Energy Star 101

By inournature on March 5, 2010

J Glasnapp, vice president of corporate sustainability and quality, talks about the Energy Star (R) program and the importance of Andersen Corporation being recognized the 2010 Energy Star Partner of the Year.

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Andersen CEO Analyzes Home Star Program on FOX Business

By inournature on March 2, 2010

Jim Humphrey, chairman and chief executive officer of Andersen Corporation, shares his thoughts about the federal Home Star program in a segment on the FOX Business channel. President Obama announced today a series of rebates for people making energy-efficient improvements to their homes.

“Not only is the Home Star program creating jobs for manufacturers, but the main thing is that the renovated homes will be energy efficient,” said Humphrey.

Under the Home Star program, people buying insulation, water heaters, or other energy-saving equipment will receive a rebate of between $1,000 and $1,500.

Although the economy has made it difficult for people to renovate their homes, energy-efficient renovations have the potential to save people hundreds of dollars a year in energy costs.

“We know in our windows that the properly installed windows can save as much as 70% of energy costs during the winter and 40% during the summer. The payback would be extremely beneficial in a short period of time,” said Humphrey.

In 2009, Andersen helped develop Project ReEnergize, a program that provided rebates to homeowners for energy efficiency upgrades.  The Minnesota project served as an example for the federal Home Star project.

You can watch a video of Humphrey’s appearance below.  USA Today also interviewed Humphrey for an article about the Home Star program in today’s paper.




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Andersen Corporation Named 2010 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year

By inournature on March 1, 2010

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) have named Andersen Corporation as 2010 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year award winner for the Product Manufacturer – Windows category for its family of brands, including Andersen Windows, Renewal by Andersen, Eagle Window & Door and Silver Line Building Products. Andersen receives the designation for its outstanding contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by manufacturing and educating consumers about energy-efficient products. Andersen will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on March 18.

“Today, the EPA is recognizing Andersen Corporation for taking the lead in addressing climate change through their commitment to energy efficiency,” said Gina McCarthy, EPA assistant administrator for air and radiation. “Andersen Corporation is producing and promoting products that have earned the ENERGY STAR, showing customers that together, we can increase our nation’s energy efficiency and reduce our emissions of greenhouse gases.”

Andersen has been part of the ENERGY STAR program since its inception in 1998 and was the first window manufacturer awarded the ENERGY STAR National Window Partner of the Year in 1999. This year, Andersen again will be honored for its leadership in manufacturing products that earn the ENERGY STAR moniker, the government-backed symbol of energy efficiency. This distinction honors Andersen’s ongoing commitment to providing energy-efficient products, as well as the company’s comprehensive use of ENERGY STAR information in media relations, consumer education programs, advertising, Web sites, and training materials.

“Andersen’s commitment to energy efficiency and environmental sustainability is more than a trend or slogan. Our commitment goes back as far as Andersen itself – more than 100 years. It is in our nature, our company culture, and every product we create,” said Jay Lund, president and chief operating officer of Andersen Corporation. “Andersen is proud to be recognized by ENERGY STAR for providing energy-efficient products helping customers save money and conserve valuable natural resources.

“We’ve been a part of ENERGY STAR since its beginnings, just as our commitment to sustainable practices has been with us since the company began,” says Lund. “Our largest manufacturing facility and company headquarters are located on the St. Croix River in Bayport, Minnesota – a nationally protected scenic waterway. For more than 106 years we have been doing business and living in harmony with the river in this beautiful valley, and our commitment to sustainability touches every part of our existence.”

The 2010 Partner of the Year Awards are given to manufacturers and retailers that successfully promote and deliver ENERGY STAR qualified products, helping customers save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Award winners are selected from the more than 9,000 organizations that participate in the ENERGY STAR program.

“ENERGY STAR” is a registered trademark of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  “Andersen” and the AW logo are registered trademarks of Andersen Corporation.  © 2010 Andersen Corporation.  All rights reserved.

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Andersen Supports the Nature Conservancy

By inournature on February 24, 2010

Andersen Corporation is committed to supporting environmental organizations that preserve and maintain our nation’s natural resources.  That’s why Andersen recently gave the Nature Conservancy a $5,000 grant for its forest preservation work in northern Minnesota.

For nearly 60 years, the Nature Conservancy has been working to keep our forests rich and abundant in natural life.  By combining sound science, creative solutions, and a non-confrontational approach to working with others, the nonprofit has been able to safeguard many of Minnesota’s natural resources.

