Partnership for Advanced Window Solutions

About PAWS

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

Launching with multi-year support from the U.S. Department of Energy and in-kind support from partners, the PAWS Collaborative will employ a variety of proven strategies to transform window markets.

Why Advanced Windows

Although they constitute only 10% of the surface area of a typical home, traditional windows are poor energy performers. Windows usually account for 30-40% of the heat loss in winter and often add to cooling peaks and discomfort in summer.

As the U.S. prioritizes net zero energy buildings, addresses carbon emissions and confronts the challenges of decarbonizing the grid, there is a pressing need to dramatically increase the availability and use of highly efficient window products. Switching from today’s code compliant, double pane low-e window in a new home to new R5 solutions can save between 7 and 16 percent of a home’s energy use, depending on climate. In an older home, retrofitting its single glazed windows with R5 windows can provide much larger energy savings. 

PAWS Mission

Through collaborative research and programs, PAWS will:

• Aggregate market demand, reduce product cost, quantify benefits, and accelerate the adoption of high-performance windows and window attachments.
• Support advanced building codes in new construction and promote retrofit strategies necessary to achieve carbon reduction and net zero energy building goals in order to transform window markets.

PAWS Strategy

• Coordinate market transformation efforts across five initial priority areas/working groups.
• Share news and updates across stakeholders, including progress on how individual partners are advancing PAWS priorities through their own ongoing efforts.
• Develop and maintains resources for partners to access in support of the PAWS mission.
• Identify research gaps to be filled in order to move the advanced windows market forward.