Vinograd, McCluney Request Input on TGRF

Yossi Vinograd and Ross McCluney just called on NFRC members to provide their input on the Task Group Request Form issued earlier this month by the Translucent Panel Visible Transmittance (VT) Task Group (TG).

The TGRF concerns the development of a ballot aimed at improving NFRC’s ratings for certified translucent products – specifically flat translucent daylighting panels.

The central issue here is whether information found in NFRC’s Certified Products Directory (CPD) may be misinterpreted.

Currently, users find the value, “-1” under the VT column. The TG is concerned that users may interpret this as a dash followed by the value, “1,” which according to some can indicate a 100 percent VT value, which is unachievable.

The Translucent Panel Visible Transmittance (VT) Task Group is utilizing the TGRF process to obtain input on the NFRC 202 VT Test Procedure. They will propose a ballot later this fall that provides a method for measuring the VT for translucent glazing, which is based on existing translucent VT measurements established by ASTM International standards.

These standards are known as ASTM E 972 and ASTM E1084. They would allow NFRC to physically test panels that currently cannot be measured using existing NFRC methods. The ASTM standards have been recognized by translucent product manufacturers for many years.

While the TG recognizes this step may not represent a final solution, they believe it represents progress.

The TGRF is available here.

Please feel free to provide your comments.

Closure on Window 6 - Therm 6 Extended, CMA Refinements Pending

The Research Subcommittee began NFRC's Virtual Committee Week Meeting this morning, reporting on a number of issues.

One of those issues was the status of the Window 6 – Therm 6 Validation Research Project.

A recent Webinar held to discuss the results of the project revealed the need for further refinements, and these refinements are still under review.

Members can view the updated version of the presentation here.

It is estimated that one more meeting cycle is needed to bring the Window 6 - Therm 6 Validation Research Project to closure, and a motion to extend finalization until the fall 2011 conference was approved 42 -1.

Bid to Improve CMA Methodology Approved

A second issue under discussion during this morning's proceedings was a bid from Carli, Inc. to refine the CMA algorithms.

The purpose of this initiative is to further improve the accuracy of CMA as it is being applied to more advanced fenestration products.  

The bid, which proposes a nine-month-long project at a cost of approximately $58,000 was approved, 36-6.

Feel free to provide your comments.

Virtual Committee Week Meeting Underway

The National Fenestration Rating Council's (NFRC) Virtual Committee Week Meeting began at 10:00 a.m., and the Research Subcommittee is set to begin discussions.

Be sure to check back frequently to learn what's happening with the issues that may influence the way you run your business.

Feel free to provide your comments if you like.

DeBlock Brings Knowledge, Vision as Research and Technology Committee Chair

The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) is pleased to announce that Dave DeBlock will serve as Chair of the Research and Technology (R&T) Committee.

DeBlock will lead the committee’s work as it develops and maintains the technical data used to support the NFRC rating procedures. The R&T Committee is responsible for optical properties, technical research, thermo-physical properties, and long-term energy performance research.

With 18 years involvement in NFRC, DeBlock brings a wide range of knowledge and vision to the Chair position.

He holds a BS degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan and also served on NFRC’s Tubular Daylighting Devices Task Group where he assisted in developing standards and procedures for nearly 10 years.

DeBlock also volunteered as Vice Chair of the Door Task Group for four years and most recently served as Vice Chair of the Research and Technology Committee under recently-retired Chair Werner Lichtenberger.

“I was motivated to seek the R&T Chair position by my desire to take ownership of the progress in designing the most energy efficient fenestration products possible,” DeBlock said. “Given my skills and background, I am uniquely qualified to help make that happen.

An Eye on the Future

DeBlock says that throughout his many years of involvement with NFRC he has always kept a keen eye on what scientists have been doing with fenestration solutions and energy performance. Accordingly, one of his primary goals as R&T Chair is to keep knowledgeable and progressive scientists coming to NFRC’s meetings so the flow of new ideas will continue to increase.

“We’ve got some great minds that are willing to work with the fenestration industry, and we need to capitalize on that,” DeBlock concluded. “By conducting the right kind of research, we can assure our ratings are reliable and repeatable, and that will make all of us more successful."

