Monday, January 7, 2013

NFRC Helps Participants Navigate the IRV, CPD


Dear Sherri:

The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) has introduced the Identical Rating Value (IRV) expansion in the Certified Products Directory (CPD), which has scheduled the implementation of the Full CPD Number requirement to become mandatory on April 1, 2013.

What does this mean for NFRC participants?


All NFRC temporary labels on units manufactured on and after April 1 will be required to list the NFRC CPD Number that identifies the exact product as listed on the Certification Authorization Report (CAR).


What is the Identical Rating Value expansion process?


Identical Rating Value (IRV) expansion process is completely voluntary and may be applied to one or all of a manufacturer’s product lines. The IRV process converts current product line options in a grouped series and organizes those grouped option based on identical rating values resulting in one full CPD number to represent multiple options.


Why is IRV tied to the Full CPD Number requirement?


Due to the fact that the current CPD number represents only one specific individual option, ordering, buying, and keeping track of all the different labels may become burdensome. If a manufacturer wishes to reduce the number of individual temporary labels, they may use the IRV expansion process to possibly reduce the amount of options required to have separate individual temporary labels.

The Full CPD number requirement was delayed to give those manufacturers wishing to reduce the amount of labels required, enough time to use and implement the new IRV process. We suggest that interested manufacturers use the new “Preview Conversion” tool within each product line in the CPD, along with discussing their options with their Inspection Agency, to determine if IRV is right for their product lines.


For full details and additional information, see the
PCP Bulletin 2012-06. If you have questions you can submit them to pcp@nfrc.org.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

DOE Invests $9 Million in Building Envelope Technology


The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) plans to invest $9 million in building envelope technology, and one area of focus is high-performance windows.

According to Energy Secretary, Steven Chu, the average American family spends about $2,000 per year on their home energy bills, yet much of that money is wasted on air leaks. DOE says bringing more energy efficient products into the market can improve energy savings and strengthen U.S. manufacturers.

The National Fenestration Rating Council’s (NFRC) energy performance rating label helps consumers and industry professionals determine how windows, doors, and skylights will perform. Learn more about the NFRC label here.

Details