最近提议的立法的一件好事之一将将联邦税收抵免额与能源之星标准相关联的联邦税收抵免是，该立法具有生态和经济意义。

参议员杰伊·洛克菲勒（Jay Rockefeller）和查克·格拉斯利（Chuck Grassley）提出的新法案将修改一条规定，自6月1日生效以来，它已向消费者提供30％的税收抵免，最高可达1,500美元太阳热增益系数（SHGC）为0.30或更少，U因子为0.30或更少。它被称为“ 30-30”标准，并且相对简单。问题在于，它不能为生活在寒冷的气候中的消费者提供自己所需的灵活性，以通过购买来实现最大的能源效率（通过冬季太阳能加热）。

洛克菲勒和格拉斯利（Rockefeller）和格拉斯利（Grassley）要兑现税收抵免Energy Star requirementsthat are scheduled to take effect January 4, 2010. The positive, logical thing about these new Energy Star criteria is that they are climate-specific, with, for example, a SHGC “equivalent energy performance” requirement for the northern climate zone of at least 0.35 and corresponding U-factor equivalent of 0.31; for a SHGC performance equivalent of at least 0.40, however, the corresponding U-factor equivalent is 0.32 for that climate zone.

For southern climates, meanwhile, the U-factor maximum is 0.60 and the SHGC is 0.27. Separate criteria also are established for window performance in “north-central” and “south-central” climate zones.

Trade-group backing

上周，Window and Door Manufacturers Association权衡了一个问题新闻稿这在参议员批评30-30标准的同时赞扬了参议员。

“The one-size-fits-all approach of the current tax credit fails to recognize that different regions of the country require different standards to achieve improved energy efficiency depending on climate. A window, door or skylight designed to protect from the cold winters of the north is not ideal to face the heat of a southern summer,” said WDMA Executive Vice President Michael O’Brien. “Established Energy Star standards, widely recognized by consumers, builders and retailers, recognize these differences and have different requirements for four different regions.”

One small irony here is that the tax credit曾是tied to Energy Star’s regionally based criteria before the 30-30 standard took effect on June 1. The Rockefeller-Grassley bill simply brings Energy Star back into the equation, albeit in the updated form set to roll out on January 4.

可用性捕获

Another irony is that obtaining high-solar-gain windows can be a challenge in the U.S., even in northern markets. As GBA’s Martin Holladay pointed out in7月31日的GBA帖子，美国的许多窗户制造商都强调了其产品阵容和营销中的低过敏玻璃，这种方法简化了分销商和销售人员的内容，但可以混淆希望在寒冷气候中充分利用窗户安装的客户。

Martin cited the tribulations of Scott Pigg, a senior project manager at the Energy Center of Wisconsin who had done an analysis usingRESFEN, a software program developed by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to measure the performance of prospective window installations in specific settings. Pigg intended to use the analysis for guidance in selecting windows for his own home, but was flummoxed in his attempt to buy windows, from Marvin Windows and Doors, with a hard-coat low-e glazing option that would increase their SHGC.

“我问我的承包商，我的承包商不知道我想要什么，” Pigg告诉GBA。“然后他回到我身边，说要再花三个星期。然后他说这是不可能的。我不相信，所以我直接打电话给Marvin。他们说这是可能的。然后我的承包商说，每个窗户将花费$ 200。我问了马文，他们不会给我任何定价信息。”

Pigg finally gave up and bought low-solar-gain glazing. Perhaps, if the Rockefeller-Grassley bill passes, the return to Energy Star standards will encourage manufacturers in the U.S. to make high-solar-gain glazing more readily available, and make experiences like Pigg’s a thing of the past.