Source: Ralph Cunningham, FAIA, Cunningham/Quill Architects
Graphic By Frank Pompa, USA TODAY

Here are some key elements of the program as Posted on white house website

• Rebates delivered directly to consumers: Like the Cash for Clunkers program, consumers would be eligible for direct HOMESTAR rebates at the point of sale for a variety of energy-saving investments in their homes. A broad array of vendors, from small independent building material dealers, large national home improvement chains, energy efficiency installation professionals and utility energy efficiency programs (including rural utilities) would market the rebates, provide them directly to consumers and then be reimbursed by the federal government.
• $1,000 – $1,500 Silver Star Rebates: Consumers looking to have simple upgrades performed in their homes would be eligible for 50% rebates up to $1,000 – $1,500 for doing any of a straightforward set of upgrades, including: insulation, duct sealing, water heaters, HVAC units, windows, roofing and doors. Under Silver Star, consumers can chose a combination of upgrades for rebates up to a maximum of $3,000 per home. Rebates would be limited to the most energy efficient categories of upgrades—focusing on products made primarily in the United States and installed by certified contractors.
• $3000 Gold Star Rebates: Consumers interested in more comprehensive energy retrofits would be eligible for a $3,000 rebate for a whole home energy audit and subsequent retrofit tailored to achieve a 20% energy savings in their homes. Consumers could receive additional rebate amounts for energy savings in excess of 20%. Gold Star would build on existing whole home retrofit programs, like EPA’s successful Home Performance with Energy Star program.
• Oversight to Ensure Quality Installations: The program would require that contractors be certified to perform efficiency installations. Independent quality assurance providers would conduct field audits after work is completed to ensure proper installation so consumers receive energy savings from their upgrades. States would oversee the implementation of quality assurance to ensure that the program was moving the industry toward more robust standards and comprehensive energy retrofit practices.
• Support for financing: The program would include support to State and local governments to provide financing options for consumers seeking to make efficiency investments in their homes. This will help ensure that consumers can afford to make these investments. 

The program will result in the creation of tens of thousands of jobs while achieving substantial reductions in energy use – the equivalent of the entire output of three coal-fired power plants each year. Consumers in the program are anticipated to save between $200 – $500 per year in energy costs, while improving the comfort and value of their homes.

Fiberglass: The True Green Solution

Advantages of Fiberglass Windows

Fiberglass framed windows and doors are high performance products that are more energy efficient, longer lasting, stronger, more aesthetically appealing and environmentally friendlier than typical wood, aluminum or vinyl windows.
What is Fiberglass?
Fiberglass is a composite structural material that consists of fiber reinforcements (typically glass) that are bound together in a resin matrix.
Fiberglass has a high strength-to-weight ratio, resists warping and is resistant to environmental and chemical corrosion. It insulates from heat, cold and electricity, withstands temperatures from -40 to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and can cost-efficiently be made into complex shapes.

The unique properties of fiberglass include:

• Coefficient of thermal expansion similar to glass
• Low thermal conductivity
• Dimensional stability
• High strength
• Rot resistant
• Chemically inert
• Easily paintable and re-paintable with minimum preparation
• Low environmental impact – made of readily available silica sand
• Future recyclable capability

Over the past 10 years, fiberglass has been used more and more in residential and light commercial construction. It is becoming the preferred material for window frames and door panels. According to Ducker Worldwide, fiberglass
framed windows has been the fastest growing segment of the residential window industry for the past several years

Fiberglass has earned a reputation as a smart choice for green building products because of its energy-efficiency characteristics.

This is significant because buildings consume 30% of all of our nation’s energy and 50% of all electrical energy. Using fiberglass products, including window and door frames, can help reduce the world’s energy consumption.

Fiberglass is a natural insulator because it does not conduct heat and cold, and it doesn’t expand or contract. Most window and door frame components have an interface of different materials: glass on wood, glass on aluminum or glass on vinyl.

With fiberglass, the components are identical which means there is minimal expansion and contraction and if there is any, the components expand and contract as a unit.

Because Fiberglass windows and doors insulate extremely well , their high R-values and low U-factors will save energy for decades.

Filling the fiberglass frames with sustainable foam insulation and glazing the windows with high efficiency insulating glass creates an incredibly high-performing window.

 To be a “truly green” the fiberglass product must be sustainable as well.

The embodied energy in fiberglass is less than other common building materials such as PVC (vinyl) and aluminum.

Fiberglass is made from silica sand, an abundant natural resource that is readily available almost everywhere.

Fiberglass also contributes to long product life and low life cycle costs. These attributes are critical when creating a sustainable product.

