by Helen Sanders Deployment and adoption. These are major challenges in getting high-performance envelope solutions into new and existing homes and buildings in the U.S. Deployment is a key focus of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Building Technologies Office (BTO) programs, driving work at the National Laboratories and their partners. Last week, I was […]

As with many things these days, it’s hard to believe that once upon a time people agreed on things. In 1969, Sen. Gaylord Nelson, a junior senator from Wisconsin who was concerned about the state of the environment in the U.S., saw a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, Calif. He recruited others to organize […]

Over the past 30 years, I have seen a lot of ups and downs. Just when I thought I had seen it all, COVID-19 came. The past three years have been some of the most interesting I’ve ever experienced in the door and window business, but, as usual, they have brought the creativity of our […]

The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August, provides rebates and tax credits to homeowners investing in energy-efficient upgrades, including new windows. It will also help the economy as well, said Vice President Kamala Harris when she addressed the Sheet Metal Workers Local 17 in Boston earlier this week. “We are fighting together to lower home […]

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published final specifications for Energy Star 7.0 Thursday, handing manufacturers their final marching orders if they’re to keep the program’s sticker on their door and window products. The news arrived amid the final hours of GlassBuild America—a week in which some companies said they were shopping new glass packages and […]

As the Senate pushes to pass the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) says it remains opposed to the bill. The association is working with Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) to obtain key changes as it related to carried interest and how companies can deduct depreciated assets from taxes. During the […]

Well, here we are once again heading for a new version of Energy Star that will begin in 2023 with even tougher requirements. As I completed my travels during the first half of this year, I noticed an overall lack of concern regarding the upcoming Energy Star changes. My customers seemed focused on the present […]

During the last few weeks, I have visited customers, and the topic of Energy Star has come up. Everyone wonders if the EPA will stick with the stringent requirements outlined in drafts 1 and 2 of Version 7.0 or move to some halfway point. This would give window and door fabricators extra time to adjust […]

The race will soon begin for manufacturers seeking to earn or keep Energy Star certifications for door and window products. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took another step toward deployment of Version 7.0 today, releasing a final draft with minor updates over its Draft 2 proposal. Changes include a slight adjustment to U-factor requirements […]

“It is always wise to look ahead, but difficult to look farther than you can see.”—Winston Churchill After attending GlassBuild last week and reviewing innovations that can help improve thermal performance, I’m encouraged! The new low-E coatings and combinations of coatings, along with some new work on thin triples, advises us that we can achieve lower […]