Guest Columnist, Dowd, Explains Window Ratings

Dean Dowd is the Chief Technology Officer for NFRC member company, CalFinder. This month, Dowd offers the first part in a series dedicated to understanding energy efficiency.

By Dean Dowd

Understanding Energy Efficient Windows

Energy efficiency ratings reveal the differences between high performing and low performing windows, and yet few consumers actually understand them. Let’s break it down, once and for all, and help you choose the best windows or doors for your money. In general, energy efficient products are those that consume less energy but offer an equal (or even better) level of usefulness. Many items around the home can be either energy efficient or energy draining.

Examples include the following:

• Windows
• Skylights
• Doors
• General appliances
• Electronics and more

What Do The Numbers on the NFRC Label Stand For?
One of the most common questions consumers ask is, "What is fenestration?" Fenestration is defined as any opening in a building's envelope, including windows, doors, and skylights.

Take a look at this sample NFRC label (left). Notice the visible transmittance rating (VT), wind permeability (AL), U-Factor, and SHGC ratings. Not all manufacturers use all of these ratings supplied by the NFRC. But many of them, especially ENERGY-STAR-labeled products, do.

• The U-factor: this is a measure of how well a product prevents heat from escaping from a home or building. The U-Factor starts at around 0.19 (the most insulating) and tops out around 1.25 (the least insulating). The lower the number, the better the product retains heat.

• Air Leakage: AL measures how much outside air comes into a home or building through a fenestration product. The measure of air is expressed in cubic feet of air per every square foot (cfm/sq ft). Old, outdated windows typically have high air leakage. Therefore, old windows have a very high AL value, while new, energy-efficient ones have low and ultra-low AL ratings (0.2-0.4 is ideal).
 
• Visible Transmittance: VT measures how much visible light comes through a product. In other words, it is a central measurement of how much light permeates a material, or in this case, glass. Ratings are between 0 and 1, and of course, the lower the number, the less light that enters the home.

• SHGC: The Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (0 to 1) rates how much radiant heat from sunlight is allowed to pass through your window. The lower the number, the less sunlight entering your home. A lower number will be great in the summer, but on the flip side might prove undesirable in especially-frigid winters and climates.

• CR: Condensation Residence is how well a window guards against condensation in the cracks and sills. A window that blocks the most moisture buildup will have a high CR rating, and those with less protection will maintain a lower CR.

Which Kind of Window is Most Efficient for My Home?

A double-pane, argon-filled, Low-E (emissivity) window is an example of a cost-efficient way to provide improved energy efficiency. Although they’re present in most new homes, ultra energy-efficient replacement windows (and other products) can equally benefit older homes in terms of efficiency and monthly utility bills.

In Summary

Energy efficient appliances and fixtures:

• Reduce energy costs

• Help the environment and lessen the greenhouse gas problem

• Can work side-by-side with renewable energy sources (solar, wind, etc.)• Can be found in new/replacement windows

What Exactly Does NFRC Do?

It's important to know that NFRC certifies the energy performance of fenestration products. NFRC does not sell windows nor does it endorse any manufacturer, retailer, or installer. As a third-party, independent certification organization, NFRC provides the energy performance information consumers need to make better decisions about the products they purchase.

NFRC's certification and labeling program is voluntary, so you may not see the NFRC label on every product.

So What do You Think?

Are you in the market for new windows, doors, or skylights? Have you seen the NFRC label? Did you understand how to read it and what the values meant? How can NFRC help make you a more informed consumer?

Get in touch with us in the comments below.

If you are interested in becoming a guest blogger, please contact Tom Herron, NFRC's Communications and Marketing Manager.

Engaging the Silent Majority – Members who Don’t Participate

By Jim Benney

One of the pivotal benefits the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) offers its members is a voice and a vote, and we strongly encourage our entire membership to exercise this benefit to its fullest.

Your voice provides this organization with the benefit of your opinion and expertise; and your vote helps to ensure our standing as a “consensus” organization; as well as assuring that programs and standards being developed continue to support the goals and mission of NFRC.

Unfortunately, not all of our members take advantage of the opportunity to participate in how our ratings are developed and the impact they can have on market transformation and energy efficiency.

Maybe some members don’t participate in our consensus-based process because they feel like they can’t truly make a difference. Ironically though, a lack of participation can bring unintended consequences that adversely affect our entire organization. Looking at the big picture reveals why every opinion, every idea, and every vote matters to NFRC.

Lack of participation adversely impacts fellow members. Those who choose not to participate in the development of NFRC’s ratings deprive others of alternative ideas and unique insight that could have influenced voting.

Members who choose not to participate also adversely impact themselves. They miss valuable networking opportunities to influence industry leaders who shape the future of NFRC standards.
They miss opportunities to develop a reputation as an industry expert among their peers and forego the chance to solidify their credibility with potential customers.

Possibly worst of all, lack of participation limits everyone’s growth, including NFRC itself. We can only improve the positive impact our ratings have on the industry and the world through the practical application of the vast and exceptional knowledge our members possess.

