NFRC will be exhibiting during the Energy Codes 2010 show, which will be held at the Westin Charlotte Hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina July 19 – 22.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Website, Energy Codes 2010 will provide hands-on training and face-to-face networking through a variety of activities with members in the energy codes community. The DOE says the show will foster collaboration between state energy office representatives and members of the building industry.
One of the activities that will provide training and networking is a buildings tour that will include a visit to the National Gypsum Company's Mt. Holly Plant and three homes from the David Weekley Homes Manor at Westmoreland. The tour will take place from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. on Monday, July 19.
A representative from NFRC will be on hand throughout the show to answer questions about the organization’s activities and programs and to discuss current building energy code issues.
If you happen to be in Charlotte during the week of July 19, be sure to stop by Energy Codes 2010 and visit NFRC. We look forward to seeing you.
Details
Monday, July 12, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
NFRC Member Solutia Receives Grant to Refine Window Films Initiative
The publication Window Film is reporting in an online article that NFRC member company Solutia has received grant money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
The article says the DOE is investing approximately $76 million dollars in companies that are committed to improving energy efficiency in U.S. homes and commercial buildings. Accordingly, Solutia has received $356,000 of the $76 million for its Performance Films segment. The company will use the grant for the research, development, and commercialization of high-performance retrofit window films.
Full Article
The article says the DOE is investing approximately $76 million dollars in companies that are committed to improving energy efficiency in U.S. homes and commercial buildings. Accordingly, Solutia has received $356,000 of the $76 million for its Performance Films segment. The company will use the grant for the research, development, and commercialization of high-performance retrofit window films.
Full Article
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
EPA Assists with State Capital Green Initiatives
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reporting on its Website that it is implementing a program designed to help state capital cities develop more sustainable communities.
Known as Greening America’s Capitals, the program will work with up to four capital cities annually to help them develop a vision of distinctive, environmentally friendly neighborhoods that incorporate innovative green building and green infrastructure.
Under the program, the EPA will provide design assistance to establish project strategies that accelerate sustainable development in priority neighborhoods and create sustainability models for other cities to follow.
The results of Greening America’s Capitals may be used to gauge broader applications such as changes to local codes and regulations to better support sustainable growth and green building.
Details
Known as Greening America’s Capitals, the program will work with up to four capital cities annually to help them develop a vision of distinctive, environmentally friendly neighborhoods that incorporate innovative green building and green infrastructure.
Under the program, the EPA will provide design assistance to establish project strategies that accelerate sustainable development in priority neighborhoods and create sustainability models for other cities to follow.
The results of Greening America’s Capitals may be used to gauge broader applications such as changes to local codes and regulations to better support sustainable growth and green building.
Details
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
PPG and ADCO Submit Spacers into CMAST, NFRC Board Waives Component Fees for 2010
First Spacers Submitted to CMAST
PPG Industries of Cheswick, PA and ADCO Products of Michigan Center, MI have become the first spacer manufacturers to submit products into NFRC’s Component Modeling Approach Software Tool (CMAST) database.
According to John Lewis, NFRC’s Director, New Business Programs, PPG has placed both its tin-plated steel spacers and its stainless steel Intercept ® spacers in the database Both types of Intercept spacer are available in 21 widths ranging from 5.08 mm (0.200”) to 20.96 mm (0.825”). ADCO’s thermoplastic spacer is available in 10 sizes from 6.35 mm (0.250”) to 20.65 mm (0.813”). Both the PPG and ADCO products are configured in CMAST as ‘Path III’ spacers, which means they provide CMAST users with the ability to fully define the geometry and effective conductivity (Keff) for each of the numerous spacer widths.
Lewis adds that this calculation occurs ‘on the fly’ with CMAST as THERM 6 is running in the background to complete thermal analysis of the spacers once the CMAST user configures a spacer edge seal assembly.
NFRC’s Board Waives Component Fees for the remainder of 2010.
