Kolbe windows & doors

Rating Sustainable Design
RELATED LINKS:  Green Building | FSC COC Certification | Environmental Commitment
LEED-H | LEED-NC | ICC 700-2008 | Green Projects with Kolbe
Energy Data for Kolbe Products

Several organizations that promote sustainable design – such as the United States Green Building Council and the Green Building Initiative™ – have developed voluntary rating systems to help guide green building. The USGBC rating system is known as LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), with rating systems for various types of construction. Green Globes™ is an interactive tool with an integrated system for rating commercial construction (LEED-NC). Residential construction is rated using the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines. These rating systems vary with their requirements but, overall, they strive toward similar goals.

Many factors are required to meet a rating system's requirements, and are discussed on linked pages (see Related Links above), including:

Products with insulating properties

Products with intelligent overall designs

Products constructed for durability & longevity

Products that may help reduce a building's energy requirements

Products from companies using environmentally-friendly processes

Products made from renewable or recycled resources

Minimal transport of the materials and components that comprise a product

Maximizing material use in the building process

Products from companies that promote the welfare of their employees and community

Most green building rating systems use ENERGY STAR® guildelines as their baseline for identifying windows and doors that deliver exceptional energy efficiency. LEED-H has even more stringent guidelines for meeting ENERGY STAR in two of the climates zones. Kolbe® products can help contribute to the criteria that these organizations require for a project to achieve LEED-H compliance, or meet the energy requirements of other rating systems. Besides being tested for energy efficiency, our products are tested for air and water infiltration, as well as structural and impact performance. This helps to identify certified products to meet a project's specific energy and design requirements.