More Than 20,000 Kolbe Products Are ENERGY STAR Qualified in Both the U.S. & Canada


Wausau, Wis. - A sampling of the more than 20,000 Kolbe products that meet or exceed ENERGY STAR® criteria for both the U.S. and Canada will be exhibited at the 2012 International Builders Show (IBS) in booth W3729. Many of Kolbe's energy-efficient windows will be displayed with high-performance, double or triple pane insulating glass with LoE coatings.

Window products can qualify for ENERGY STAR based on their U-factor. Internationally, ENERGY STAR qualified windows are tested and certified by an independent, accredited agency. U-factors for the four Canadian climate zones range from 0.21 to 0.32, expressed in metric units as 1.20-1.80.

"Windows with low U-factors help homeowners save energy and save on their utility bills," explains Kolbe's product and market analyst, Lance Premeau, LEED® Green Associate. "In warm climates like Orlando, this means lessening the demand on air conditioning by blocking unwanted solar heat. In cool climates like Chicago, this means keeping the warm air in and the cold outside. Surpassing expectations in even the toughest climate zones, our triple pane windows are crafted and tested to meet the next level in energy efficiency."

At IBS, Kolbe's windows with triple pane glass include:

  • Ultra Series cottage-style Sterling double hung windows with LoE3-366 to balance solar control with high visibility, blocking more unwanted solar heat gain than other clear glass coatings. Performance divided lites (PDLs) maintain the intended energy efficiency and the cottage style windows' traditional aesthetic, where the top sash is proportionally smaller than the bottom.

  • Ultra Series Tilt-Turn windows can swing in like a casement or tilt-in like a hopper. The dual action functionality and stylish, flat PDL bars are coupled with LoE2-270 coated glass. This LoE coating is standard for most Kolbe products, blocking 96 percent of the sun's infrared heat and 83 percent of potentially-damaging UV rays.

  • Ultra Series EP casement and awning windows, including the oversized 60x84-inch awning with PDLs, also come standard with LoE²-270. Some windows can achieve U-factors as low as 0.19 (approximately 1.00 in metric).

  • Windquest® EP casement windows with LoE²-270 can match low U-factors of the Ultra Series EP units. These high performance vinyl windows allow a maximum air infiltration of only 0.01 cubic foot per minute, which is 30 times better than the industry standard. Demonstrating this exceptional performance, the windows are certified to achieve an R-PG50 (residential performance grade) rating and structural DP50 rating.

  • Available as either part of the Ultra Series aluminum clad product family or as part of the Heritage Series all-wood product line, Majesta® double hung windows round out Kolbe's collection of triple pane glass window choices, in a variety of LoE coatings, for products up to 6-by-12-feet.

    Kolbe's website contains a database for thousands of Kolbe's ENERGY STAR qualified products, as well as air, water, structural and thermal reports. The site's Architect Library and online resources can help simplify the research and specifying process. For example, design teams can easily communicate and visually customize many Ultra Series' product dimensions and functionality using Kolbe's 3D Revit® building information models (BIM). In addition to BIM tools, visitors can access 2-D drawings; warranties, installation and maintenance information, and online videos to demonstrate product operation and performance testing.

    In addition to energy performance, Kolbe products' environmental attributes also support projects pursuing green goals including U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Rating System(TM), Green Globes(TM) and ENERGY STAR®. The Ultra Series products have exteriors clad in low-maintenance, extruded aluminum containing recycled content. The outer, metal surfaces may be finished in environmentally friendly, durable coatings using a broad palette of colors. For the interior, a range of sustainably harvested wood species can be selected, such as those certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

    Learn more about Kolbe products at www.kolbe-kolbe.com and visit in-person with Kolbe representatives at booth W3729 during the International Builders' Show in Orlando, Feb. 8-11, 2012.

    What began in 1946 as a two-brother team has grown into an internationally respected manufacturing company. Kolbe & Kolbe Millwork Co, Inc. remains a privately held, community-oriented business located in Wausau, Wis. Covering nearly one million-square-feet, its state-of-the-art facilities feature high-tech machinery and a design center to present the creative possibilities offered by Kolbe windows and doors.

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