In an initiative to facilitate implementation of the component modeling approach (CMA), NFRC’s Board of Directors will waive spacer and frame component fees for the remainder of 2010.
Ordinarily, submitting these components into the Component Modeling Approach Software Tool (CMAST) would require a nominal per-component fee. NFRC and its Board, however, view waiving these fees as an effective means to allow the CMA program to continue to gain traction as a viable modeling tool that will ultimately prove invaluable to the fenestration industry.
PPG Industries of Cheswick, PA and ADCO Products of Michigan Center, MI have become the first spacer manufacturers to submit products into NFRC’s Component Modeling Approach Software Tool (CMAST) database.
According to John Lewis, NFRC’s Director, New Business Programs, PPG has placed both its tin-plated steel spacers and its stainless steel Intercept ® spacers in the database Both types of Intercept spacer are available in 21 widths ranging from 5.08 mm (0.200”) to 20.96 mm (0.825”). ADCO’s thermoplastic spacer is available in 10 sizes from 6.35 mm (0.250”) to 20.65 mm (0.813”). Both the PPG and ADCO products are configured in CMAST as ‘Path III’ spacers, which means they provide CMAST users with the ability to fully define the geometry and effective conductivity (Keff) for each of the numerous spacer widths.
Lewis adds that this calculation occurs ‘on the fly’ with CMAST as THERM 6 is running in the background to complete thermal analysis of the spacers once the CMAST user configures a spacer edge seal assembly.
NFRC’s Board Waives Component Fees for the remainder of 2010.
In an initiative to facilitate implementation of the component modeling approach (CMA), NFRC’s Board of Directors will waive spacer and frame component fees for the remainder of 2010.
Ordinarily, submitting these components into the Component Modeling Approach Software Tool (CMAST) would require a nominal per-component fee. NFRC and its Board, however, view waiving these fees as an effective means to allow the CMA program to continue to gain traction as a viable modeling tool that will ultimately prove invaluable to the fenestration industry.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
NFRC Member Company Southwall Receives $1.4 Million Grant from DOE
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded NFRC member company Southwall Technologies a $1.43 million grant to develop advanced technologies for making homes and buildings more energy efficient.
According to an online press release posted by the Website, MarketWatch, Southwall plans to use the funding in part to speed up the development of high performance Heat Mirror low-emissivity and solar-reflective films.
The DOE says the nations’ 114 million homes and 74 million square feet of commercial floor space in the U.S. account for 40 percent of total energy consumption and 39 percent of total carbon dioxide emissions.
According to the press release, windows are the energy-efficiency weak link in homes and buildings, and the DOE is therefore focusing grant funding on the development of innovative technologies that can create energy-saving windows that insulate like walls.
According to an online press release posted by the Website, MarketWatch, Southwall plans to use the funding in part to speed up the development of high performance Heat Mirror low-emissivity and solar-reflective films.
The DOE says the nations’ 114 million homes and 74 million square feet of commercial floor space in the U.S. account for 40 percent of total energy consumption and 39 percent of total carbon dioxide emissions.
According to the press release, windows are the energy-efficiency weak link in homes and buildings, and the DOE is therefore focusing grant funding on the development of innovative technologies that can create energy-saving windows that insulate like walls.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Building Energy Codes Figure Prominently in New Legislation
The online publication, Green Building Insider, reported on June 15 that Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) has introduced an energy and climate change bill that would in part enact strong building codes in an effort to create long-term energy improvement targets for existing homes and commercial buildings.
Formally known as The Lugar Practical Energy and Climate Plan the bill seeks mandatory performance targets for new retrofits in residential, small business, and commercial projects.
Lugar also wants to see low-interest retrofits for rural consumers and is calling on federal agencies to adopt a position of leadership by imposing enhanced energy efficiency standards for federal buildings.
Formally known as The Lugar Practical Energy and Climate Plan the bill seeks mandatory performance targets for new retrofits in residential, small business, and commercial projects.
