Hunter Douglas announces green initiative

Hunter Douglas has announced the launch of Hunter Green, a corporate green initiative designed to promote the energy-saving benefits of Hunter Douglas products, create awareness and action around conserving energy across the company, and support positive social programs.

According to the company, almost 5% of all energy consumed in the United States passes through the windows of residential homes, and as much as 50% of a home’s energy is lost through the same windows. They say Hunter Douglas window fashions can significantly reduce this energy loss, helping customers stay more comfortable in their homes, save on heating and cooling costs and do their part to protect the environment.

Hunter Douglas created the first highly energy-efficient fashion window covering in 1985 with the introduction of Duette honeycomb shades. Other energy-saving innovations have included Silhouette window shadings, Vignette modern roman shades, Luminette privacy sheers and Pirouette window shadings. The most recent innovation on the energy-efficiency front is Duette Architella honeycomb shades, with a patented honeycomb-within-a-honeycomb design that forms more air pockets than traditional honeycomb shades and reduces heat transfer at the window by up to 50%, the company says.

To further promote these products, the company has been running the Stop The Great Energy Giveaway promotional program, which includes consumer rebates on select products. The program is designed to educate consumers about energy loss through windows and of the energy and cost savings available to them by adding energy-efficient Hunter Douglas window fashions to their homes. It is the largest consumer rebate savings that Hunter Douglas and its dealers have ever offered.

Hunter Douglas has also commissioned the Greenguard Environmental Institute (GEI), an independent, non-profit organization that has established acceptable indoor air standards for indoor products, environments and buildings. Now, virtually all Hunter Douglas products have passed GEI’s standards and test procedures and are Greenguard Indoor Air Certified, the company said.

In addition, Hunter Douglas is an active member of the U.S. Green Building Council and an Energy Star Partner.

On a corporate level, Hunter Douglas is trying to reduce energy consumption by 15%, water usage by 40% and overall carbon emissions by 20% over a three-year period. On a broader scale, the company supports the Arbor Day Foundation in its efforts to replant trees lost in U.S. fires and to preserve rapidly diminishing rainforest lands. Initial contributions to the organization are expected to result in 15,000 new trees and help save more than a million sq. ft. of rainforest. 

In the social arena, during a 15-year partnership with Habitat for Humanity, the company has donated more than 100,000 window coverings to low-income families, while its employees have helped build hundreds of homes. Hunter Douglas has also invested in an equity fund that helps people in developing countries around the world be more energy efficient and carbon neutral. Its activities include backing the commercialization of safe lighting products to replace kerosene lamps.