Members of the DOE and EPA hosted a meeting on November 6 for stakeholders to provide additional information regarding the new ENERGY STAR Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two agencies on September 30, 2009 (CLICK HERE for that story).

Representatives from several door and window manufacturers, including Jeld-Wen, Marvin, Pella and Andersen, were on-hand, and other representatives listened via conference call and had the opportunity to ask questions.

Many of the industry representatives in the room had various questions, such as how often the ENERGY STAR program will be reviewed, whether there will be expansions into other product categories, and if current initiatives (such as research being performed by Ducker research) will be continued.

To the latter question, EPA assistant administrator Gina McCarthy responded, “If a process is in place, the process is in place.” As to how often the criteria will be reviewed, she said the EPA will look at the program every three years but not necessarily change the criteria every three years.

McCarthy also reminded attendees that the ENERGY STAR program is voluntary and was designed to reward the most forward-thinking companies. She encouraged those companies to work with the EPA going forward.

“You people don’t seem to be very shy,” McCarthy joked. “So let’s work together on a transition plan … This is your livelihood . Tell us, and we will design a system for stakeholder input that serves the need of partners. Don’t wait for public comment. If you have ideas send them now.”

“While it is our desire to recall as many of the laid-off employees as possible in the early spring, the precise number will be determined by the resiliency of the economy and its ability to return to a normalcy that will result in sustained levels of sales revenues to justify employment levels we have previously experienced,” he says.

He adds that the decision was not taken lightly, and is being done to insure the long-term strength of the Kolbe organization.

“We know and understand that our employees appreciate that Kolbe has exhausted all alternatives in its effort to ride out the worst economic conditions since the Great Depression, but it was necessary to take these measures to insure that Kolbe will be a strong company, a stable employer, and a market leader for many years to come,” adds Salsieder.

He also added that Kolbe is appropriately staffed in the manufacturing plant and in the office to provide the highest level of service.

“We will smartly manage our business to the current and anticipated workloads and, as the economy recovers, we will have the flexibility to increase the manpower required to meet the increasing demand for our products throughout North America,” he says.

There’s .30/.30, there’s the fact that Congress may change .30/.30 and instead have the tax credit be tied to 2010 ENERGY STAR requirements, there are upcoming ENERGY STAR changes in the next few years, and last, but certainly not least, the ENERGY STAR program is moving from the Department of Energy to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

And on top of all this you have to not only understand what all of this means to you as a window manufacturer, but also to convey all of these changes to those who sell your products. We’ve learned from various DWM readers and those of our sister publication, SHELTER magazine, that dealers still are not getting the message regarding what product qualify for the tax credit. Heck, I even talked to a company last week who said most of the contractors to whom he sells don’t even know there is a tax credit. I honestly find this hard to believe. This person reminded me that to him and me, it may seem surprising, as we live and breathe ENERGY STAR and the ins and out of the tax credit, but to contractors who sell a variety of products, it’s not as clear.

So as you’re immersing yourself in ENERGY STAR, .30/.30, etc., step back for a second and think about whether or not those who sell your products are getting the message you want them to get down the supply chain.
And if you’re at a trade show and you’re moaning to your colleagues as to what this all means to your company, etc., what impact it will have, remember to also express your comments to those who can take those factors into account when making decisions.

And don’t leave it to a few door and window manufacturers to fight your battles. Even if you’re a small or mid-sized manufacturer your voice should be heard as well. For example, CLICK HERE to learn about how the EPA is requesting your input regarding the transition of ENERGY STAR from DOE to EPA. Take advantage of these opportunites to express your opinions.

And as always, don’t forget to express them to me. I look forward to hearing from you.

The Window and Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA) commended Congress on the passage of the legislation.

“The current homebuyer tax credit has been key to helping the struggling housing market this year,” says WDMA executive vice president Michael O’Brien. “The expanded tax credit will help reduce the inventory of foreclosures, stabilize prices and restore consumer confidence in the housing market, which will help lift all businesses in the building supply chain.”

Additionally, the legislation will expand net operating losses (NOL) relief to all businesses so that they can offset current losses against taxable profits earned in the previous five years. Previously, it had been limited to companies with revenues under $15 million, according to O’Brien.

