KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Ron Saxton is a man on an energy efficiency mission.

As the chief environmental officer at JELD-WEN, a leading global window and door manufacturer, it’s his job to keep the company focused on its work of decreasing the tremendous amount of energy and money that is literally flying out of the one billion old, single pane windows currently installed in American homes.

In fact, JELD-WEN’s multiple efforts to tackle this massive challenge are the reason why the company was recently named a 2010 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year. Energy Star Partners are recognized as the country’s most innovative leaders for helping meet today’s energy efficiency challenges and are graded on their volume of qualified products, promotion of the ENERGY STAR program, education of employees and customers, and overall dedication to energy savings.

With spring remodeling season right around the corner, and $1,500 tax credits available on window and door upgrades, Saxton says this is the perfect time of year to remind homeowners about the importance of energy efficiency and the easy, affordable steps that can dramatically shave utility bills. For example, just installing ENERGY STAR qualified windows can save up to $450 a year on heating and cooling costs, depending on the region of the country, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

“For us, simply producing efficient products doesn’t go far enough.  It’s a three-prong approach that starts with our core product offering, but also goes deeper to increase public awareness and involvement. Finally, we must bring the message home to families across America, to show them first-hand how energy efficiency can make a difference in their lives,” said Saxton.

Five decades of product innovation

From JELD-WEN’s perspective, the solution to improving energy efficiency starts with better products designed to help more people. For 50 years, the company has continually incorporated the latest technology to increase the energy efficiency performance of its windows and doors. The result of this dedication is the largest and broadest menu of ENERGY STAR qualified windows and exterior doors in the industry that range from pocket replacement windows for advanced DIYers to fiberglass exterior doors designed for extreme weather conditions in any region. From affordable vinyl window replacements to custom wood entry systems, JELD-WEN products qualify for federal tax credits of up to $1,500 and the company provides an easy to use guide for homeowners at www.jeld-wen.com/taxcredit.

The company’s products are also featured in some of the most sustainable projects in the country, including the first LEED Platinum house certified in Orange County, Calif., and the first Emerald rated home under the National Association of Home Builders’ National Green Building Standard.

“It’s part of our heritage and who we are,” said Saxton. “We’re continually advancing product performance and looking for more ways to make it easy and achievable for homeowners and businesses to increase efficiency.”

Taking its message to the top
When it comes to industry leadership, JELD-WEN is takings its message to the highest levels. Last December, Saxton was among a select group of business leaders, and the only one from a window and door manufacturer, who attended President Obama’s “Jobs Summit” at the White House. He took advantage of the opportunity to propose ideas to bolster American jobs and increase energy conservation.

 “Incentives to upgrade to energy-saving models could result in putting Americans back to work in engineering, manufacturing, distribution and installation while reducing greenhouse gas emissions caused by inefficient residential structures,” Saxton explained at the summit. “I’m proud of how JELD-WEN has responded to opportunities like the $1,500 replacement window federal tax credit and we are confident that there is more that can be done.”

Connecting with homeowners

JELD-WEN is working to walk the energy efficiency talk, one homeowner at a time, by proving the real-world difference it can make when tackling high utility costs. As part of the company’s Utility Bill Bailout challenge, JELD-WEN searches for the homeowner with the worst utility bill in the country and provides an energy efficiency makeover to prove the dramatic differences new window and door technology can make.

“It’s a matter of connecting with homeowners, helping them identify challenges and raising awareness about how they can implement solutions,” said Saxton. “It’s all worth the effort once they see and feel the changes in their heating and cooling costs.”

Last year’s Utility Bill Bailout winners, the Quimby family from Maine, realized a 50 percent savings on their monthly energy costs this past winter, thanks to upgrades that included new JELD-WEN windows and doors.