Thursday, July 5, 2012

Ohio YMCA Hopes Incentive Will Cover Cost of More Energy Efficient Windows

The Warren County, Ohio YMCA is offering an incentive for community members to contribute funding to replace the facility's 84-year-old, single-pane windows with more energy efficient windows.

“When the winters are rough, our gas and electric bills average $13,000 to $15,000 a month,” said Richard Denamen, the YMCA's interim director. Computer models estimate new windows could reduce utility bills by 14 percent to 21 percent.

Financial constraints, however, prevent the YMCA from purchasing the 30 new windows they need, so Denamen is turning to the community for assistance. Under his plan, community members would sponsor individual windows at $250 each. In return, the sponsor's name would be engraved on the window.

So far, the YMCA has found sponsors for 15 of the 30 windows needed.

One of the entries found on the National Fenestration Rating Council's (NFRC) energy performance rating label is the U-factor. This measures how well a product prevents heat from escaping from a home or building. U-factor ratings generally fall between 0.20 and 1.20. The lower the U-factor, the better a product retains heat.

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