NFRC members have access to the brightest minds in the fenestration industry, and we
encourage frequent interaction and relationship building to create new opportunities.

With so many positive benefits to gained, how can NFRC encourage more participation? How can NFRC facilitate more interaction among members, and what kind of rewards would motivate them to share their knowledge with professionals who rely on new ideas to succeed?

NFRC and Daylighting Ratings

By Jim Benney

By providing independent and accurate daylighting ratings, NFRC could offer a more complete picture of the vital role fenestration plays in buildings. One of the most well-known roles fenestration plays is reducing electricity consumption associated with indoor lighting.

A lesser-known and perhaps equally important role, however, is the profound effect daylighting has on worker productivity.

While daylighting has been shown to benefit many areas of human health and performance, one of the most notable areas is worker productivity.

In fact, studies conducted by the Heschong Mahone Group (HMG), a California consulting firm, show a strong correlation between daylighting and improved productivity.

Some of HMG’s specific findings include the following:

• Office workers exposed to the most daylight consistently reported a higher level of concentration and better short-term memory recall
• Workers in the Sacramento Municipal Utility District’s customer service call center processed calls 7 percent to 12 percent faster when they had the best possible view, versus those with no view 
• Computer programmers exposed to daylight spent 15 percent more time on their primary task, while equivalent workers without exposure to daylight spent 15 percent more time talking on the phone or to one another

Making optimal use of daylighting to bring out the best in office workers is an initiative well worth pursuing. Even small improvements in productivity can add up to big benefits over time.

The bigger question is – how do we quantify these benefits? Energy savings through daylighting is one thing, but what about productivity, comfort, and health? How can we help to evaluate these criteria and offer a metric to building owner, the code community and/or LEED?

Jim Benney is the National Fenestration Rating Council’s chief executive officer. He has been involved in developing product and performance standards for the window and glass industry for more than 20 years. He can be reached at jbenney@nfrc.org.

Taxpayers Should Check Eligibility Requirements for 2010 Energy Credits

An article posted on Bloomberg online cautions taxpayers to pay careful attention to the specific eligibility requirements for certain credits for 2010.

One of those mentioned is the energy efficiency tax credit. The article points out that taxpayers who purchased energy-efficient windows may only take this credit if the product(s) were installed by December 31, 2010.

Those who meet this requirement may qualify for a credit of 30 percent, or a maximum $1,500.

Full Article

Desire for More Energy Efficient Products Seen Driving Demand for Vinyl Windows to 141 Million Units by 2015

An online article published by Yahoo says the market research firm, Global Industry Analysts, is reporting that worldwide demand for vinyl windows will exceed 141 million units by 2015.

According to the report, one of the reasons for the growth in demand is the enhanced energy efficiency vinyl windows provide, particularly as environmental concerns become more prevalent and world and governments stipulate the use of energy efficiency of windows.

Demand is expected to increase for both new construction and retrofit projects.

Specific factors driving demand include the proliferation of new construction in developing countries and first-time home builders seeking products that are both economical and thermally effective.

Read the full story here.

President Obama Visits NFRC Participant Company Thompson Creek, Manufacturer Credits Stimulus Plan for Recent Success

An online article published by The Washington Post, said President Obama visited the headquarters of National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) Certification Program Participant company, Thompson Creek Windows, on Friday, January 7, where he spoke about economic data showing a reduction in the nation's unemployment rate.

The venue was fitting for Obama's message because Thompson Creek's President, Rick Wuest, credits part of his company's success over the past two years to Obama's stimulus plan.

Wuest pointed out in the article that during that time Thompson Creek's number of employees grew from 168 to 289. Wuest also said his sales have increased, and the company has leased a new 46,000-square-foot-headquarters.

Additionally, the article explains that the company's Website currently lists 16 job openings in various departments including accounting, sales, and marketing.

The stimulus plan featured a tax credit which had allowed homeowners to write off 30 percent of the purchase price (up to $1,500) on their income taxes for purchasing energy-efficient windows. This tax credit expired on December 31, 2010.

Wuest said more than 6,000 Thompson Creek customers benefited from the tax credit while it was in effect.

Obama said Thompson Creek’s success story is one he would like to see replicated across the country.

Full Article

New York Incentive Program Promotes Green Homes, Encourages Strategic Window Placement

The Website http://www.getenergysmart.org/ is reporting that The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) recently announced a program aimed at building and certifying more green homes throughout the state.

Dubbed the Green Residential Building Program, New York is providing incentives to owners of certain residential or residential mixed-use buildings that incorporate practices and technologies that lower energy costs, reduce waste and water use, and improve indoor air quality.

Incentives are available to owners who can demonstrate that their buildings will use at least 30 percent less energy than conventionally built homes.

One of the green design principles the program encourages is positioning windows to take advantage of solar heat gain, minimize heat loss, make effective use of daylight, and reduce energy use.

The online article points out that incentives offered range from $5,125 for a single-family home up to $13,375 for an 11-unit multifamily building. Incentives are awarded based on the number of dwelling units in the building, but cannot exceed $3.75 per qualified occupied square foot.

Details