This week Pella announced it is now a member of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency?s (EPA) SmartWay Transport Partnership program.

The SmartWay Transport Partnership is an innovative collaboration between EPA and the freight industry to increase energy efficiency while striving to reduce greenhouse gases and air pollution.

Because of three-year commitments to upgrade their trucks with auxiliary power units, energy-efficient tires, enhanced trailer aerodynamics, and other improvements, the EPA estimates SmartWay partners are saving 600 million gallons of diesel fuel ? a cost benefit of almost $2 billion ?and eliminating nearly seven million metric tons of carbon-dioxide emissions that can contribute to global warming.

EPA launched SmartWay in 2004 to address the environmental and economic challenges surrounding growth in the freight industry. Through the program, EPA is now working with more than 600 businesses to improve both their bottom line and the environment by offering technical assistance, tools for evaluating opportunities to lower fuel use and emissions, and help in locating financing for the purchase of fuel-saving equipment and technology.

Pella received the accreditation for its responsible management of transportation partners and private fleet and committing to improve the environmental performance of freight operations.

Pella?s goals as a new SmartWay Partner include:

• Seeking and contracting truck loads with SmartWay Partners.
• Communicating to those in the transportation industry Pella?s status as a SmartWay Partner.
• Developing a ?no idling? policy for carriers parking at Pella sites.
• Incorporating an internal SmartWay Partner educational program for Pella?s more than 50 logistics employees around the country.

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Whether you select Pella, Andersen, Marvin, JELD-WEN, or another brand, windows are almost a certainty in your home remodel project.  Did you know there are rebates and incentive plans in many areas of the country?

Window rebates are most often paid out based on the U-factor or Solar Heat Gain Coefficient by your power or Utility company.  Many times these rebates have a budget, and once they are used up they are gone – so submit yours as soon as you can if there is a program in your area.

GetWithGreen searched the web and found you a fairly comprehensive list of rebates.  Click here for the .pdf list of Utility Programs that Offer Incentives and Rebates for Energy Efficient Windows

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) have named Pella Corporation as a 2008 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year award winner for the Product Manufacturer?Windows category for Pella?s contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by manufacturing and educating consumers about energy-efficient products.  At GetWithGreen.com we definitely see their effort in putting out educational materials, and they enable us to find them and bring them to you!

This is the second consecutive year Pella has received this recognition. Pella?s accomplishments will be recognized at an April 1 awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.  Pella, an ENERGY STAR partner since 1999, will be honored for its leadership in manufacturing products that earn the ENERGY STAR, the government-backed symbol of energy efficiency. This distinction honors Pella?s commitment to providing highly energy-efficient products, as well as the company?s comprehensive integration of ENERGY STAR information in media relations, consumer education programs, advertising, Pella Web sites and training materials.

Last year alone the government estimated that Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved a reported $16 billion on their energy bills alone and reduced greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 27 million vehicles.

The 2008 Partner of the Year Awards are given to manufacturers and retailers that successfully promote and deliver ENERGY STAR-qualified products, saving consumers money and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Award winners are selected from more than 9,000 organizations that participate in the ENERGY STAR program.

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We continue to bring you eco-friendly Pella news and information because they are the one manufacturer out there telling a story today.  Hot off the press is this Pella sponsored survey released today telling how American’s feel about replacing their windows — and the energy efficiency it provides…

Research shows shift in home improvement trends
? Americans would choose new windows over kitchen remodel ?
[02-12-2008]

As the housing economy slows and energy costs accelerate, Americans are looking for home improvement projects that work to add value to their home and add to their monthly savings. In a national study conducted by Kelton Research, over 44% of homeowners surveyed said that if presented with the free services of a contractor, window replacement would be more important than a variety of popular home improvements like a kitchen remodel, installing new carpeting, landscaping the yard or building a new deck.

?A majority of American homeowners (51%) said their windows aren?t ?green? or energy-efficient enough,? said Elaine Sagers, vice president of marketing, Pella® Windows & Doors. ?That fact combined with this new sense of practicality about home improvement projects tells us that many consumers are truly looking for ways to reduce how much their house actually costs them in monthly bills and upkeep.?

In the study, 51% of Americans said that of anything in their home windows offer the most potential when it comes to energy efficiency ? even more than other products including lights (48%), insulation (48%) and heating systems (43%).

Green is taking root
65% of homeowners believe that energy efficiency is the most important quality to consider when choosing new windows. The virtues of ?green? energy-efficient windows easily won out over other qualities like durability, safety, ease of use, soundproofing and clarity.

?We have long recognized the priority homeowners, builders, and contractors and architects put on energy efficiency when it comes to choosing windows and doors, said Rob Jablonski, Pella?s vice president of engineering whose team is focused on designing and testing innovative energy-efficient solutions. ?That?s why innovation and the environment are so important at Pella. We are continuously striving for ways to make Pella windows and doors the best they can be in terms of quality and energy efficiency.?

Pella?s history of quality and innovation is evident in the many awards it has earned. For example, Pella was named a 2007 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Yearin the windows category. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) commended Pella for its industry leadership in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by manufacturing and educating consumers about energy-efficient products.

Replacement anxiety
Despite many Americans? worries about energy efficiency, drafts and other issues, some homeowners are still reluctant to initiate a window replacement project.

More than 44% said that suddenly coming into some money like winning the lottery or landing an inheritance would motivate them to replace at least one window in their home. Yet among those who have experienced a window replacement project in their home, 60% said the entire project cost about what was expected or even less.

Other concerns about replacement included the perception that the process seems too daunting, that it?s too time intensive and not knowing where to go for help. Contrasting that among the recent replacers, 45% of homeowners who hired a professional to replace their windows noted the quality of the installer?s service was better than expected.

Right frame of mind
Despite the dread of ripping into home improvement projects for many people, two-thirds of homeowners surveyed agree it?s not okay to delay window replacement.

And, after all was said and done, among those who did replace, their energy efficiency priorities were met as savings, style and comfort added up.  49% reported their utility bills actually went down after their last window replacement project. They also found their homes more comfortable (48%), more valuable (38%) and their new windows aesthetically more pleasing (48%).

Chicago Tribune features writer Lou Carlozo?s window replacement experience is a prime example of a painless replacement project. Carlozo recently replaced the windows in his 1920s Victorian bungalow home just a few miles from Wrigley Field on Chicago?s North Side.

One month after having six new Pella wood windows installed in his home Carlozo says, ?the glow has hardly faded from our new windows. My wife Amy and I feel like we?ve made the right move to protect, beautify and conserve energy.?

?The windows look incredibly beautiful and our old house looks like it has a new life,? said Amy.

Methodology notes
The Pella Windows & Doors Survey was conducted by Kelton Research between Jan. 10-16, 2008, using e-mail invitation and online survey. Quotas were set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the total U.S. population of homeowners ages 18 and above. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of variation is measurable, affected by the number of interviews and level of percentages expressing the results. In this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 3 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.

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