JELD-WEN Canada Sponsors Team Ontario in the 2013 U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon

Winnipeg – April 1, 2012 – Following their tradition of being a leader in energy efficiency and sustainable living, JELD-WEN Canada is proud to announce their donation of windows and doors to the Ontario Solar Decathlon Team.

Team  Ontario  is  a  collaboration  of  students  and  faculty  from  Queen’s  University,  Carleton  University and Algonquin College, united by a passion to promote renewable energy and sustainable living. The team of over 100 has students from multiple disciplines to truly make for a group effort. The home, named ECHO is currently being built in Perth, Ontario, roughly halfway between Ottawa, ON and Kingston, ON.
 
"Right  now  the  house  is  about  50-­‐60%  complete,  keeping  us  right  on  schedule,"  says  Ontario  Solar Decathlon spokesperson Leia de Guzman. "Having JELD-­‐WEN come on board to sponsor the windows and doors when we were under such a tight time crunch and having them be so accommodating  was really helpful in bringing us closer to our goal of showcasing affordable, sustainable living."
 
"JELD-­‐WEN   Canada  is  heavily  invested   in  developing   high-­‐performing,   energy-­‐efficient,   sustainable solutions for all," says Senior Marketing Manager Laura Kirk. "The work that’s being done by the future leaders of sustainable building in Canada over the course of this competition is something that JELD-­‐WEN is proud to support and we wish Team Ontario the best of luck in their quest to win the Solar Decathlon."
 
The  Ontario  Solar  Decathlon  team  will  continue  to  work  on  the  house  throughout  the  summer  for presentation during a 10-­‐day  showcase in early October. A recent open house was held for the media on March 1, which offered the first look at the house with the walls and roof in place. 
 
The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon is a biennial competition held in Irvine, California. Twenty collegiate  teams from around  the globe will compete  with the winner  being the team that best blends affordability,  consumer  appeal,  and  design  excellence  with  optimal  energy  production  and  maximum efficiency and will develop the next generation of building professionals in the process. Since its origins in 2002,  the  Solar  Decathlon  has  quickly  become  one  of  the  most  prestigious  and  publicized  events  of  its kind. This year, Canada has teams from both Ontario and Alberta. For more information on Team Ontario’s progress, visit their website at www.ontariosd.ca or connect with them on Facebook.

For more information contact:
Chris Gmiterek
JELD-­‐WEN Public Relations
p: 204.272.2648   e: media@jeld-­‐wen.ca

JELD-­WEN  Windows  and  Doors  was  founded  in  1960  and  currently  employs  over  1,200  Canadians.  In  2003, JELD-­WEN  consolidated  their  27  brands  under  a  single  product  identity.  It  is  now  one  of  the  largest manufacturers of windows and doors with locations in 22 countries and nearly 20,000 employees worldwide.  Learn more at jeld-wen.ca.