Last week EPA released its Energy Star Version 7.0 Residential Window, Door, and Skylight Draft 1 Specification for public review and comment. Comments are due Aug. 20, 2021.
The Window & Door Manufacturers Association released the following comments about the specification:
The Draft 1 Specification proposes revisions to the current Version 6.0 specification, including significantly more stringent U-factors for all window, door and skylight products, more stringent SHGCs, requiring sliding glass doors to meet the same criteria as windows, and reducing the number of climate zones for skylights from four to two, among others.
The proposed revisions are far more reaching than previous revisions to the specification. EPA states a high market share of Energy Star Version 6.0 qualified products and availability of products that exceed Version 6.0 criteria make the stronger requirements necessary to provide meaningful differentiation of highly efficient residential window, door and skylight products for consumers.
WDMA is working with the Exterior Products Code Committee to review the Draft 1 proposed criteria and the Draft 1 Criteria and Analysis Report to develop WDMA comments in response. The EPCC held a meeting yesterday to discuss initial reactions and perspective on the proposed revisions and is requesting all WMDA members to likewise review the Draft Version 7.0 criteria and EPA’s substantiation in detail to identify issues or concerns that should be addressed in WDMA’s comments and provide that feedback to the EPCC. That feedback is highly encouraged and will be greatly appreciated by the committee. The EPA will also be hosting a stakeholder webinar regarding this Draft 1 Specification on July 27 from 1-4 p.m. Eastern Time.
EPA has stated there will be a Draft 2 Criteria released in September or October 2021 for public review and comment based on stakeholder comments on Draft 1. EPA expects to finalize the Version 7.0 Specification by January of 2022 with a tentative effective date of Jan. 1, 2023.