Lugar also wants to see low-interest retrofits for rural consumers and is calling on federal agencies to adopt a position of leadership by imposing enhanced energy efficiency standards for federal buildings.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
IG Certification Requirement Takes Hold July 1
On July 1, 2010, the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) will begin enforcing the requirement for Insulating Glass (IG) certification by a listed, third-party certification program for all IGU’s used in products that are authorized for NFRC certification and labeled in accordance with the NFRC 700“Product Certification Program (PCP).”
NFRC maintains the IGC directory of participating insulating glass certification programs which are authorized to provide third party insulating glass certification services in accordance with NFRC 706, “Requirements for participating Insulating Glass Certification Programs.” The listing of the IGC Programs is posted on the NFRC website at http://www.nfrc.org/IGCertification.aspx.
What are the requirements?
NFRC recommends that NFRC participating manufacturers contact one of the listed IGC Programs to obtain a copy of the IG Certification program requirements and discuss their options, ensuring that their insulating glass units are authorized for certification by the deadline date of July 1, 2010.
Manufacturers who purchase their insulating glass units are encouraged to contact their insulating glass manufacturer supplier to determine if their IGU’s are presently authorized for certification through one of the listed IGC Programs or advise them of the new requirements to ensure compliance with the NFRC 700, “Product Certification Program.”
What does it mean to Program Participants?
As discussed by NFRC, the Board of Directors, and membership it was recommended that participating manufacturers start their IG certification process to meet these requirements when NFRC first announced this program in February of 2009. This recommendation is because the minimum estimated time period to complete the IGU testing and certification process is approximately 21 to 26 weeks.
NFRC does have a program in place to address those hardship cases where program participants may not be able to meet these requirements by July 1, 2010 due to unknown or unforeseen circumstances. If any program participant meets these circumstances they should submit a Request for IGC Extension form to NFRC Staff, which must be properly filled out and will be reviewed by the Certification Policy Committee (CPC) and the NFRC Executive Committee. The Request for IGC Extension Form is posted on the NFRC website at www.nfrc.org/ExemptionRequests.aspx.
If there are any questions regarding this information, please feel free to contact the NFRC office (301-589-1776).
NFRC maintains the IGC directory of participating insulating glass certification programs which are authorized to provide third party insulating glass certification services in accordance with NFRC 706, “Requirements for participating Insulating Glass Certification Programs.” The listing of the IGC Programs is posted on the NFRC website at http://www.nfrc.org/IGCertification.aspx.
What are the requirements?
NFRC recommends that NFRC participating manufacturers contact one of the listed IGC Programs to obtain a copy of the IG Certification program requirements and discuss their options, ensuring that their insulating glass units are authorized for certification by the deadline date of July 1, 2010.
Manufacturers who purchase their insulating glass units are encouraged to contact their insulating glass manufacturer supplier to determine if their IGU’s are presently authorized for certification through one of the listed IGC Programs or advise them of the new requirements to ensure compliance with the NFRC 700, “Product Certification Program.”
What does it mean to Program Participants?
As discussed by NFRC, the Board of Directors, and membership it was recommended that participating manufacturers start their IG certification process to meet these requirements when NFRC first announced this program in February of 2009. This recommendation is because the minimum estimated time period to complete the IGU testing and certification process is approximately 21 to 26 weeks.
NFRC does have a program in place to address those hardship cases where program participants may not be able to meet these requirements by July 1, 2010 due to unknown or unforeseen circumstances. If any program participant meets these circumstances they should submit a Request for IGC Extension form to NFRC Staff, which must be properly filled out and will be reviewed by the Certification Policy Committee (CPC) and the NFRC Executive Committee. The Request for IGC Extension Form is posted on the NFRC website at www.nfrc.org/ExemptionRequests.aspx.
If there are any questions regarding this information, please feel free to contact the NFRC office (301-589-1776).
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