Fiberglass products can contribute to National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) credit programs.

These programs assess building projects based on building practices, and overall  environmental impact and give special consideration those that follow Green Building Practices.

Benefits of Fiberglass Windows:
Using fiberglass for window frame material is preferable to other window frame materials like wood, aluminum and vinyl, because fiberglass:

• Performs well in humidity extremes and hot and cold environments
• Has high condensation resistance which helps keep humidity within a proper range and limits the growth of mold and mildew
• Very low coefficient of thermal expansion and contraction (CTE)
  – Since fiberglass is mostly glass, it expands and contracts at about the same rate as plate glass
  – Aluminum expands and contracts 3 times as much as fiberglass and vinyl moves over 7 times as much
• Stress on seals, caulks and joints is minimized, contributing to higher efficiency windows
• Tight seals maintain the resistance to air leakage and water penetration
  – Seal failure can increase the risk of water damage or mold and shorten the life of the product
• About 3 times stronger than aluminum and 9 times stronger than vinyl windows
  – Strength decreases the limitation on glass size making large picture windows possible and energy efficient
• Unlike wood framed windows, fiberglass does not rot or warp
• Does not require a “thermal break” found in most aluminum windows
• Does not require the stiffeners that many vinyl frames need
• Easier to install
  – Frames stay square and do not twist or warp, a common problem during the installation of other types of windows
• Practically maintenance free
• Takes paint easily with excellent adhesion
• Available in a large selection of colors

SeriousWindows

SeriousWindowsTM fiberglass products meet the needs of designers, builders and owners who want to go beyond the limitations inherently found in metal, plastic or wood window systems. Serious Windows and Doors set a new standard in energy efficiency, increasing indoor comfort and saving you money with beautifully designed premium products.

Window Facts

Energy Efficiency Facts

Since 25 to 35 percent of the energy used in American buildings and homes is wasted due to inefficient windows and glass, it is important that we know what options are available.

Dual Pane  Glass was first Patented in 1865 ( that’s  right 1865)

The DOE’s Energy Star Program has set energy requirements that have helped improve window performance for over 10 years. However most  Manufacturer’s Dual Pane Windows barely meet the new standard of .30 U factor and .30 Shgc. As a result, Energy Conscious Homeowners, builders and architects have looked at more Energy Efficient options.

Triple-Pane Glass

Triple-pane glass consists of three panes of glass and two low-e coatings. Using a third pane creates a second insulating cavity. Inert gas such as  Argon or Krypton is filled in the insulating cavity to slow the transfer of heat or cold air through the window thus creating an energy efficient window superior to Dual Pane.

However, triple-pane glass units are 50% heavier than standard insulating glass and this leads to functionality issues as well as design constraints.

Issues with Triple-Pane Glass:

• Increased project costs (more labor, sturdier frames, stronger building design)
• 50% heavier than standard insulating glass
• Aesthetic and design limitations due to size constraints imposed on the glass and window units
• More stress on frame potentially creating gaps that will allow air, water and dust infiltration
• Amount of natural light in the overall design may be reduced
• Additional stress on operable portions of the window and window hardware
• Wider glass packages may not fit framing systems or window

Illustration of Suspended Coated Film 

Suspended Coated Film (SCF)

Suspended Coated Film (SCF) is one of the most significant technologies critical to improving insulation and achieving higher performance across a broad spectrum of glazing characteristics – without any of the design limitations typical of triple-pane glass systems.

Benefits of Serious Glass Insulating Glass Units:

• HVAC savings due to downsized equipment and lower annual operating costs
• Directional tuning ( using Hshg options) to enhance daylighting with morning warmth and afternoon coolness
• 99.5% UV protection — reduces interior fading and damage
• Reduced outside noise
• Improved occupant comfort and health
• Architectural freedom to include more glass in the design
• Reduced condensation
• Decreased project costs when compared to triple-pane glass
• LEED contribution of up to 19 points

Features of SeriousGlass Insulating Glass Units:

• Super-insulating glass packages with 2 to 3 air spaces (Multiple SCF)
• R-values from R-5 to R-11
• Wide range of glass packages with SHGC from 0.21-0.60, VT from 39-70%
• Less weight – no need for specialized framing systems
• Triple edge seal technology around the edges of the glass units provides the most reliable, strongest glass packages in the market
• Long lasting glass units that weigh the same as typical double pane insulated glass
• Choice of glass packages to meet your design needs
• Larger air spaces than triple-pane glass in the same glass pocket for significantly better thermal performance

For nearly three decades, Serious Materials has successfully installed millions of square feet of SCF architectural glass and windows in over 10,000 projects. In addition, Serious Materials has been tested and IGCC certified for both polyurethane and silicone sealants for the past 27+ years. The design, longevity and reliability of Serious Materials’ SCF glass packages are unmatched in the industry.

