NFRC to Offer Introductory Membership Opportunities Beginning in January 2011

The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) strives to be as inclusive, open, and transparent as possible. With this in mind, and to make it easier for new fenestration and fenestration-related industry groups to participate in NFRC, the Board has approved a new “introductory membership period.”

Under this new policy, new members will pay an introductory fee for the first year that is half of the regular fee for the Member-1 (Fenestration Manufacturers and Suppliers) category. (Please note: this action is not applicable for those MBR-1 categories whose dues are less than $1000.00 and is not applicable to other membership categories).

Under the introductory program, a fenestration supplier with between $10 million and $20 million in annual sales will pay $1,650 for the first year of its membership rather than the full fee of $3,300. After the first year, annual dues will return to the regular amount.

The introductory membership period will allow new members to spend a year determining if:

• They fully support NFRC’s mission, vision, and goals.
• NFRC membership provides unique benefits for organizations interested in the energy focused fenestration industry.
• NFRC is the right organization to develop ratings in a way that meets the needs of the public for those organizations seeking to develop new NFRC ratings for their products.

The introductory membership period will become effective on January 1, 2011.

With this new introductory period in place, the Board also decided to phase out membership category 1-A (Members with New Ratings under Development). This category will end on December 31, 2010. All members currently in this category will be eligible for this one-year discount introductory membership period.

The Board concluded that the one-year introductory membership discount provides the proper balance between encouraging organizations to evaluate whether NFRC can develop ratings for their new products and supporting the costs of that development if NFRC does pursue that development.

NFRC Exhibiting This Week in Chicago, Toronto

Representatives from The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) will be exhibiting during two events this week, one in Chicago and one in Toronto.

Greenbuild 2010 (Chicago, Ill.)

NFRC will be exhibiting during the Greenbuild International Expo in Chicago, Ill. November 17-19 at Chicago's McCormick Place West.

According to the expo’s Website, Chicago was one of the first cities to adopt the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification system for public buildings. Today, Chicago is home to more LEED-certified buildings than any other city.

NFRC representatives will be available at booth T-16. Exhibit hall hours are Tuesday, November 16 from 2:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m., Wednesday, November 17 from 9:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m., and Thursday, November 18 from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.

Windoor North America 2010 (Toronto, Canada)

NFRC representatives will also be exhibiting during the Windoor North America Show at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre South Building, Hall E at booth #1915.

According to the show’s Website, Windoor is an event that is regarded as one of the best fenestration shows in the industry and one that provides outstanding value to attendees year after year.

Exhibit hall hours are Tuesday, November 16 from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, November 17 from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., and Thursday, November 18 from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m

If you are attending either one of these shows, be sure to visit NFRC to learn more about our activities and programs.

Hayden Reflects on Meeting as NFRC Bids Farewell to San Francisco

By Joe Hayden

NFRC has just concluded its 2010 Fall Membership Meeting, and as always I come away with a great sense of accomplishment, success and optimism. As always the debates were lively and engaging, and in the end very productive. Following are specific thoughts on the past week.

Last Spring in New Orleans we had, at the time, a record turn-out of 135 attendees. I’m very pleased to acknowledge that we broke that record at this meeting with 149 attendees. With the economy and the construction industry remaining very uncertain, I know it can be difficult to justify the time and expense to travel to and participate in a week-long event like this. Thanks so much to everyone who showed the commitment and dedication to attend and participate. That’s an incredible testament to the strength and potential of this organization.

Clearly the highlight of the week was the completion of the technical procedures for attachment products, 100A and 200A. This definitely represents a landmark moment in NFRC’s journey that will be long remembered. Many thanks go out to everyone who worked so diligently over the past years to make this happen. While much great work has been done to reach this point, much more work remains to be done to complete the certification and labeling program. I have no doubt that if we all keep our hand on the plow and our eye on the prize, we will accomplish that as well.

Congratulations to my good friend Bipin Shah on his receiving the 2010 Member of the Year Award. Bipin’s tireless efforts in furthering NFRC’s International Program are very evident in the success of that program. However beyond that, Bipin has been and continues to be a tremendous advocate for NFRC. I know of few people who are as dedicated and passionate to achieving NFRC’s mission and objectives as Bipin, and I am extremely grateful for all he’s done. So Bipin, on behalf of all of NFRC, THANKS SO MUCH !!!