In Minnesota’s northern forests, the Nature Conservancy is working to protect large blocks of industrial forests through the use of forest conservation easements with the Minnesota Forest Legacy Partnership.  Andersen is proud to support this effort to find a solution to one of Minnesota’s most pressing conservation challenges.  It is why we have funded the Nature Conservancy for over a decade, donating more than $37,000 to assist them in their work.

Learn more about the Nature Conservancy here.

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Environmental Leadership: Green Seal

By inournature on February 22, 2010

Sustainability and environmental leadership have been important to Andersen Corporation since the company’s inception over a century ago.  One example of our commitment to environmentally responsible design and production is the relationships we have formed with the nation’s leading environmental organizations and certification programs.  Over the next few months, we will highlight some of the organizations we believe are helping make our world more sustainable.

We will start the profiles with Green Seal™ because Andersen was the first window manufacturer to be Green Seal certified, demonstrating our commitment to environmentally responsible manufacturing.

Founded in 1989, Green Seal, a nonprofit organization dedicated to safeguarding the environment and transforming the marketplace, promotes the manufacture, purchase and use of environmentally responsible products and services.  Andersen has had certified products to Green Seal’s standards since 1995.

To accomplish its sustainability goals, Green Seal developed a science-based certification program that ensures a product meets rigorous environmental standards for design and manufacturing.  These standards have been recognized and used by the United States Federal Government and many state governments.  Green Seal has certified more than 3,600 products and services in over 286 categories.

By designing and producing Green Seal certified products, Andersen is contributing positively to the environment, improving the quality of life for homeowners, and demonstrating a clear and unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship.

Learn more about Green Seal here.

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Senator Amy Klobuchar Visits Andersen

By inournature on February 18, 2010

U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota spoke with Andersen executives and toured the company’s Bayport facility Wednesday, Feb. 17.

Klobuchar spent time with Jay Lund, president and chief operating officer, along with Holly Boehne, senior vice president, Research, Development and Innovation, discussing the impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and the importance of energy efficiency to Andersen. Lund and Boehne then gave Sen. Klobuchar some insight into our products and innovation while on a tour of the company’s development center.

The tour included rigorous product performance demonstrations in the test lab, an inside look at Andersen’s newest product lines, the A-Series and 100 Series, and a demonstration of various energy-efficient glass options performed using a radiometer. During the visit, Klobuchar expressed her understanding of the benefits in leading energy efficiency by requiring high standards to qualify for the federal tax credit.

As a company, Andersen is a strong advocate of the .30/.30 ratings for U-factor and solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) required for windows and doors to qualify for the tax credit. The day of Klobuchar’s visit marked one year since the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 took effect. During the last 12 months, Andersen implemented a comprehensive consumer program, called the EcoExcelTM Energy Performance Package, to help homeowners and contractors identify which Andersen products meet the stringent energy efficiency and performance criteria required for the federal tax credit.

The tax credit allows for up to $1,500 in credit back to homeowners for qualifying windows, doors and skylights when used for remodeling or replacement in a taxpayer’s primary U.S. residence through 2010.**

The visit concluded with Sen. Klobuchar pledging her support of legislation advocating Andersen’s business and the building industry. Thank you, Sen. Klobuchar, for your time and interest in Andersen.

**The above is the best available information and is a partial summary of the revisions to the federal tax code (U.S. Code Title 26, Section 25C) as updated by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Taxpayers should check with the IRS regarding updates to the IRS interim guidance for further details on the tax credit. Other energy efficient improvements may apply; check the following link and the IRS website for more details or updates. Andersen bears no responsibility in validating or obtaining the tax credit. Please consult with a professional tax advisor or the IRS.

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Andersen Employee Dale Brathol Creates a Legacy of Forestry

By inournature on February 11, 2010

Andersen Windows employee Dale Brathol has explored the land around the Hammond, Wis., area since he was a kid. It’s not surprising then, that he now calls the area home, living in his own 87-acre forest.

Dale and his wife have owned the property since the mid-1980s. “I just wanted some privacy,” said Dale, a production supervisor at Andersen’s Bayport, Minn., facility, who has worked for Andersen for 33 years. But Dale has done much more than live on his land. He has partnered with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to create a stewardship forestry plan for the woods on his property as part of the DNR’s Managed Forest Law program.

Taking what he describes as burned out crop land and turning it into forest, he has planted a variety of soft and hard woods over the decades he has lived on the land. In December 2008, the Brathol’s forest and others in the Wisconsin program gained certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the responsible management of the world’s forests.

“Approximately 56% of forest land in the United States is privately owned,” Dale said. “There are a lot of us out there, and I’m not the only one at Andersen with property that is FSC certified. It gets in your blood when you work at a place like this.

