Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Windows account for 25% of residential HVAC energy use and 45% of building envelope heat transfer, despite only making up 8% of the surface area. In order to meet carbon reduction targets, the nation will need to substantially reduce building energy use, which will require improving window performance in both new and existing buildings. However, efficient window products have been slow to advance despite technological innovations. In response, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has joined forces with regional energy efficiency alliances and national labs to launch the Partnership for Advanced Window Solutions (PAWS), a national collaborative focused on transforming the windows market with a broad, aggressive set of strategies to adapt, replicate, and widely deploy a full range of advanced glazing, window, and window attachment solutions. PAWS builds on previous market transformation programs to aggregate market demand and reduce product costs, with a strong focus on sector-wide collaboration to achieve aggressive goals. This paper outlines recent PAWS efforts to develop new utility and regional market transformation programs, refine energy ratings, ENERGY STAR specifications, and building energy codes. It provides updates on emerging window technologies and recent findings from field demonstrations focused on novel highly insulated windows. It outlines future PAWS efforts to replicate success and scale these window solutions to meet national carbon reduction goals, and via retrofits, enhance the viability and cost effectiveness of regional decarbonization programs. Through technology, policy, and partnerships, the PAWS collaborative is emerging as a central hub for a national windows market transformation.