W&D Weekly - August 6, 2008 | Vol 3, Num 32
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Full House Expected for Energy Star Meeting
About 100 people, including many industry representatives, are expected for the U.S. Department of Energy’s stakeholder meeting to gather input on new Energy Star criteria for windows, doors and skylights next week. ...
About 100 people, including many industry representatives, are expected for the U.S. Department of Energy’s stakeholder meeting to gather input on new Energy Star criteria for windows, doors and skylights next week. Set for August 13 at DOE headquarters in Washington, D.C., the meeting offers one last opportunity for feedback to DOE plans for more stringent requirements to carry the Energy Star label.
“We weren’t too surprised [to see the capacity crowd],” says Emily Zachery, spokesperson with D&R International, which manages the Energy Star windows program for DOE. Registration for the event closed July 18, she also notes.
DOE is scheduled to issue final recommendations for new numbers prior to the stakeholder meeting, although they had not been issued as of yesterday afternoon. Read the latest DOE updates regarding changes to the Energy Star windows program.
Richard Karney, Energy Star program manager, first announced the criteria review of Energy Star windows, doors and skylights last year, citing the national priority of improving energy efficiency and the need for Energy Star products to be more differentiated in the market place.
The oft-delayed stakeholder meeting was originally scheduled for February, and then for May. It was postponed based on initial feedback to proposed changes for 2009, 2012 and 2015 and a decision to do more feasibility research. Following the meeting, DOE will announce final plans for changes this fall, with the earliest effective date for any new criteria now said to be June 2009.
WDweekly will offer a full report on the stakeholder meeting in its August 20th edition.
Report Examines Prospects for
Fenestration Recycling
After almost three years of work, including a pilot project, a group within the American Architectural Manufacturers Association’s Vinyl Material Council is nearing completion of a white paper that outlines the potential for recycling PVC fenestration products at the
end-of-life. ...
After almost three years of work, including a pilot project, a group within the American Architectural Manufacturers Association’s Vinyl Material Council is nearing completion of a white paper that outlines the potential for recycling PVC fenestration products at the end-of-life. Entitled Avoiding the Landfill: The Recycling of Vinyl Windows and Doors, the eight-page report was co-authored by Brad Esckilsen of Formosa Plastics and David Pirwitz of Urban Machinery on behalf of the vinyl group’s environmental stewardship committee.
The study concludes that, given a sufficient volume of windows to recycle, processes and equipment can be easily redesigned using currently available technology.
The issues in establishing a window recycling program are the same regardless of window frame material, not just PVC, the group also suggests. As a result, the report suggests that window recycling should be looked at for all frame material types to ensure that recyclers have a sufficient volume of windows and doors to make the needed redesign of their process equipment economically feasible.
This white paper is currently being released for ballot within AAMA to approve its publication. Highlights from the paper, however, are featured in the latest Vinyl Material Council newsletter.
The paper reviews vinyl’s green attributes, including its recyclability, noting that the vast majority of post industrial vinyl scrap is already recycled. It also examines the existing infrastructure for vinyl recycling in North America.
The report also provides details on a recycling case study or pilot project set up by the AAMA study group to help evaluate each step in the recycling process for windows and doors. The project involved 600 windows removed by a manufacturer member of the AAMA vinyl council. Approximately half of these window units were hand-sorted into frames and glass, which were separately shipped to vinyl and glass recyclers. (The report offers a special note of thanks to Milgard Windows & Doors for donating the labor for this phase of the project). The glass was recycled into a feedstock for fiberglass and the vinyl became fence rails that are being donated to Habitat for Humanity builds in the Gulf Coast region.
The balance of the windows were shipped whole to a recycler to test the compatibility with equipment used to shred and separate computer monitors. This method was chosen because vinyl windows would be similar to computer monitors—as they would probably regularly be recycled by mixed materials recyclers, and ideally processed as whole units, potentially eliminating the material separation step. Although the difference in size and shapes of monitor housings compared with windows caused many inefficiencies--which are identified in the white paper—it was determined that given a sufficient volume of windows, processes and equipment could easily be redesigned to recycle them.
The paper also examines European experiences in vinyl window recycling, as well as activities among other vinyl product manufacturers.
Vanguard Plastics acquires Primex
A supplier of injection-molded window and door components, Vanguard Plastics Ltd. has acquired Primex Manufacturing and made the company a wholly owned subsidiary as of Aug. 1. ...
A supplier of injection-molded window and door components, Vanguard Plastics Ltd. has acquired Primex Manufacturing and made the company a wholly owned subsidiary as of Aug. 1.
“We’re very excited about this new acquisition,” says Bob Smart, Vanguard president. “By adding Primex’s capacity to our own, we’ve taken the next step in positioning our firm as a major supplier to the construction industry.”
Primex manufactures plastic injection molding products including fenestration products, shelf supports and plastic-handled shopping baskets. Based in Langley, British Columbia, Vanguard will market its construction products, including fenestration components, under the Vanguard banner and indoor and outdoor HVAC, building, and wire management products under the Primex brand. Vanguard will also continue to design and manufacture Primex telecom enclosures, modular jacks, wire management and accessories.
Vanguard says the acquisition provides increased capacity, additional patents and ownership of a well-recognized brand in the construction industry.
Juergen Koessler, who started Primex over 30 years ago, will step away from day to day management of the company.
...
Analyzing the Housing market
From cnn.com
Existing home sales are expected to begin stabilizing late this year, but the housing market is still years away from recovering, analysts said Monday. ... read more
Bipartisan Energy Bill Introduced as Last Resort to Stalled Senate
From Environment News Service
Bipartisan “Gang of 10” Senators introduce bill that would allow offshore drilling, raise taxes on oil companies. ... read more
Capital Remodeling Inc. Fights High Gas Prices and the Housing Crisis with Free Gas
From PRWeb.com
Window remodeler offers $50 gas card for customers who request a price quote. ... read more
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