AERC Sponsors CEE’s Lighting & Homes for Tomorrow Competition

NEW YORK, NY (February 3, 2020) – The Attachments Energy Rating Council (AERC) is pleased to sponsor the Lighting & Homes for Tomorrow competition, in partnership with the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE). The 2020 competition will expand to consider not only lighting, but also other connected home products, including window attachments like shades and blinds. AERC will serve on the competition’s steering committee, contributing to the program’s strategic direction.

“We look forward to helping CEE and its utility members advance the industry by supporting high-quality, innovative designs and products that contribute to energy savings,” said Ralph Vasami, Executive Director of the AERC. “The five AERC members who sponsored the program – heroal USA, Hunter Douglas, Phifer Incorporated, Renson, and Somfy – are some of the manufacturers that are working to improve the look and function of homes both today and in the future.”

AERC’s members are comprised of a diverse group of window attachment manufacturers, component manufacturers, and utility companies, as well as the U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and research and public interest organizations. The group works to promote energy-efficient window attachment products and establish a comprehensive product rating system to help consumers make informed decisions about their window attachment purchases.

“It’s our mission at heroal to create exterior shutters that will improve a home’s comfort and the quality of life for homeowners. We hope to shape the future of lighting and design with products that offer greater control over lighting, extend personal living space, and create heightened comfort and advantages,” said Sarah Köring, Vice President of heroal USA Inc., a leading manufacturer of hurricane shutters, roller shutters, and retractable screens.

“Collaborating with utilities to engage homeowners is critical to helping increase homes’ energy efficiency with more advanced and efficient shades,” said Stacy Lambright, Energy Efficiency Product Manager at Hunter Douglas, the worldwide leader in custom window treatments and a major manufacturer of architectural products.

The Lighting & Homes for Tomorrow competition launched on February 3, 2020. Manufacturers will have until March 31 to submit their proposals and designs. Finalists will be notified in late April, and winners will be crowned in the fall.

“The Lighting & Homes for Tomorrow competition recognizes that characteristics such as on-trend aesthetics drive product design in concert with factors such as quality and performance,” said Andrew Caldwell, Corporate Market Manager for Sun Control Products at Phifer, a key player in the engineered products and sun control fabrics industry.

“At Renson, we develop innovative concepts, accounting for comfort, energy efficiency, and design. The growing demand for smart home technology, combined with the need for energy efficient products requires manufacturers to constantly rethink their product offerings. We are thrilled to be at the forefront of that challenge through involvement with The Lighting & Homes for Tomorrow competition,” said Max Sebrechts, Regional Sales Manager at Renson, a trend-setter in the field of natural ventilation, outdoor solar shading and outdoor products, such as patio covers and car ports.

“Automation and smart home technology continue to grow, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to increase interest in automated blinds and shades as well as connected homes as a whole,” said Maud Demurge, Market Manager of Somfy North America, manufacturers of motorized solutions for blinds, shades, shutters, and awnings, that incorporate cutting-edge technology to improve performance and ease of use.

For more information about the AERC Energy Rating Program and to learn how window attachments can improve everything from aesthetics to comfort to energy efficiency, visit the AERC Learning Center at https://aercenergyrating.org/what-are-window-attachments/. To learn more about the Lighting & Homes for Tomorrow Competition visit http://lightingfortomorrow.com/.

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About the Attachments Energy Rating Council (AERC): The AERC is an independent, public interest, non-profit organization whose mission is to rate, label and certify the energy performance of window attachments such as blinds, shades, shutters, and storm windows. AERC is made up of a diverse set of stakeholders, which include product and component manufacturers, non-profit organizations, government bodies, testing labs and utility companies. Partially funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), AERC provides accurate and credible information about the energy performance of window attachments, which helps the public–including homeowners, architects and builders—make informed decisions when it comes to buying window attachment products. To learn more about AERC certification or the AERC Energy Improvement Program, visit www.aercenergyrating.org.