an organization that has designed and delivered an exceptional promotional campaign (marketing or consumer education) that focused on one or more ENERGY STAR certified products or on ENERGY STAR in Canada.

Promoter of the Year – ENERGY STAR Most Efficient – Recognizes an organization that has successfully manufactured, sold or promoted ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2025 designated products.

New Recruit of the Year – Recognizes an organization that has been a Participant for 2 years or less and has shown leadership and innovation in promoting ENERGY STAR certified products and raising the profile of ENERGY STAR in Canada.

Sustained Excellence – Recognizes an organization that has maintained or surpassed its ENERGY STAR commitment and accomplishments over multiple years.

• Nominations are put forth by ENERGY STAR Canada for organizations that have been active promoters of ENERGY STAR for at least 5 years. No application is required.

Special Recognition – Recognizes an organization that has made significant contributions toward advancing energy efficiency in specific areas of the marketplace.

• Nominations are put forth by ENERGY STAR Canada. No application is required.

For more information on the ENERGY STAR for Products Awards, please contact prixenergystarawards@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca.

All builders that have signed an ENERGY STAR for New Homes Builder Licence Agreement prior to December 31, 2025, are in good standing with Natural Resources Canada, and have built and certified at least one ENERGY STAR home in 2025 are eligible for the 2026 Builder of the Year Award.

Builders are eligible to receive recognition in only one Builder of the Year Award category. Natural Resources Canada will determine the appropriate category for each Builder based on the number of homes built in 2025.

• Small builder: A single entity building (1-49) homes built in 2025
• Mid-size builder: A single entity building (50-249) homes built in 2025
• Large builder: A single entity building (250 or more) homes built in 2025

For more information on the Builder of the Year Awards, please contact esnhprogram-programmeesmn@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca.

• Building of the Year – Bank Branch
• Building of the Year – College/University/CEGEP
• Building of the Year – Community Centre
• Building of the Year – Fire Station
• Building of the Year – Hospital
• Building of the Year – Hotel
• Building of the Year – Ice and Curling Rink
• Building of the Year – K-12 School
• Building of the Year – Library
• Building of the Year – Mailing Center and Post Office
• Building of the Year – Medical Office
• Building of the Year – Multifamily Housing
• Building of the Year – Museum
• Building of the Year – Office
• Building of the Year – Pre-School and Daycare
• Building of the Year – Restaurant
• Building of the Year – Retail Store
• Building of the Year – Senior Living Community and Residential Care Facility
• Building of the Year – Supermarket and Food Store
• Building of the Year – Vehicle Dealership
• Building of the Year – Warehouse
• Building of the Year – Worship Facility

For more information on the Building of the Year Awards, please contact buildingscertification-certificationbatiments@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca.

ENERGY STAR Industrial Energy Saver Award – Challenge – Recognizes an industrial facility who is able to reduce their energy intensity by at least 10% within 5 years. Achieving this goal will earn them the title ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry Achiever.

ENERGY STAR Industrial Energy Saver Award – Certification– Recognizes an industrial facility who earns an ENERGY STAR certification by scoring in the top quartile when using ENERGY STAR Energy Performance Indicators (EPIs) to benchmark their facility’s energy performance against similar facilities in their sector.

For more information on the Industry Awards, please contact energystarforindustry-energystarpourlindustrie@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca