PAWS

The Partnership for Advanced Window Solutions (PAWS) collaborative promotes cost-effective, high performance window solutions for the nation’s new and existing building stock.

Why Windows Matter

“Windows are the poorest thermal components in the building envelope in residential and commercial buildings, impacting human health and comfort, and costing building owners more than $50 billion per year in energy costs.”

Marc LaFrance, U.S. Department of Energy

Resources

Why Glazing Matters

Christine Williamson is the Director of Building Science & Education at Acelab and the founder of Building Science Fight Club (BSFC). In this video, she explains while we tend to think of a building’s energy efficiency almost entirely in terms of how well insulated it is, the most important factor influencing energy use is not insulation, but glazing ratio (how much of the enclosure is opaque versus glazed).

Working Groups

To drive our mission forward, several targeted working groups coordinate market transformation efforts that delve into specific market barriers and opportunities for advanced window solutions. Each working group is designed to support goals and provide resources that serve as additional tools for market transformation across the collaborative. Working Group leaders and the PAWS leadership team will ensure these strategic interventions across the collaborative work to support its mission.

Ratings, Codes & Certification

This group works with stakeholders to support and create market transformation opportunities for high-performance primary and attachment window products through engagement in regulatory and certification processes.

Utility Program Collaboration

This group partners with stakeholders—including the Attachments Energy Rating Council (AERC)—to support and create utility programs that inspire the promotion of high performance and attachment window products. 

Stakeholder Campaigns & Initiatives

This group partners with stakeholders across all building sectors to raise awareness and drive the adoption of high-performance windows by supporting, expanding, and developing education and incentive campaigns.