I definitely have mixed feelings about bidding farewell to Marcia Falke. In one sense I’m very happy for Marcia and wish her all the best as she enters into retirement. On the other hand, I really wonder if NFRC will ever be the same without her. Marcia has held many different leadership roles in NFRC over the years, and is truly one of the special individuals who helped NFRC become the success that it is. She will be sorely missed, but somehow NFRC must find the way to move on without her. Marcia, BEST WISHES to you and your family as you enjoy your retirement. Thanks for all you’ve done, and God Bless !!!

Many thanks go out to Steve Selkowitz and his staff at LBNL for the site tour on Sunday. I know that everyone who participated in the tour found it interesting and educational, and appreciated the opportunity to see the facilities first-hand.

Lisa Heschong’s presentation on daylighting was indeed interesting and intriguing. Clearly there are many opportunities for NFRC to explore in this area, and I expect we will all be hearing much more about this in the future. With the work on attachments well under way, daylighting could be the next “new ground” for NFRC to break. Stay tuned as the Board of Directors continues its discussions.

Congratulations to our two new Board members, Christian Kohler and Ross McCluney. It’s always great to get some new faces and new perspectives on the Board of Directors. I appreciate their willingness to serve and look forward to working with them in the future.

Also, congratulations to my good friend Steve Strawn on his election as NFRC Board Chair. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with Steve for many years and have every confidence that NFRC is in great hands … both figuratively and literally. (Those of you who have every shaken hands with Steve know what I mean). I have no doubt that NFRC will benefit greatly from his leadership and wisdom.

As my term as Board Chair comes to an end, I struggle to find the right words to express how much I appreciate all the hard work, dedication and support I’ve seen from everyone over these past three years. There have been ups and downs, but the many ups FAR outweigh the few downs, and that could only have happened with the stellar efforts of the membership, the Board, and NFRC Staff.

So in closing, let me say for the last time, but as always, THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO !!! (And I look forward to seeing everyone again next Spring in Las Vegas)

NFRC's Spring 2011 Committee Week Meeting will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, March 28 - 30.

NFRC Raises over $500 for Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco

NFRC continued its tradition of raising funds for local charities by accepting donations for customized lapel pins during its Fall Membership Meeting, and will contribute $525 to Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco.

To date, NFRC has contributed over $3000 to local charities concerned with providing affordable homes.

According to its Website, Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco partners with working families and the community to build affordable ownership homes in Marin, San Francisco, and the Peninsula. This year the organization is celebrating its 20th anniversary and launching a new campaign to build 100 homes in five years.

NFRC and Habitat for Humanity – A Perfect Fit

Habitat Greater San Francisco uses Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) windows and doors, with integral flashing, glazing, and accessories as required for complete weather tight installation.

The entire assembly of Habitat GSF windows is certified by the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC), recognizing that energy efficiency is not only important to the environment, but to improve the health, safety, and cost to our Habitat partner families as well.

Based on best practices in place, Habitat GSF constructed homes are already shoulders above the standard home based on energy efficiency and effective construction practices.

Steve Strawn Chosen to Lead as NFRC's New Chair



Steve Strawn Takes the Reigns as NFRC's New Chair 

Steve Strawn officially became NFRC’s new Chair during this afternoon’s closed Board of Directors meeting.

Strawn, who most recently served as NFRC’s Ratings Committee Chair, replaces outgoing Chair, Joe Hayden.

As an employee of JELD-WEN since 1990, and serving as the company's Product Compliance Manager, External Affairs, Strawn brings to his new position extensive experience with policies concerning codes and product regulations.

Strawn has been involved with NFRC since 2001. Prior to serving as the Ratings Committee Chair, he Chaired various Task Groups and SubCommittees and also served the NFRC Board as the Vice Chair.

One of Strawn’s over-riding goals in serving NFRC has been simplifying existing ratings programs. Strawn is also concerned with making sure attachment product ratings are appropriately developed and included in NFRC’s ratings programs.

NFRC Membership Concludes Work in San Francisco During Open Board Meeting, Committees Present Reports, Several Motions Approved

NFRC Chair, Joe Hayden, Oversees Open Board Meeting

NFRC’s Fall Membership Meeting concluded this morning with an open meeting of the Board of Directors hearing committee reports.

