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Final Technical Report
Efficient Windows Collaborative
Research Tool Dissemination to Increase Energy Efficient
Fenestration Product Penetration
DE-FC26-06NT42766
Project Period: May 15, 2006 to February 28, 2010
1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Through this cooperative agreement the Alliance to Save Energy (Alliance) and its project partners in
the Efficient Windows Collaborative disseminated fenestration energy efficiency research tools and
educational material and supported market transformation strategies to increase the share of energy-
efficient fenestration products (windows, doors, etc.) in the United States residential and commercial
markets. This project, funded from May 15, 2006 to February 28, 2010, supported understanding of
the energy-efficient fenestration market among manufacturers, consumers, builders, code officials,
specifiers, architects and utility program managers through the following activities:
1. Promotion of design and rating tools to manufacturers
2. Promotion of ENERGY STAR compliant and more efficient products to consumers, builders
associations, code officials and others
3. Dissemination of research tools to specifiers, designers and architects
4. Promotion of windows market transformation programs to utility rebate program providers
The Alliance and its project partners (the project team) collaborated with Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory (LBNL) and the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) to leverage these
organizations' simulation, design and rating tools and to provide the project's audiences with credible
and reliable information. The project team also engaged with prominent organizations working on
building energy and sustainability programs and codes in order to increase recognition for efficient
fenestration among builders, architects and utility program providers without duplicating other energy
efficiency efforts in the buildings sector. These organizations included the National Association of
Home Builders, the U.S. Green Building Council, the Consortium for Energy Efficiency and the South
Carolina Code Council, among others. The project's reliance on collaboration with other
organizations' tools and programs allowed the Alliance to more effectively pursue some tasks than
others, depending on the opportunities for leveraging related tools and efforts. The Alliance adjusted
the focus of its scope of work accordingly over the course of the project period.
The benefits of disseminating research tools for energy-efficient fenestration are improved awareness
of energy efficiency selection criteria for fenestration products among consumers and professional
specifiers. The ability to make educated choices among fenestration products is critical given that
many such products remain in place for decades and that if investing in fenestration products without
reliable information entails a high risk given the often substantial cost. The project activities not only
provided audiences with tools and information on how to reduce this risk, but also on how to reduce
cost by taking advantage of energy efficiency incentives and integrated design. The project also
supported market transformation toward highly-insulating windows. The long-term impact of this
effort cannot be assessed yet but may be among the most significant benefits resulting from the project
activities. The savings potential from widespread transition to highly-insulating windows in the
residential sector is estimated to be up to 0.5 quadrillion Btu. ' Through the Efficient Windows
Collaborative, the Alliance supported the Department of Energy in setting the stage for the first steps
transforming the market in the direction of highly advanced fenestration options by raising awareness
among key stakeholders.
1 Arasteh D. et al. 2006. Zero Energy Windows. U.S. DOE and LBNL.2
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Alliance to Save Energy (U.S.). Efficient Windows Collaborative: Research Tool Dissemination to Increase Energy Efficient Fenestration Product Penetration, report, February 28, 2010; United States. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc840912/m1/4/: accessed March 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.