“A lot of landowners [in general] don’t look at their forest land as something that would benefit from being managed. Many people just harvest timber when they need money or when a logger may tell them they should sell. When you do that, you alter the succession of the forest and eliminate sustainability.”

In 2001 he began working with a local forester on a forest stewardship plan that will guides the planting, thinning and harvesting of trees along with providing food plots for wildlife until 2026.

It’s not likely that Brathol’s trees will find their way into Andersen products, as the variety of species he grows ends up in local mills. “It’s a legacy. My daughter works in forestry now and a lot of things I’m doing will come to pass long after I’m gone. But that’s okay. [Working on the land is] not work. It’s good medicine.”

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Andersen Prepares for Busy Legislative Session

By inournature on February 5, 2010

Susan Roeder, corporate affairs manager for Andersen Corporation, Jane DeAustin, director of government affairs for the Central Minnesota Builders Association (CMBA), Mike Koenig, sustainability manager for Andersen Corporation, and Maureen McDonough, director of corporate communications and public affairs for Andersen Corporation attended the 2010 Minnesota Chamber of Commerce dinner.

The annual event gives businesses like Andersen a chance to learn more about policy priorities for the upcoming Minnesota legislative session.  Last year, Andersen worked with lawmakers to help develop several sustainability initiatives including Project ReEnergize, a nationally recognized program to help people use a federal program to make their homes more efficient.

Project ReEnergize was implemented in 2009 using $2.5 million in funds from the federal 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to provide rebates to homeowners for energy efficiency upgrades.  Since the program launched, it has helped retrofit 1,400 homes in Minnesota with 8,700 energy-efficient windows.  The success of Project ReEnergize has led to its use as a potential model for the federal Home Star program.

Project ReEnergize is another example of Andersen’s commitment to not just advocating for sustainable principles, but collaborating with public and private sector groups to help develop programs and policies that produce real results.

The Central Minnesota Builders Assocation, a local nonprofit trade association affiliated with the Builders Association of Minnesota and the National Association of Home Builders, helped in the creation and roll out of Project ReEnergize.  The nonprofit’s more than 550 members are involved in all phases of the Central Minnesota building industry and work to foster a healthy business environment for the building industry.

Andersen is excited about the possibilities the 2010 legislative session could bring for sustainability initiatives.

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Project ReEnergize explained at IBS

By inournature on January 21, 2010

Andersen Corporation was invited to speak at an International Builders’ Show media event about Project ReEnergize. The Minnesota project was implemented in 2009 using $2.5 million in funds from the federal 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to provide rebates to homeowners for energy efficiency upgrades. Other panelists at the event included Pam Perri Weaver, executive officer of the Builders Association of Minnesota; Bill Killmer, National Association of Home Builders executive vice president for advocacy; and Shawn Nelson, president of New Spaces.

Not only was Project ReEnergize designed to help homeowners reduce their energy bills each year, it was designed to retain jobs for contractors hit hard by challenges in the home industry. It is one of the first state-run programs in the nation that allows homeowners to use federal money to purchase more energy-efficient windows. About 90% of the windows in today’s homes are older, single-pane glass styles that are much less efficient than modern double-pane, triple-pane, or argon-filled products.

The Builders Association of Minnesota, Andersen, and other manufacturers worked with Minnesota legislators to make sure that windows were included in Project ReEnergize. Before this change was made, the program mostly covered traditional weatherization products, such as insulation, water heaters, and weather-stripping materials.

“Other states are challenged with creating a program that effectively helps both homeowners and contractors,” said Maureen McDonough, director of corporate communications and public affairs for Andersen. “Everyone in Minnesota has worked together to make Project ReEnergize a success.”

Since Project ReEnergize was launched in October 2009, it has helped retrofit 1,400 homes with 8,700 energy-efficient windows. Andersen called back 600 jobs during this same period due, in part, to business improvement generated by this program, as well as the company’s strategic marketing and sales efforts. The success of Project ReEnergize has led to its use as a model for the federal Home Star program, nicknamed “Cash for Caulkers.”

“Minnesota’s example is a good one for other states to consider because of the benefits to homeowners, contractors and manufacturers. Andersen is extremely proud to have been a part of this success,” said McDonough.

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Cash for Caulkers Press Conference

By inournature on January 20, 2010


Andersen’s Maureen McDonough spoke at an IBS press conference today about the company’s commitment to creating energy-efficient products and supporting efforts to help homeowners retrofit their houses, including Project ReEnergize and Cash for Caulkers. To learn more about Cash for Caulkers, read a New York Times article about the program here. Check this blog for more information about Project ReEnergize and comments from Maureen McDonough.

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