Keven Surace, CEO  of Serious Materials, and Inc Magazine Entrepreneur of the year, recently made the announcement in Washington DC.  Here are some of his comments ;

Energy efficiency in buildings is not just on paper, it is real, and it is happening right now.

I want to share some details on something that we have not talked about publicly until this very minute.

An iconic project we are fortunate to be involved in is the Empire State Building. I was with Tony Malkin last week, owner of the Empire State Building. He has just launched a ground-breaking energy efficiency retrofit of this great American icon. The changes he is making will save 40 percent of the total energy in the building without any government assistance, and he estimates it will pay for itself with the energy savings in only three years. Three years! But as Tony says, “I am not just saving money; I am making money because more tenants want to come here now.”

And because of his vision, we were able to do something no one has ever done before. We wanted to replace all 6,500 dual pane R-2 windows with our super-insulating, high tech R-8 windows. However, Tony cringed at the waste of having to throw away all that glass from the old windows, which are just a dozen years old. The full count: 26,000 panes of glass.

So, we thought outside the box, and invented a way to build a micro-factory on the fifth floor of the Empire State Building, and manufacture new windows that are 4x more energy efficient on site. We invented a way of removing the existing glass, un-glazing it, cleaning it, placing new spacers, suspended film, sealing, injecting gas and curing it – all on the fifth floor. And do it only at night so no one is distracted in his or her office. All existing 6,500 windows will be transformed to a super-insulating R-8 from an R-2.  And here is the best part: we are re-using all the old glass. 100 percent. No wasted energy, no waste in shipping, and no wasted glass; totally sustainable.

Now that is American innovation.

Invent, manufacture, install.

Kevin Surace, CEO Serious Materials

Joe Yosso , Serious windows dealer  Portland  Oregon

HOWEVER only one product…SERIOUS WINDOWS is the winner of the

2009  top ten Green Building Products Award  by Sustainable Industries

as well as the 2009 Green Products award from Building Products Magazine.

Sustainable  Industries  said this about Serious Windows when they gave them the award :

Serious Windows are so efficient they have the potential to allow for the elimination of a building’s heating system, allowing waste heat from building appliances to serve as the main heat source in some applications. The windows have a full-frame R value of at least five and up to 11, which can cut a building’s energy bills by up to 50 percent per month.

http://www.sustainableindustries.com/breakingnews/49012336.html

Northwest Energy Savers is your  Serious windows Dealer , in Portland as well as Seattle.

If you are considering replacing  your windows, or are building a new home you should get a quote on Serious Windows.  www.nwseriouswindows.com

Green Builders, Passive house Builders, Serious windows are your best choice.

Washington will become the first state to legislatively adopt the Architecture 2030 Challenge for making our buildings as energy efficient as possible.

More than 30 percent of energy used in Washington State goes to power houses, office towers, stores and other indoor spaces, yet buildings are one of the state’s biggest energy wasters.

In addition to promoting super efficient buildings, Efficiency First provides a means of rating energy use and disclosing energy use scores to commercial building buyers and tenants.

The bill will avoid about 30 million tons of global warming pollution between now and 2020. That’s equivalent to taking about 5 million cars of the road for one year.

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy says improving buildings’ energy efficiency 20 percent by 2030 could create an estimated 800,000 net jobs nationwide.

A kilowatt saved is a kilowatt earned. Energy efficiency typically cost about 3 cents per kWh saved compared with 7-12 cents per kWh for electricity from a new power plant.

A 10-percent improvement in U.S. buildings’ energy efficiency would save Americans $20 billion a year and would be equal to taking 30 million vehicles off the nation’s roads.

Joe Yosso  “the windowguy”

www.northwestenergysavers.com

In the Northwest, conserving energy is taken very seriously and both  Oregon and Washington are  among the leaders in the nation in conservation.

At Northwest Energy Savers, we want to be a source of information on  not only saving energy ,  ie. energy efficient windows and siding, but also a resource for other energy saving ideas, products, gizmo’s etc.

In my blog I   will post items that I believe are important, informative, and helpful.

Also, since I have been in Sales and marketing for 30 years, I think I have picked up a few ideas and experiences that might be helpful to others in business.

There will probable be a few things just to make you laugh …..who knows !

I hope you enjoy my blog !