Attachments Energy Rating Council Advances Window Attachment Products as Energy-saving Measure for Buildings

Last month, the Attachments Energy Rating Council (AERC) took part in The Partnership for Advanced Window Solutions (PAWS) roundtable, helping advance the adoption of window attachment products and systems as an energy-saving measure for buildings. PAWS, a public-private collaboration whose formation was led by the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA), works to accelerate demand for efficient window and window attachment solutions. Other key partners at the roundtable included the California Energy Commission, National Fenestration Rating Council (NRFC), NEEA, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and U.S. Department of Energy.  

“Helping promote energy-efficient window attachment products in collaboration with other leading organizations serves AERC’s mission,” says Ralph Vasami, executive director of AERC. “Since its establishment, AERC and its members have worked to measure and elevate performance of window attachment products. We are pleased to have them included in the PAWS program.” 

AERC is an independent, non-profit organization whose mission is to rate, label ??and certify the energy performance of window attachment products for residential ?and commercial applications. During the past few years, a number of member companies have certified key products, including LARSON Manufacturing, Hunter Douglas, Rollease Acmeda, QUANTA, and Indow.  

The PAWS program also contributes to national efforts to increase energy efficiency of homes and commercial buildings. During a White House roundtable event in May, Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm announced sweeping actions to reduce the building sector’s contributions to the climate crisis: “America’s path to a net-zero carbon economy runs straight through our buildings, which means we need to help households and commercial buildings across the nation reduce their emissions and convert to cheaper, cleaner energy,” said Secretary Granholm in a DOE press release. “These new DOE investments and initiatives will help unlock new innovation for cleaner buildings, while preparing a strong, skilled, diverse American workforce to seize good-paying job opportunities right here at home.” 

The DOE release also noted that U.S. buildings account for more than one-third of climate-altering pollution produced in the country. DOE analysis shows that window attachments have the potential to generate significant energy savings for buildings, which currently waste more than $100 billion in energy costs annually. To learn more about The Partnership for Advanced Window Solutions, view the fact sheet or the press release.