Accreditation Policy Committee
Chair: Marcia Falke

Falke is retiring, and the Accreditation Policy Committee (APC) is seeking a new Chair.

Three simulation labs were inspected in 2010, and one remains to be inspected.

Twelve simulation lab inspections are scheduled for 2011, and four test labs will be inspected.

The Next LAP Laboratory Workshop will be a face-to-face gathering of all laboratories at the Spring 2011 Membership Meeting.

Mandatory training of all Certified Simulators for WINDOW6/THERM 6 for non-complex glazings has been conducted, and the committee is waiting for Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBL) to release the final version of this software before simulators will be authorized to use it.

Two of the three scheduled mandatory training sessions of all Certified Simulators to use CMAST has been conducted, and the last remaining workshop is scheduled for November 22.

Technical Interpretations Policy Committee
Chair: Tom Culp

Charlie Curcija has moved from Carli to LBL but will remain on the Technical Interpretation and Policy Committee (TIPC). LBL has a contract to maintain the Simulation Manual, presenting a potential conflict of interest. This was disclosed to the membership, and Charlie will recuse himself on any votes directly affecting the Simulation Manual.

A 2010 TI Manual is drafted, and TIPC will review it on December 8, 2010 for possible approval.

A new Simulation Manual has been drafted and is ready for final publication, pending review and approval by TIPC.

There are four pending Technical Interpretation Requests (TIR) to be reviewed by TIPC. These include TIR-2010-06: Single glazing thickness in CMAST, TIR-2010-10: Door infill/glazing grouping, Tir-2010-11: Entry Door Panel Sizes, and TIR-2010-12:Exterior Frame Cavity Aspect Ratio.

A motion to approve two Technical Interpretations, TI-2010-06: Custom Skylight and TI-2010-07: Entry Door with Storm, received unanimous Board approval.

Certification Policy Committee
Chair: Steve Johnson

Staff is performing online inspections (two of four Inspection Agencies), which are being monitored, and the process will be reviewed at the end of the year for possible implementation into NFRC 702.

Three Inspections that were completed this year have shown good results. One more inspection is scheduled for December.

A face-to-face CAP Workshop will be held before the 2011 Spring Membership Meeting.

Research and Technology Committee
Chair: Werner Lichtenberger

Research Subcommittee

A motion to approve a deadline extension on W6/T6 Validation Research project to Spring 2011 meeting received unanimous Board approval.

A motion to approve a deadline extension on CMA CR Research to Spring 2011 meeting received unanimous Board approval.

A motion to authorize CMA Improved Algorithm RFP to be released for bid received unanimous Board approval.

A motion to authorize final $9,610 payment on TDD U-factor Rating Project to ATI (contractor) received unanimous Board approval.

A motion to provide $7,500 toward the Window Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCA) Research by University of Minnesota received unanimous Board approval, with Kerry Haglund recusing herself from voting.

The committee Chair reported that seven summary pages were approved for full RFP development and may be presented at the Spring 2011 membership meeting.

Thermophysical Properties of Materials Subcommittee

The thermophysical properties ILC is complete. Four commercial labs are now listed on the NFRC Website, and NFRC 103-Verification of Thermophysical Properties may be officially implemented.

Electronic development of NFRC 101 appendix A is complete, and appendix B is being developed.

Optical Properties Subcommittee

The NFRC 302-Optical Properties Verification Program ballot was withdrawn and will return to the NFRC 302 TG for major revision. Staff recommends measurement tolerances, data acceptance, and the challenge procedure be reconsidered by the TG.

Regulatory Affairs and Marketing Committee
Chair: Garrett Stone

EPA reported on the development of Blind Product Verification Testing, which is required for all ENERGY STAR product categories.

NFRC's Retailer Program has been reinstated with substantial success and renewed emphasis on reaching consumers.

CMA has been successful getting people into the program.

International outreach has been successful, particularly in Australia, where NFRC is referenced in their codes, and India will become partner country in 2011.

Technical Committee
Chair: Jeff Baker

Validation TG

Task group has been disbanded.

Air Leakage Subcommittee

Michael Thoman has resigned as Chair. A motion to approve Chris Nolt as the new Chair received unanimous Board approval.

