Andersen Corporation President and CEO Jay Lund and U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson

ENERGY STAR® recognized the top U.S. manufacturers for their work on behalf of energy efficiency in this country and handed out a few awards recently in Washington D.C. We are very pleased to be the sole window manufacturer to receive this important distinction this year. Winning three years in a row means we are now an ENERGY STAR Sustained Partner. Thank you to our friends at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for recognizing us in this way and a special thanks for the opportunity for our CEO Jay Lund to meet personally with EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson and talk about the future of energy efficiency.  It was a great honor!

“At Andersen, we believe finding new ways to use alternative energy is one way to help restore economic growth for everyone, and this project shows how the rubber literally meets the road,” said Lance Whitacre, Vice President, Logistics. “Leveraging this unique partnership today yields far reaching benefits for us that improve the triple bottom line – good for the people, profitable for the companies and beneficial for the environment.”

Natural gas vehicles show an average reduction in ozone-forming emissions of 80 percent compared to diesel-powered vehicles. Additionally, more than 99 percent of the natural gas used in the United States comes from domestic or other North American sources. Compared to liquefied natural gas and diesel fuel, CNG has the lowest price, lowest emissions and an extensive infrastructure in place. Of the 1,000 CNG stations in North America, though, less than half of those are truck-friendly.

Read all about our exciting new sustainability effort here!

Andersen Corporation was awarded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2012 ENERGY STAR® Sustained Excellence Award for its family of brands including Andersen Windows, Renewal by Andersen, Eagle Window & Door, American Craftsman Window & Door Company and Silver Line Building Products.

The ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence distinction is reserved for ENERGY STAR partners demonstrating outstanding leadership year after year. The 2012 Sustained Excellence Awards are given only to organizations that have been named ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year for three or more consecutive years.

“Andersen Corporation’s outstanding accomplishments show that improved energy performance can be good for the environment and good for business,” stated Jonathan Passe, Chief, ENERGY STAR Residential Branch, in a letter to the company.

Andersen receives the ENERGY STAR designation for its outstanding contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by educating consumers through the use of ENERGY STAR information in consumer education programs, advertising, media relations, web sites, social media and training materials. This distinction honors Andersen’s ongoing commitment to providing energy-efficient products, as well as the company’s comprehensive continuous improvement using state-of-the-art manufacturing processes to limit environmental impact.

“Andersen’s commitment to energy efficiency and environmental sustainability is a part of our heritage. It is in our nature, our company culture, and every product we create,” said Jay Lund, president and chief executive officer of Andersen Corporation. “This is made possible only by the collective contributions of everyone at Andersen. Each of our employees should be very proud of what they have done to help earn this award.”

Andersen will be recognized March 15, 2012 at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. These awards recognize ongoing leadership across the ENERGY STAR program including energy-efficient products, services, and new homes and buildings in the commercial, industrial and public sectors. Award winners are selected from more than 20,000 organizations that participate in the ENERGY STAR program.

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.

EI's Policy Forum Series: 2012 Legislative Preview

Topics ranged from aquatic invasive species to transportation challenges. But the topic creating the most buzz revolved around the representatives’ 2011 visit to Germany regarding the similarities and differences among our long term energy strategies.

Minnesota has greater renewable energy resources with wind and solar, yet Germany is further down the technological journey around energy conservation and implementation. Their ambitious goal of achieving 24 percent less green house gas (GHG) emissions by 2020 (based on 1990 levels) dwarfs the U.S. commitment of 19 percent below 2007 levels. That commitment was made two years ago in Copenhagen, according to Representative Kate Knuth (District 50B, New Brighton). Although many critics argue whether this is realistically attainable, these are impressive goals and could no doubt result in great gains.

Legislative Preview - Networking Break

While the options for solving these issues varied as much as the topics, what’s refreshingly different among this group of EI supporters is the ability and willingness to find common ground and implement creative, win/win solutions. This collaboration is a welcome change from the increasingly common trend these days for parties to hold that line in their opposing views, which leads to gridlock and halts productive action. Perhaps the EI staff and supporters should take their show on the road!