CEO Welcomes DeBlock’s Perspective

NFRC’s CEO, Jim Benney, said having DeBlock assume the R&T Chair position is the next logical step for someone who has contributed many years of hard work and dedication to the organization’s mission.

“We’ve all been fortunate to benefit from Dave’s specialized knowledge, diverse talents, and persistent ambition,” Benney said. “It’s great to see him step into a leadership position where his insight can help further develop the R&T committee’s focus and objectives while contributing to NFRC’s strategic objectives.”

Please contact NFRC's Communications and Marketing Manager, Tom Herron, with any questions.

College Dorm Looks to High-Peformance Windows to Help Exceed Building Codes

A green dormitory known as the Terrahaus, which is located on the Unity College campus in Unity, Maine, is expected to emerge as the most energy efficient building of its kind in the country, due in part to the installation of high-performance windows.

Construction on the Terrahaus will completed in August 2011, and the building will play home to ten students when school resumes in the fall. Terrahouse is expected to use 90 percent less energy for space heating than a normal code compliant building in Maine.

School officials hope similar projects will catch on with other campuses across the country. The school also plans to build two more similar dorms in the future.

View the video on Terrahaus here

Creating a Customer-Friendly Attachment Ratings Label

Last fall, NFRC approved technical procedures for the development of energy performance ratings for co-planar interior and exterior attachment products. This represented a major step toward one day providing third-party performance ratings for products such as blinds and shades. Throughout the development process, NFRC's Board of Directors provided guidance for the Fenestration Attachments program and continues to do so.

With technical procedures in place, NFRC's Attachments Subcommittee now is developing a certification and labeling program. It is a challenging task. Many variables affect the performance of an attachment product – e.g., the type of window to which it is attached, the operation of the attachment product itself (open/closed), the angle of the sun, etc. At the same time, it's important that NFRC provide customers with an easy-to-use label.

In early 2011, the board provided guidance on the development of the attachments label, recommending: "...that a 'Stars' rating on an attachment label [is an example of a rating system that] meets the direction previously approved by the board. Additional information on the label may be provided as long as it continues to meet board direction and the rating not be stated as a U-Factor and SHGC numerical rating. This does not exclude the use of U-factor and SHGC numerical data from other NFRC material related to attachments."

Those familiar with NFRC ratings know this is a departure from the numeric ratings found on our labels. During NFRC's spring meeting, attendees raised questions about the board's direction to the Attachments Subcommittee.

In my opinion, we need to keep in mind that customers, not building code enforcement officials, engineers or scientists, are the primary audience for these labels. In addition, the attachment label should avoid implying an undue level of precision, because NFRC does not know the performance of the window, door or skylight to which the product will be attached, the solar incident angles, or how the customer will operate the product.

The board's recommendation to use a different rating system for the attachment label will help make it more customer-friendly, allowing apples-to-apples comparisons of attachment products. It does not preclude the use of numerical data in forums other than the label itself. Providing U-factor, solar heat gain coefficient and visible transmittance data may be helpful, as long as that data is provided with additional explanations on a separate document.

While the board's direction specifically mentioned a "Stars" rating system, my interpretation is that it serves as an example. A different symbolic or scalar type system could also meet the board's guidance.

This is an opportunity for the attachments community to develop a visual ratings system that is distinct from the NFRC windows label and easily recognizable by customers. What type of system do you think the label should feature?

China's Renewed Interest in Energy Efficiency Turns Attention toward Glass

A recent article in the New York Times says provincial governments in China are subsidizing the construction of factories that produce energy efficient products, including triple-layer, insulated glass.

The move comes as China grows more concerned with using energy efficiently. It is likely a response to electricity shortages and blackouts over the past year. Another likely trigger is the country’s security concerns regarding its dependence on energy imports.

Senior executives in the glass manufacturing industry report that Chinese construction companies had long chosen low-cost, less-insulated materials. The reason is that buildings in China tend to change hands frequently, causing owners to look past the potential for long-term paybacks from electricity savings.

The real estate industry in China is constructing office towers and apartment buildings at a brisk pace but with little regard for energy efficiency, but that is changing.

China’s building energy efficiency director at the Chinese Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development reports that the ministry has adopted an energy labeling system for new commercial and government buildings. It is also looking at creating fiscal incentives for developers to use more efficient materials and adopt renewable energy.

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