About the Attachments Energy Rating Council
Analysis conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has shown that window attachments (shades, shutters, storm windows, etc.) have the potential to save significant energy in residential and commercial buildings. The Window Coverings Manufacturers Association (WCMA) was awarded DOE funding to help capture these potential energy savings through the creation of a comprehensive rating, labeling, and certification program for window attachments, which is administered by the newly formed Attachments Energy Rating Council (AERC).
The AERC is an independent, public interest, non-profit organization whose mission is to provide consumers with credible, relevant, and comparable information about window attachments and their performance. AERC serves the public interest by providing accurate and credible information about the energy performance of window attachments, which will help consumers, including homeowners, architects, and builders, make informed decisions about window attachment products.
The AERC is comprised of a diverse group of window attachment manufacturers, component manufacturers, public interest organizations, and utilities who are working together to deliver a successful energy rating program for the window attachment industry.
Mission
To serve as the leading national authority delivering standardized energy performance ratings for window attachments to empower energy-efficient decisions.
Vision
AERC certification is the trusted mark of energy performance for all window attachments — recognized and required by the building industry, supported by energy policy, and understood and used by consumers to make informed, energy-efficient choices.
Goals
AERC’s goal is to provide consumers and decision makers with credible, relevant, and comparable information about window attachments and their performances.
The AERC Rating and Certification Process
AERC’s Energy Improvement rating and certification program, developed with the support of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), has been designed to offer independent and accurate information about the energy performance of window attachment products.
Together, our many program stakeholders work to ensure that the information on the AERC Energy Improvement label is accurate, reliable and consistent. Each product that features the AERC Energy Improvement label has been measured according to stringent standards and have been reviewed and certified by AERC. How to read the label.
The U.S. DOE is a governmental department whose mission is to advance energy technology and promote related innovation in the United States.
D+R International, Ltd. is a consultancy focused on creating markets for energy-efficient products. D+R has an exceptional track record for bringing programs from concept to major market impact, most notably large appliances, windows, doors, and skylights, and energy efficient lamps through the ENERGY STAR program for DOE and EPA; solid-state lighting with the Lighting Facts® program for DOE and the DesignLights™ Consortium for the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships; the State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program for DOE; and the National Fenestration Rating Council.
The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s (LBNL) Windows and Daylighting Group has worked with AERC to develop test methods, simulation models, optical and thermal measurements, and to develop the complex glazing database. These methodologies are the basis for developing AERC’s efficiency performance metrics and energy ratings.
Intertek is a worldwide group of testing laboratories for a variety of industries. Based on its expertise in independent testing, product certification, and quality assurance, Intertek-ATI partnered with AERC to lead the development of the AERC Certification Program.