(Greenbelt, MD. October 27, 2010). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) as an EPA-recognized Certification Body for the ENERGY STAR® Program.
NFRC, provider of the only independent rating and labeling system for the energy performance of windows, doors, and skylights, is now one of only six EPA-recognized Certification Bodies listed on the EPA Website.
Effective January 1, 2011, ENERGY STAR will require any product seeking program participation to have its energy performance validated by a third-party certification body prior to product labeling. These products must also undergo post-market verification testing to validate continuing energy performance.
NFRC’s already rigorous certification program served as a model for some of EPA’s efforts to develop its new certification body requirements.
“NFRC is well positioned to carry on operations under the new ENERGY STAR requirements, enabling its 800-plus participating window, door, and skylight manufacturers to seamlessly continue to qualify for the ENERGY STAR program,” said NFRC’s CEO, Jim Benney.
ENERGY STAR, established in 1992 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants through more efficient energy use, is intended to help consumers identify and purchase energy-efficient products. Products meeting published energy efficiency levels qualify for the distinctive
ENERGY STAR product logo. According to the EPA, ENERGY STAR products saved U.S. consumers $17 billion in energy costs in 2009.
Recognized certification bodies are required to be accredited to ISO/IEC Guide 65-General Requirements for Bodies Operating Product Certification Systems.
Please contact NFRC's Communications & Marketing Manager, Tom Herron, with any questions.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
Collaborative Publication Created by DOE and ICC Seeks to Promote Building Energy Code Compliance
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is reporting on its Website that a collaborative publication created by its Building Energy Codes Program (BECP) and the International Code Council (ICC) is being distributed through ICC chapters this month to support greater compliance with building energy codes.
The publication is a compilation of each organization’s most beneficial resources for building code enforcement officials. It includes an assortment of reference guides, case studies, and sample inspection checklists.
Additionally, the publication provides readers with a variety of online resources and excerpts from ICC's commentaries, workbooks, and code companion materials.
Details
The publication is a compilation of each organization’s most beneficial resources for building code enforcement officials. It includes an assortment of reference guides, case studies, and sample inspection checklists.
Additionally, the publication provides readers with a variety of online resources and excerpts from ICC's commentaries, workbooks, and code companion materials.
Details
Friday, October 22, 2010
NFRC Completes First Thermophysical Property Inter-Laboratory Comparison
NFRC has completed its first Thermophysical Property Inter-laboratory Comparison as required by NFRC 103-Verification Program for Thermophysical Property Data.
Four commercial testing labs successfully completed the ILC and are now listed as NFRC participating testing labs on the NFRC Website. These labs may test materials for inclusion in NFRC 101-Procedure for Determining Thermophysical Properties of Materials for use in NFRC Approved Software.
Participants interested in submitting manufacturer specific thermophysical properties of materials may contact the listed labs for testing and then forward their test results to NFRC staff for peer review per the NFRC 103. Upon the successful completion of the peer review, the material properties are added as an addendum to NFRC 101, appendix C.
The final Thermophysical Property Interlaboratory report may be reviewed by clicking on the web page below then looking under "reference documents."
NFRC’s Submit Thermophysical Properties Web page
Four commercial testing labs successfully completed the ILC and are now listed as NFRC participating testing labs on the NFRC Website. These labs may test materials for inclusion in NFRC 101-Procedure for Determining Thermophysical Properties of Materials for use in NFRC Approved Software.
Participants interested in submitting manufacturer specific thermophysical properties of materials may contact the listed labs for testing and then forward their test results to NFRC staff for peer review per the NFRC 103. Upon the successful completion of the peer review, the material properties are added as an addendum to NFRC 101, appendix C.
The final Thermophysical Property Interlaboratory report may be reviewed by clicking on the web page below then looking under "reference documents."
NFRC’s Submit Thermophysical Properties Web page
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Web Report: Empire State Building Window Refurbishment Complete
The Website http://www.metrogreenbusiness.com/ is reporting that the Empire State Building’s window refurbishment project is complete.
According to a recent Web article, the 6,514 windows in the Empire State Building were refurbished with a process that reused 96 percent of the existing glass and frames.
NFRC member company, Serious Materials, carried out this process, reusing the existing materials to create super-insulating glass units (IGUs). This process was performed in a dedicated processing located within the building.
The Web article also says the IGUs are four times more thermally efficient than the dual pane windows they replaced and are expected to cut solar heat gain in half. Additionally, the completion of this project will reduce building energy costs by more than $400,000 annually.
The project was completed over the course of seven months, three months ahead of schedule.
Full Story
Details about the Empire State Building Retrofit Project
According to a recent Web article, the 6,514 windows in the Empire State Building were refurbished with a process that reused 96 percent of the existing glass and frames.
NFRC member company, Serious Materials, carried out this process, reusing the existing materials to create super-insulating glass units (IGUs). This process was performed in a dedicated processing located within the building.
