Energy&Environment

R5 Window Program May Expand to Commercial

The Department of Energy (DOE) is considering expanding its R5 volume purchase program to include a commercial aspect, according to a recent webinar on the topic.

“We’re considering adding different window types, windows for more commercial building applications,” said Graham Parker of Pacific Northwest Laboratories, who was one of several speakers.

He added that the commercial component would focus mainly on high-rise buildings above three stories.

In addition, Parker advised that his company, which has worked with DOE on the program development, is looking at raising the structural performance grade required by the program, “as suggested by window vendors and buyers.”

DOE also is considering changing some of the specifications required of the windows included, Parker said; for example, the possibility of adding a regional solar heat gain coefficient to the program.

Targeted audiences of the R5 program include homebuilders, contractors, weatherization agencies, apartment owners and operators, non-profit agencies and state and local governments.

Christian Kohler, with the windows and daylighting research group of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, explained that one goal of the program is to reduce carbon emissions, “starting with buildings.”

“The window is responsible for 15 to 17 percent of energy use,” he said. “That represents $13 billion a year in energy costs.”

Nils Peterman of the Alliance to Save Energy, a program led by the University of Minnesota, explained that one important aspect of the R5 program is the breadth that it covers.

“Another important aspect is that all the different components of the window are being accounted for—it’s not just the glass or frame system,” he said.

Tremco Seeks LEED Gold Certification for Headquarters
Tremco Inc.’s headquarters facility in Beachwood, Ohio, is undergoing a $5 million renovation that the company says will transform the building into a showcase of sustainability. According to an announcement, the company intends for the headquarters to become a U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED Gold certified facility.

Tremco is owned by RPM Building Solutions Group (RPM BSG), a part of RPM International, and a number of solutions will be provided by companies that are a part of RPM BSG, including Tremco Commercial Sealants & Waterproofing (sealants and gaskets) and Tremco Roofing and Building Maintenance (vegetated, cool and photovoltaic roofing systems). Tremco Inc. subsidiary WTI will act as general contractor for the project, which includes the management and training of all subcontractors.
www.tremcosealants.com

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