Memo's from The President of Superior Windows & Doors

The Department of Energy has been dragging their feet for a few years on this one. As I've mentioned before even our Congress beat them to the punch on energy efficient windows in the Stimulus Bill back in February.

The DOE has released it's final criteria, download the Energy Star PDF for all the details, that take effect on January 4th 2010.

The short version:

• Oregon: Windows need to have a U-Factor of .30 or lower.
• No. Cal: Windows need to have a U-Factor of .32 or lower

That means that the window that qualifies for the 30% IRS Tax Credit in 2009 is better than the 2010 Energy Star compliant window. I thought it was supposed to be difficult to reach Energy Star? I thought the DOE wanted only 25% of products to be able to reach the Energy Star bar?

For us the 2010 Energy Star window is, for all intents and purposes, already our standard window. I would say that at least 60% of windows we currently ship meet or exceed these specifications.

I look forward to new incentives that push the envelope of window design and force the DOE to rethink this mediocre standard.

Roy