The Web article also says the IGUs are four times more thermally efficient than the dual pane windows they replaced and are expected to cut solar heat gain in half. Additionally, the completion of this project will reduce building energy costs by more than $400,000 annually.
The project was completed over the course of seven months, three months ahead of schedule.
Full Story
Details about the Empire State Building Retrofit Project
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
NFRC to Assist Registrants with DOE’s Building Envelope Supplier Summit
The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) is pleased to announce that it will serve as the registration partner for the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Commercial Building Energy Alliances (CBEAs) inaugural Building Envelope Supplier Summit.
The summit will be held from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. in Chicago at the Westin Michigan Avenue on Tuesday, November 16, one day before the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) Greenbuild 2010 Show opens.
The summit will present new and emerging practices and technologies that can be used to potentially make existing commercial buildings 10 to 20 percent more energy efficient.
For more information on the Building Envelope Supplier Summit, please contact Bette Hughes.
You can register for the event here.
The summit will be held from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. in Chicago at the Westin Michigan Avenue on Tuesday, November 16, one day before the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) Greenbuild 2010 Show opens.
The summit will present new and emerging practices and technologies that can be used to potentially make existing commercial buildings 10 to 20 percent more energy efficient.
For more information on the Building Envelope Supplier Summit, please contact Bette Hughes.
You can register for the event here.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
NFRC to Exhibit at ICC"s Final Action Hearings
The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) will be exhibiting at the International Code Council’s (ICC) Final Action Hearings at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
While the hearings are scheduled to run from Sunday, October 24 until Sunday, October 31, the exhibit hall will be open on Monday, October 25 from 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. and Tuesday, October 26 from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.
If you are attending the hearings, be sure to visit NFRC at booth #219. Representatives will be available to answer your questions about NFRC’s activities and programs.
Please contact NFRC’s Communications and Marketing Manager, Tom Herron, for more information.
While the hearings are scheduled to run from Sunday, October 24 until Sunday, October 31, the exhibit hall will be open on Monday, October 25 from 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. and Tuesday, October 26 from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.
If you are attending the hearings, be sure to visit NFRC at booth #219. Representatives will be available to answer your questions about NFRC’s activities and programs.
Please contact NFRC’s Communications and Marketing Manager, Tom Herron, for more information.
Friday, October 8, 2010
NFRC Working as Registration Partner for Building Envelope Supplier Summit
The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Commercial Building Energy Alliances (CBEAs) are hosting the inaugural day-long Building Envelope Supplier Summit in Chicago on Tuesday, November 16, the day before the USGBC’s Greenbuild 2010 opens. The conference will be held at the Westin Michigan Ave.
New and emerging practices and technologies can be used to make existing commercial buildings 10 to 20 percent more energy efficient. Moreover, these same technologies can be used in constructing new commercial buildings that use 25 to 50 percent less energy than their traditional counterparts. These super-efficient buildings can have a dramatic impact on the United States’ energy use and carbon emissions.
As NFRC members and others in the industry recognize, the building envelope—windows, roofs, insulation, foundations, and other components—and the suppliers of these products are the most crucial elements of these equations.
Full Story
New and emerging practices and technologies can be used to make existing commercial buildings 10 to 20 percent more energy efficient. Moreover, these same technologies can be used in constructing new commercial buildings that use 25 to 50 percent less energy than their traditional counterparts. These super-efficient buildings can have a dramatic impact on the United States’ energy use and carbon emissions.
As NFRC members and others in the industry recognize, the building envelope—windows, roofs, insulation, foundations, and other components—and the suppliers of these products are the most crucial elements of these equations.
Full Story
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
New Study Demonstrates the Value of CMA
Today, the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) released the Component Modeling Approach (CMA) Simulation Study, which clearly demonstrates the benefits associated with the use of CMA in California buildings.
The study is based on simulations run for a variety of California buildings. According to John Lewis, NFRC’s director of new programs, the study shows that by using CMA construction professionals in California can achieve:
• Higher compliance margins for most buildings in California.
• More accurate HVAC loads modeling and sizing.
• Greater benefits from above-code incentive programs.
Other benefits from using CMA may include reducing utility demands, proving access to tax incentives, and helping improve re-sale value of a property.
Click here for a copy of the full NFRC press release. Learn more about CMA here.
The study is based on simulations run for a variety of California buildings. According to John Lewis, NFRC’s director of new programs, the study shows that by using CMA construction professionals in California can achieve:
• Higher compliance margins for most buildings in California.
• More accurate HVAC loads modeling and sizing.
• Greater benefits from above-code incentive programs.
Other benefits from using CMA may include reducing utility demands, proving access to tax incentives, and helping improve re-sale value of a property.
Click here for a copy of the full NFRC press release. Learn more about CMA here.
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