Our last post addressed Product Stewardship. One way to accurately measure a product’s impact on the environment is to conduct an LCA. An LCA is a mass balance of all inputs and outputs of a product; it includes the mining of raw materials, manufacturing, transportation, and energy required to use the product as well as the impacts after its original intended use has ended (the product is either land filled or recycled back into a new product).

Once product category rules are in place and LCAs are conducted, manufacturers can place Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) on their products. These are factual labels and differ from single-attribute green certifications in that they don’t declare superior “greenness” of the product. They simply state data about the product’s environmental impacts. For example, they would indicate “XX” amount of water consumed and/or “XX” amount of energy used. The labels will help reduce confusion and allow customers to make purchases best aligned with their values. Additionally, EPDs foster transparency and will ultimately promote product stewardship.

Our own Corporate Training group developed an educational module called “Learning on the Go”. It’s a fun, interactive way to engage and educate employees about ENERGY STAR. Participants learn how responsible shipping, renewable energy, efficient manufacturing and energy efficient products play a part in the overall ENERGY STAR program.

ENERGY STAR Week at Andersen Corporation

Along with the “Learning on the Go” booth, we hosted representatives from Xcel Energy and The Home Depot, each offered helpful hints on energy saving products and practices.

Passion to transform the built environment for the betterment of society, profitability and the environment itself is what drives those involved with Greenbuild. Keynote Plenary speaker Thomas Friedman spoke of the resilience common to those passionate about the green movement. He made the connection between the distressed state of our environment and our global economy, stating we are practicing faulty accounting with both the Market and Mother Nature.

Thomas Friedman - Greenbuild 2011

 Friedman joked that those in the audience hadn’t gotten the word about these daunting issues facing us today. He said “Don’t get the word. Don’t ever give up!” In the spirit of Steve Jobs, Friedman pleaded, “Keep fighting the cause.” He concluded by stating it’s time the green movement stepped up to a green revolution, a time when the Green Building Council is known simply as the Building Council and its standards require the highest levels of efficiency and sustainability.

Steve Johnson, Code & Regulatory manager - Andersen Corp., Shawn Aherns, Senior Marketing manager - Andersen Corp., Doug Anderson, Energy Star Windows Program manager, Mark Mikkelson, Corporate Regulatory Affairs director - Andersen Corp., Mike Koenig, Corporate Sustainability manager - Andersen Corp.

The ENERGY STAR Windows Program is currently working on the next criteria change, likely to take effect in late 2013.  Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) and U-Factor criteria are among key changes being discussed between the industry and the EPA. The EPA expressed their desire to “push the limits of dual pane glazing” in the next phase of the Windows Program. This likely means a more stringent U-Factor and SHGC in all U.S. climate zones.

Andersen highlighted the importance of long term durability and return on investment (ROI) as additional components to be factored into the upcoming changes. Other anticipated program changes may include an air infiltration requirement and a ratings verification component – to ensure product performance matches labeled performance.

 Andersen Corporation supports and manufactures energy efficient, durable windows and doors and was the first window manufacturer to be named an ENERGY STAR National Window Partner of the Year in 1999. Andersen was also named ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year in 2010 and 2011.

Monday’s opening session entitled “Coping with Calamity: The Art of Looking Ahead” discussed the multitude of natural disasters facing the world today. From tsunamis to tornados, the panelists conversed on the degree to which natural disasters are natural versus how the economic and social toll are magnified due to where and how we construct our buildings and homes.  

Discussions addressed the effects of excess carbon in our atmosphere and what the implications may be. Panelist Stewart Brand summed it up quite simply stating, “Managing the planet means managing ourselves.” The choices we make as individual consumers as well as organizationally and politically all play a role in the issues we face regarding energy demand and consumption, and the resulting effects on our environment and ourselves.