Serious Materials Launches New Windows Line for Weatherization of Low-Income Housing
Today, Serious Materials announced a new super-insulating, affordable window line, SeriousWindows WAP Series™, specifically for Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) agencies and states to be able to source into low-income housing projects as replacement windows. WAP’s mission is to reduce energy costs for low income families by improving the energy efficiency of their homes while ensuring their health and safety. According to the NEAT (National Energy Audit Tool) model, SeriousWindows WAP Series can create up to twelve times more energy savings per household than other common weatherization measures.
“The single greatest immediate impact on the environment that we can have as a nation, and the world can have, is weatherization. That’s the immediate biggest bang for the buck. It has the advantage of creating jobs, jobs right here in America,” said Vice President Joe Biden while speaking at Serious Materials Chicago window factory in April 2009. “This is a story about how we inspire a better tomorrow. You’re making some of the most energy-efficient windows in the world, I would argue, the most energy-efficient windows in the world.” View Vice President Biden’s full speech here.
As a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, Department of Energy WAP funding has increased to over $5.5 billion over the next three years and the average investment allowance per household has doubled to $6,500. With increased funding, more complete weatherization methods can be implemented, particularly those that include today’s advanced energy-efficient technologies such as super-insulating windows. Previously, weatherization energy audit tools, such as NEAT, did not account for highly insulating windows, until Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) recently released an update to NEAT to include them.
The ability to evaluate super-insulating windows was added to NEAT because windows are the biggest source of heating and cooling energy loss in homes. SeriousWindows WAP Series are the first, high performing replacement window designed specifically for WAP needs as a cost-effective energy efficiency and energy savings solution. By replacing existing windows with super-insulating, high R-value SeriousWindows, families can reduce their heating and cooling bills by up to 40%. R-value measures the thermal insulation of, for instance, windows and walls.
SeriousWindows WAP Series products will be manufactured in Serious Materials’ window factories based in Chicago, Illinois and Vandergrift, Pennsylvania. Earlier this year, Serious Materials acquired and reopened these bankrupt facilities and rehired workers who had lost their jobs. Demands for its WAP Series windows will create additional green jobs.
“Today, we have the opportunity to secure our energy independence, combat climate challenges, and strengthen our economy using the most cost-effective and energy saving materials available. Their benefits for WAP agencies, and for the low-income families they serve, are tremendous,” said Kevin Surace, CEO of Serious Materials. “Advanced energy saving building materials must be a priority across all types of construction to successfully deliver on our Nation’s most critical priorities.”
Super-insulating SeriousWindows can create up to twelve times more energy savings per household than other common weatherization measures (based on a single family, 1,600 square foot house in Minneapolis, Minnesota).
SeriousWindows WAP Series is available now across the U.S. through Serious Materials and a select group of partners and dealers. For more information visit www.seriouswindows.com/wap or call Serious Materials at (800) 797-8438.
ABOUT Serious Materials
Serious Materials develops and manufactures sustainable green building materials that save energy, save money, improve comfort, and aggressively address climate change. Super-insulating full-frame R-value SeriousWindows™ reduce heating and cooling energy costs by up to 50%. SeriousGlass™ industry-leading insulating glass units have been installed in over 10,000 projects and offer the highest energy savings in the industry. QuietRock® soundproof drywall and QuietGlass® reduce material use, enhance livability, and support dense urban construction. EcoRock™, the only true green alternative to gypsum drywall and five times more environmentally friendly, uses 80% less energy in its core production and has the potential to save billions of pounds of CO2 annually. SeriousWindows, SeriousGlass and super-insulating ThermaRock™ drywall support energy efficiency funding programs as outlined under The American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) including Weatherization (WAP), Green Federal Buildings, State Energy Program (SEP), Energy Efficiency – Conservation Block Grants, Energy Tax Credit for Consumers, and Tax Deductions for Commercial Buildings. The company was commended by both President Obama and Vice President Biden for its advanced energy-saving materials and the work it is doing to re-create American green manufacturing jobs. For more information, visit www.SeriousMaterials.com.
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Interesting reading. Wasn’t sure the government had some money left to dole out.
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