“The NOL carryback expansion will help many companies in the window, door and skylight industry that have struggled during this recession,” he says. “This will free up capital and help save industry jobs across the country.”

The NAHB estimates that the extended and expanded home buyer tax credit will create 211,000 jobs and generate 180,000 additional home sales in the coming year. It is also expected to generate $9.6 billion in wage income and $6.9 billion in federal, state and local taxes, according to an NAHB press release.

“This exciting acquisition provides Masonite with an immediate entry into the Israeli security and safety door market with a state of the art manufacturing line, the latest product designs and technical specifications, and a detailed strategic marketing plan to grow significantly in the domestic as well as export markets,” says Larry Repar, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Masonite. “Through Etz Karmiel and Open Gallery, Masonite is already a recognized leader in the Israeli door market and we anticipate that 7 Tech will help us significantly expand our leadership position in the entire region. We are extremely excited to welcome the leadership of 7 Tech into the Masonite family.”

“This award is a great surprise for Milgard,” says Matt Attebery, general manager of the plant. “We’re the only window manufacturer awarded this honor in 2009 and we’re very proud of our vinyl plant and all our associates who made this award a reality. We didn’t start this project with any award in mind. We were looking at efficiency measures as a way to achieve a positive effect on the environment and our bottom line.”

The annual awards are presented by the DOE to individual plants and companies for actively pursuing energy-saving opportunities identified through a Save Energy Now energy assessment. By implementing assessment recommendations over the last year, these manufacturers have achieved more than $47 million in total cost savings and 6.2 trillion BTU in total energy savings.

The Save Energy Now assessment followed Milgard’s own Process EcoValuation(SM) event, a program based on lean manufacturing principles developed by its parent company, Masco. Together with an energy audit conducted by students from the University of Washington, significant opportunities for reduced material waste and energy reductions were revealed.

The company’s participation in the Process EcoValuation program focused on uncovering different types of energy and resource savings with the goal to improve operations, reduce costs and continue the continuous cycle of incremental change throughout Milgard’s organization.

“We were able to implement a wide variety of the recommendations we received, from improving insulation in critical areas to identifying hidden energy waste from motors larger than necessary for the functions they serve,” adds Attebery. “We’re always interested in finding new ways to be as environmentally conscious as possible and improve operations. Sustainability is just good for business.”

The specification was developed by the AAMA 904 Hinge Task Group, chaired by Doug Johnson of Truth Hardware Corp.

“A multi-bar hinge is a mechanical device which, when mounted in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions is used to support a variety of in-plane sash types, such as parallel opening, meaning four sides of sash opening outward,” Johnson says. “In the revision of AAMA 904, information on testing for parallel hinges in window applications has been added, included a load test and a cycling test.”

“Some remodelers are receiving more calls for bids, but it is still extremely difficult to close a sale,” says NAHB Remodelers chairman Greg Miedema, CGR, CGB, CAPS, CGP, a remodeler from Tucson, Ariz. “Financing continues to be an impediment with many home owners not able to secure home equity loans or other lines of credit.”

The index for current remodeling market conditions rose in the Midwest to 43.2 (from 38.3 in the second quarter) and West to 47.3 (from 40.5), but declined in the Northeast to 33.7 (from 36.9) and South to 38.6 (from 39.7). Major additions grew to 41.9 (from 38.2). Minor additions also improved to 43.2 (from 41.5). Maintenance and repair remained fairly flat at 33.1 (from 33.6).

The summary index of future market indicators showed greater improvement. Among the components of future indicators, calls for bids jumped to 46.5 (from 38.8 in the second quarter). Appointments for proposals grew to 43.5 (from 40.3). Amount of work committed for the next three months climbed to 27.5 (from 23.3). The backlog of remodeling jobs increased to 37.2 (from 34.4).

“Remodelers are no longer reporting markets deteriorating to the same degree as earlier in the year, but credit and financing of remodeling jobs remains a huge hurdle to overcome in closing sales,” adds NAHB chief economist David Crowe. “Inaccurately low home appraisals also hurt remodelers, because they hamper both home equity loans and sales of existing homes that often stimulate remodeling.”

CLICK HERE for DWM magazine’s extensive coverage of this story.