The Energy Star designation covers more than just appliances. Many manufacturers of roofing, insulation, windows, doors, and skylights are also Energy Star partners, working to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by manufacturing energy-efficient products.
Recently, window and door manufacturer Jeld-Wen was named a 2003 Energy Star Partner of the Year for Excellence in Efficient Products by the EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy. Currently, 80% of Jeld-Wen's product lines qualify for the Energy Star label. The manufacturer focused its 2002 efforts on training sales staff in the benefits of the Energy Star program and helping customers use Energy Star window and door products to meet state code regulations. The company also led discussions about revised Energy Star performance criteria for windows and doors and then introduced a new label reflecting different regional climate standards for its windows and glass doors.
Several hundred other window, skylight, and door manufacturers are also Energy Star partners. "I think manufacturers want to do good," says Richard Karney, DOE's Energy Star program manager. "By manufacturing and selling Energy Star products, they can help consumers save energy and at the same time are helping to reduce the nation's [energy] consumption."
Remodelers, too, can benefit from offering Energy Star products to their clients. "Energy Star products usually have a higher profit margin than other products," Karney says, "and they pay for themselves over the life of the product."
There's more demand for Energy Star products in remodeling projects than in new construction, Karney says, because "the remodeling decision is up to the homeowner."
"They're trying to improve their home," says Russ Taylor, general manager of marketing support for Jeld-Wen, "so [they're looking for] a product that's more energy efficient and reliable than the one they're replacing."
