What is ENERGY STAR^®?

ENERGY STAR^® is a voluntary partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the fenestration industry.

It is designed to assist consumers in the recognition of energy efficient products and promote the environmental and economic benefits of these products with the ENERGY STAR^® label and other program activities. 

How do products qualify for ENERGY STAR^®?

Consumer products (such as major appliances) receive the ENERGY STAR^® label when they exceed the minimum federal energy consumption standards. These figures vary from product to product.

How do windows qualify for ENERGY STAR^®?

Window products qualify by meeting certain criteria set forth by the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC).

All windows must be NFRC rated, certified and labeled for both U-factor and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient as well as Visible Light Transmittance.

What is a U-factor?

A U-factor measures the rate of non-solar heat transfer from one side of the window to the other. Heat transfers to both heat loss out of a living space during cold winter weather and non-solar heat gain into a living space during hot summer weather. This energy transfer, measured in BTUs, is know as conduction.

The lower the U-factor of a window, the higher it's R-value.

And what is Solar Heat Gain Coefficient?

The Solar Heat Gain Coefficient measures the amount of solar heat that gets through a window. The lower the SHGC, the better a window is at reducing heat gain, and in the end, the cooling costs that go along with it.

What is the NFRC?

The National Fenestration Rating Council is a non-profit, public/private organization created by the window, door and skylight industry. Their primary goal is to provide accurate information to measure and compare the energy performance of window, door or skylight products.

What are those qualifications?

The program has established four climate regions with one recommended product designation for each.

 Northern Climate Region Criteria

• Windows must have a U-factor rating of 0.35 or below.

 North/Central Climate Region Criteria

• Windows must have a U-factor rating of 0.40 or below. . .
• With a Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) of 0.55 or below.

 South/Central Climate Region Criteria

• Windows must have a U-factor rating of 0.40 or below. . .
• And an SHGC of 0.40 or below.

 Southern Climate Region Criteria

• Windows must have a U-factor rating of 0.65 or below. . .
• And an SHGC of 0.40 or below.

What's so special about  Window Systems with the ClimaTech® Insulated Glass Package?

ClimaTech's Low-E Glass and Argon Gas significantly improves energy efficiency and cuts the damaging effects of the sun by an additional 78% over clear insulated glass units.

In winter, it lets in maximum free solar heat and helps hold warm air inside, increasing the R-value by an extra 104%.

In summer, an additional 48% of solar heat gain coefficient helps cut air conditioning costs.

How does the ClimaTech^® Insulated Glass Package save you money?

• The average household spends over 40% of its annual energy budget on heating and cooling.
• Windows with ClimaTech^® can reduce those bills by up to 15%.
• The energy-saving ClimaTech^® Insulated Glass Package helps cut the amount of fossil fuel used while helping reduce air pollution, smog and global warming.

Why is this so important to our country and our world?

If all residential windows in the U.S. were replaced with ENERGY STAR^® compliant products. . .

• We would save $7 billion in energy costs over the next 15 years.
• The reduction in carbon emissions would be the same as taking 336,000 cars off the road.
• We could preserve 142,000,000 acres of trees over the next 15 years.

Why is ENERGY STAR^® so important ?

This recognition is granted only to the most advanced, energy-efficient products on the market.

Watch for the ENERGY STAR^® logo popping up on all of the following products. . .

• Consumer appliances
• Light fixtures
• Computer Equipment
• Windows

. . .any item that offers superior efficiency in the conservation of energy.

Why is ENERGY STAR^® so important to you?

• It means you'll have the opportunity to increase the energy saving benefits of  Windows with the ClimaTech^® Insulated Glass Package.
• You can enjoy the knowledge that you're helping to make a positive impact on your environment.

For more information about ENERGY STAR^® and other energy savings related activities and opportunities:

www.energystar.gov

www.efficientwindows.org

www.nfrc.org

www.doe.gov