Window, Door, Skylight Tax Credit Report Indicates Importance of Energy Efficiency
October 31, 2011It is apparent that in the past few years, energy-efficient products are becoming more prominent in the eyes of manufacturers and thus readily available to consumers. As government continues to focus its efforts on adopting green building codes, high performance standards and energy and environmental design, it should come as no surprise that homeowners are similarly investing in energy-efficient products and equipment.
Information on the use of the “Estimated Data Line Counts” for 2009, the term used by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to identify homeowner tax credits for purchases of qualified windows, doors and skylights, has recently been released by the IRS, and is available in the Members Only section of the AAMA website.
The report states that windows and skylights accounted for 34 percent of all energy-efficient product purchases eligible for the 2009 tax credit. Exterior doors meeting the credit criteria accounted for nine percent. According to IRS data, in 2009 more than $8.5 billion was spent on credit qualifying windows and skylights, and $2.2 billion was spent on energy-efficient exterior doors.
In addition to purchasing fenestration upgrades, homeowners also invested in products such as insulation, roofing material and various heating and cooling units, which qualified for the tax credit. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reported that the 2009 housing stock equals 130.1 million units, accounting for 21 percent of all energy use in the U.S. If just half of the current U.S. housing stock would reduce the cost of heating and cooling with such energy-efficient mechanisms such as replacing single pane windows, the annual savings would be $22,125 billion.
For more information regarding legislative and code activities and to read the full article on the Non-business Energy Property Credit for 2009, visit the Members Only section of the AAMA website.
American Architectural