The built environment is responsible for 52% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide (some 30 billion tons annually) — compared to only 9% from cars and light trucks. There are huge opportunities to slash greenhouse gas emissions through innovation and efficiency in building materials — just a 10% improvement would reduce emissions by some 3 billion tons.

Not only does Serious Materials sell green building products, including the world's most energy-efficient windows and glass, we believe passionately in the related causes of reducing energy use and fighting global warming. That’s why we’ve committed, as a company, to slashing emissions by one billion tons per year. Join us in our fight for the environment by choosing high-efficiency products.

Here are also some of the environmental certifications/awards we've received and the major environmental initiatives we support:

AAMA Test Reports

When you buy super-insulating fiberglass SeriousWindows, you can rest assured in knowing that you are getting AAMA tested and certified windows. AAMA (the American Architectural Manufacturers Association) is a third-party organization that is a leading window industry source of performance standards and product certification. It is a NFRC-licensed Independent Certification and Inspection Agency and contributes to writing NFRC standards and procedures.

You can access the AAMA Certification data for our Window Series here.

Alliance to Save Energy – Member/Partner

Founded in 1977, the Alliance to Save Energy is a non-profit coalition of business, government, environmental and consumer leaders. The Alliance to Save Energy supports energy efficiency as a cost-effective energy resource under existing market conditions and advocates energy-efficiency policies that minimize costs to society and individual consumers, and that lessen greenhouse gas emissions and their impact on the global climate.

The Aspen Institute

The Aspen Institute honored Serious Materials with the annual Corporate Energy Conservation award. These awards, created by members of the Aspen Institute Global Leadership Network, recognize and reward excellence for those making a real and concrete contribution to innovation, implementation, and communication of energy and environmental solutions.

  Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) – Member

CHPS provides resources – in many cases, free resources – to schools, school districts and professionals about all aspects of high performance school design, construction and operation. CHPS develops tools that help make schools energy, water and material efficient, well-lit, thermally comfortable, acoustically sound, safe, healthy and easy to operate. These resources include a well-respected six-volume best practices manual, training and conferences, a high performance building rating and recognition program and other tools for creating healthy, green schools.

ENERGY STAR® – Partner

ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. In 1992 the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) introduced ENERGY STAR as a voluntary labeling program designed to identify and promote energy-efficient products to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Computers and monitors were the first labeled products. The ENERGY STAR label is now on over 50 product categories including major appliances, office equipment, lighting, and home electronics. EPA has also extended the label to cover new homes and commercial and industrial buildings.

Green Globes

The Green Globes system is a revolutionary building environmental design and management tool. It delivers an online assessment protocol, rating system and guidance for green building design, operation and management. It is interactive, flexible and affordable, and provides market recognition of a building’s environmental attributes through third-party verification.

GreenGuard for Children & Schools – Client/Certified Product

The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) is an industry-independent, non-profit organization that oversees the GREENGUARD Certification ProgramSM.  As an ANSI Authorized Standards Developer, GEI establishes acceptable indoor air standards for indoor products, environments, and buildings. GEI’s mission is to improve public health and quality of life through programs that improve indoor air. A GEI Advisory Board consisting of independent volunteers, who are renowned experts in the areas of indoor air quality, public and environmental health, building design and construction, and public policy, provides guidance and leadership to GEI.

GreenGuard for Children & Schools – Client/Certified Product

In 2005, GEI announced the GREENGUARD Children & SchoolsSM standard, which evaluates the sensitive nature of school populations combined with the unique building characteristics found in schools, and presents the most rigorous product emissions criteria to date.

NFRC

NFRC is a non-profit organization that administers the only uniform, independent rating and labeling system for the energy performance of windows, doors, skylights, and attachment products. Their goal is to provide fair, accurate, and reliable energy performance ratings.

 Professional Builder 100 Best New Products Award Winner

Professional Builder’s 100 Best New Products Award recognizes the most significant products introduced each year. Professional Builder supports innovation and new technology, and believes the advancements made in products for new homes benefits our country in a variety of ways, including reducing energy reliance, improving comfort, increasing quality, incorporating more efficient installation methods and more.

Sustainable Industries Top 10 Green Building Products Winner

SeriousWindows was named one of  Sustainable Industries’ Top 10 Green Building Products. This is an annual profile of industry-leading green building products selected by a panel of expert judges and the Sustainable Industries editorial team. Sustainable Industries is an independent, award-winning business magazine, web site, event and media company serving top-of-the-pyramid sustainable business leaders on the West Coast and beyond. With offices in San Francisco, Portland and Seattle, Sustainable Industries connects the dots between the environmental and social components of the region’s economy, just as it connects the dots between leading sectors, to raise the stakes in a working definition of sustainable industries.

Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG) – Partner Company

The Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG) is organized to involve principal officers and senior managers of member companies in a cooperative effort with local, regional, state, and federal government officials to address major public policy issues affecting the economic health and quality of life in Silicon Valley. It is SVLG’s vision to ensure the economic health and a high quality of life in Silicon Valley for our entire community by advocating for adequate affordable housing, comprehensive regional transportation, reliable energy, a quality K-12 and higher education system and prepared workforce, a sustainable environment, and business and tax policies that keep California and Silicon Valley competitive.

Sustainable Silicon Valley (SSV) – Reporting Partner

Sustainable Silicon Valley (SSV) is a multi-stakeholder collaborative initiative to produce significant environmental improvement and resource conservation in Silicon Valley through the development and implementation of a regional environmental management system. SSV's regional goal is to reduce CO2 emissions in the Silicon Valley to 20% below their 1990 levels by the year 2010.

USGBC

USGBC is a non-profit organization that certifies sustainable businesses, homes, hospitals, schools, and neighborhoods. USGBC is dedicated to expanding green building practices and education, and its LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System™

AAMA – Member Company

As a material-neutral organization, AAMA is made up of people who are concerned about the direction of their companies and their industry. AAMA brings together the professionals of window, door, skylight, curtain wall and storefront manufacturing companies, both large and small, from all across the U.S. and internationally, to represent  individual and shared concerns.

Passive House Institute US

The Passive House Institute US (PHIUS) is a consulting and research firm working to further the implementation of Passive House standards and techniques nationwide. Passive House refers to a rigorous but voluntary standard for super energy efficient buildings. The standard focuses on passive solar design, super insulation, advanced window technology, air tightness, and ventilation.