Title 24 vs ENERGY STAR: What Is the Difference?
ENERGY STAR is a voluntary federal label for products and for new homes; Title 24 is the energy code a permitted project must meet. In California the two stack: EPA's Version 3.5 for new single-family homes is measured against the 2025 Standards, so an ENERGY STAR home has to outperform the code's own standard design.
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A label, not a code
ENERGY STAR describes itself as a voluntary labelling programme: the federal government sets efficiency specifications, and products that meet them may choose to display the logo. Title 24 Part 6 is a regulation enforced through the building permit. The two meet in two places, products installed in a building and whole new homes.
ENERGY STAR products inside a Title 24 project
For most products the label has no bearing on code compliance. The Energy Code judges the building, and appliances sold in California are regulated separately under Title 20. A few points are worth knowing.
- Where the code names it. One exception to the single-family solar zone requirement in Section 110.10(b)1A applies when every thermostat is a demand-responsive control and the home adds one listed measure. One option is an ENERGY STAR dishwasher together with an ENERGY STAR refrigerator, a whole house fan with an electronically commutated motor, or a Level 2 EV charger of at least 40 amps.
- Where it is not enough. A roofing product on the ENERGY STAR list does not by that fact satisfy the cool roof requirements. The single-family and nonresidential compliance manuals both say no: ENERGY STAR sets different reflectance requirements and none for emittance, and under Section 10-113 the Cool Roof Rating Council is the only body the Energy Commission recognises to rate cool roofs.
ENERGY STAR certified homes in California
EPA writes California-specific requirements for its Single-Family New Homes programme, and Version 3.5 (Rev. 14) is built on the 2025 Standards. A home must meet one of two targets, both calculated in Energy Commission-approved software against the standard design the code defines for that home:
- an Efficiency Long-Term System Cost at least 5 points better than the standard design; or
- a compliance margin of at least 10 per cent on the standard design's Efficiency Long-Term System Cost.
On top of that come EPA's national Rater checklists, inspections at pre-drywall and at final with no sampling, and an HVAC track, either graded installation under ANSI/RESNET/ACCA/ICC 310 or a credentialed contractor. EPA's notice to California stakeholders says Version 3.5 is required for homes permitted on or after 1 January 2027 that are subject to the 2025 standards, adds an infiltration limit of 3.5 ACH50, with 4.5 ACH50 allowed for homes permitted before that date, and moves the multifamily programme to Version 1.5 from 1 January 2028.
Why an ENERGY STAR home is a Title 24 home first
Because the target is set relative to the 2025 standard design, the model behind the CF1R is the starting point, and the permit paperwork does not go away. EPA's document says plainly that meeting its requirements is not intended to imply compliance with all local code requirements. The house still needs its certificate of compliance, installation certificates and any field verification by an ECC-Rater, the role called a HERS rater until 1 January 2026. EPA's California document defines its own Raters by their qualification to carry out California HERS Ratings, a separate rating role explained in Title 24 vs the HERS Index.
Common Title 24 Questions
- What is Title 24?
- Do I need a Title 24 report?
- How much does a Title 24 report cost?
- How long does a Title 24 report take?
- What is included in a Title 24 report?
- What plans do I need to upload?
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Compliance is shown for the whole building on the certificate of compliance. A product label matters only where Part 6 names it, as in one exception to the solar zone requirement.
No. The Energy Commission's manuals say ENERGY STAR uses different reflectance requirements and none for emittance. The product must be rated by the Cool Roof Rating Council.
EPA publishes California-specific requirements. Version 3.5 is measured against the 2025 Standards and, according to EPA, is required for homes permitted on or after 1 January 2027 that are subject to them.
No. The permit still needs ECC field verification wherever the certificate of compliance calls for it. ENERGY STAR adds its own Rater inspections on top.