DOE’s Rich Karney Speaks Before WDMA Members
and Answers Tough Questions Regarding ENERGY STAR® Proposals

The appearance of Richard Karney, head of the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) ENERGY STAR program at the WDMA’s annual meeting this week, was a much-anticipated one. In fact, before beginning his presentation, he told attendees that he heard people talking about him the night before at the cocktail party.

“Everyone kept saying, ‘I want to hear the ENERGY STAR guy tomorrow.’”

And with good reason. The DOE is proposing major changes to the program, and that has many manufacturers concerned.

On January 18, the DOE announced the latest news regarding possible changes to the program. This includes:

1. Introduction of a phased-in approach with near-term, mid-term and long-term criteria announced simultaneously;
2. Near-term, estimated to be effective in 2009, criteria levels achievable with products in production or with feasible manufacturing modifications;
3. A narrower range of U-factors in ES Zones 4 and 5 for 2009;
4. Specific SHGC ranges to capture winter solar gain;
5. A narrower SHGC range in ES Zone 1 for 2009;
6. Preparation for IGU certification requirement;
7. A later release date for the Criteria Proposal and Analysis (the release date is scheduled for early March, to take into consideration the outcome of the late-February IECC Code hearings); and
8. More time to transition from the current to the new criteria (6 to 12 months).

In addition, DOE has added the following two new elements to the criteria:

1. Separate criteria for doors that differentiate between opaque and glazed doors; and
2. An air leakage requirement.

CLICK HERE for the full text of the announcement from the DOE as reported on www.dwmmag.com.

When speaking before WDMA attendees Karney stressed that the program is striving to beat what is in the code requirements.

“Energy Star barely beats the code in many states,” he said.

“The latest data we have shows ENERGY STAR at 53 percent of the market,” he said. “We’d like to see it at the top 25 percent as opposed to saturating the market.”

“The label should provide a meaningful differentiation,” he added.

To work toward this goal, one of the items the DOE is considering is dividing the Northern zone into two. Karney said the revised map aligns with the International Energy Conservation Code’s (IECC) 2006 climate zones.

“We’re looking at reducing U-factors dramatically.”

He also said the DOE wants to give industry a head start so it can start working on product development to meet the new criteria. Karney pointed out that Super Windows have been developed but currently are not cost-effective.

“We hope these products will be cost effective in 2012 or 2015.”

Under the new proposal, there also would be a separate requirement for opaque and glazed doors.

One attendee asked what would be done for all the old windows out in the field, and Karney said the DOE is looking into that issue—the possibility of having a program for replacement and new construction but added, “We want to keep the program as simple as possible.”

Another attendee questioned where the mandate is that ENERGY STAR must beat the code.

“It’s one of the principles of the program,” said Karney.

Another attendee told Karney, “If you go with the numbers you have up there, most of us can’t meet that.”

Karney conceded that the bulk of the comments has come from the proposed requirements in zone 5.

“Maybe that’s what we focus on at the March stakeholder meeting,” he told attendees.

A meeting with stakeholders is scheduled for March 26.

He encouraged members to continue offering feedback.

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