U-Factor Subcommittee

A motion to approve the three ballots pertaining to NFRC 102, as approved at Technical Committee, for implementation upon publication received unanimous Board approval.

Condensation Resistance Subcommittee

Nothing to report.

CMA Subcommittee

Formed a TG to be Chaired by Peter Lyons. The TG will discuss the development of a parametric software tool for CMAST. The first order of business will be to create a name and scope for the TG.

The CMA Subcommittee will also bring to the Board for discussion, Charlie Curcija's suggestion that software should not be under Technical but rather under the Research and Technology Committee. 

Attachment Subcommittee

Chuck Anderson will be new Chair of the PCP TG.

A motion to approve the NFRC 100A ballot approved at Technical Committee for publication received unanimous Board approval.

The Subcommittee had voted 56-0 to move this forward for Board approval.

A motion to approve the NFRC 200A ballot approved at Technical Committee for publication received unanimous Board approval.

The Subcommittee had voted 58-0 to move this forward for Board approval.

Solar Heat Gain Subcommittee

A motion to approve NFRC 201 ballot as approved by Technical Committee for implementation upon publication received unanimous Board approval.The Sightline TG has developed a concept for grouping sightlines within a product line and may have a ballot for Spring 2011.

Software Subcommittee

A motion to extend the sunset date of WINDOW5/THERM 5 to July 1, 2011 based on the motion approved at the Technical Committee received unanimous Board approval.

Annual Energy Performance Subcommittee

Nothing to report

Ratings Committee
Chair: Steve Strawn

Labeling Subcommittee

A motion to approve extending the requirement date of the use of the applied films label showing the U-factor requirement to January 1, 2012 as approved at Ratings Committee received unanimous Board approval.

A motion to  approve the NFRC 700 Dash Ballot as approve by Ratings Committee for approval and implementation upon publication received unanimous Board approval.

CMA Subcommittee

No action items.

Certification Subcommittee

A motion to approve NFRC 700 Reprint and FMC ballots as approved by Ratings Committee for implementation upon publication received unanimous Board approval.

A motion rrecommending that the Board direct staff to investigate and report back on the impact of revising the ungrouping practice (time and resources) in the CPD received unanimous Board approval. The goal of this request is to not ungroup individual product options where the SHGC and VT are not affected.

In closing, NFRC Chair, Joe Hayden, praised the meeting participants for their hard work and dedication during the proceedings, calling the meeting yet another successful endeavor.

"See you Las Vegas in the spring, and thanks for all you do," he concluded.  

Heschong Emphasizes Healthy, Productive Influence of Daylighting on Humans During Presentation to NFRC Membership

Heschong speaks to NFRC membership on daylighting

Lisa Heschong, principal with the Heschong Mahone Group, a consulting firm that provides professional services in the field of building energy efficiency, emphasized the healthy and productive influence of daylighting on humans during a presentation to the NFRC membership this afternoon.

Heschong told the audience her research shows that more exposure to daylighting leads to improved health and greater productivity.

A newly discovered non-optic ganglion receptor in the human eye shows there are non-visual light receptors in the retina. These signal a separate neural and hormonal pathway, causing light at the eye to have a positive influence on alertness, mood, memory, and health. This, in turn, leads to mental stimulation and stress reduction while providing Circadian Rhythms that allow people to self medicate.

“Daylight is a drug,” Heschong said. “It’s as powerful as any pharmaceutical that influences our moods.”

Heschong also explained the positive effects of daylighting on productivity. Her research also shows that retail locations with more daylighting realize increased sales, students in well lit schools learn two percent faster, and office employees exposed to more daylighting work seven percent faster while achieving 10 percent better cognitive performance.

Additionally, the positive effects of daylighting necessitate the need for daylight performance metrics for building owners and designers, manufacturers, and codes and standards developers.

Heschong suggested that NFRC’s development of testing and reporting standards for daylighting products and public libraries of performance data that enable the evaluation of system-level performance would serve the public well.

Some areas that would require particular attention are daylight sufficiency, sunlight exposure, uniformity, blinds operation, and glare.

Heschong finished by saying the positive effects of daylighting on people also has a positive effect on energy efficiency.

“When people get more daylight, they are less likely to use their task lighting,” she concluded, “and this drives down the overall energy use of the building.”