Window to An Energy Efficient Future

Last Friday I was able to represent the more than 8,000 team-members of Pella Windows and Doors, at a stimulating roundtable exchange as part of the White House’s Champion of Change series. The session featured a sharing of accomplishments and ideas focused on improving America’s energy position. Despite the potential threat of a government shutdown, the session was led by Michelle Moore, the Federal Environmental Executive, Council of Environmental Quality, and attended by several high-ranking leaders of various government agencies concerned about sustainability and clean energy.

As an industry leader in sustainability and innovation, Pella was selected to participate in large part because of our significant efforts in investing in technology and bringing highly energy efficient windows and doors to the residential and commercial markets. Pella is proud to be an ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence winner the past three years and also an ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year each of the past five years; a feat unmatched in our industry.

Pella works closely with the Department of Energy (D.O.E.) and the Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A) in helping educate Americans on how they can save energy. The Champions of Change forum allowed me to share our perspective that one of the biggest opportunities for energy savings in America lies in the potential replacement of single-paned windows still found in an estimated 49% of homes in our country. If these windows were replaced with energy-efficient ENERGY STAR-qualified windows, we could save the equivalent energy output of thirty-eight 500-mega-watt power plants! 

I also shared with the attendees that the recently expired expanded tax credit was very successful as it significantly increased the amount of window replacement projects that Americans undertook. This had many positive impacts including helping consumers save money on their energy bills while improving the comfort of their homes; driving down overall energy demand in America through improved energy efficiency; and the savings of thousands of manufacturing jobs in an industry that has been severely challenged by the difficult housing economy.

Overall, it was a great event and Pella is extremely proud to have had the opportunity to participate. We encourage consumers to champion change in their own homes and communities. The bottom line is saving energy is everyone’s job. And when consumers choose energy-efficient products made in America, like Pella Windows and Doors, they are helping to fuel our nation’s economy as well.

Chris Simpson is the Senior VP of Marketing and Sales for the Pella Corporation