Commercial/Site-Built
Program Information
In order to address
the needs of the commercial fenestration industry, NFRC developed
a site-built product certification program in 1999 and recently
approved a NEW nonresidential rating procedure where component
data is utilized for obtaining whole product ratings.
For the most current information on this break through program
currently under development visit the Component
Modeling Approach (CMA) Subcommittee-Ratings page.
The information below
refers to the current site-built program, and the most recent
standard published in support of that progam is the
NFRC 100-2004 (Section 5.6 - Non-Residential Products).
About the NFRC's Site-Built
Certification and Rating Program
Site-Built
Program Guidelines
Since its inception
in 1989, NFRC has successfully developed a rating system and certification
program for the thermal performance of residential fenestration
products, including windows, patio doors and skylights. The success
is evident by the more than 100,000 products listed in the most
recent edition of the NFRC Products Directory. The National Fenestration
Rating Council has developed a number of key elements that ensure
the accuracy and credibility of its rating and certification program
as noted below:
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NFRC develops standards
for rating products that are technically sound and that provide
a uniform rating for fenestration products.
-
NFRC reviews and approves
up-to-date computer simulation tools and thermal testing procedures
for obtaining accurate thermal ratings for fenestration products.
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NFRC maintains a list
of accredited simulation and testing laboratories qualified
to determine the thermal performance of fenestration products
through computer modeling and thermal testing.
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NFRC provides for a
third party Independent Agent (IA) to review documentation,
conduct inspections and approve products for certification
and labeling.
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NFRC licenses the manufacturers
authorized to label products, permitting the use of the NFRC
logo and ratings that appear on the certified product.
In 1995, NFRC turned its attention
towards the commercial building arena and in 1999 approved a new
standard (NFRC 100-SB) to
address site-built fenestration products. The new standard was
designed to address products that are field glazed or field assembled,
including curtain wall and window wall applications and sunroom
and solarium systems. In addition, a revision was made to the
Product Certification Program to address the specific needs of
site-built products.
The site-built program
utilizes those elements that have proven successful in the residential
program, specifically the computer modeling tools, the accredited
laboratories and the third party IA's, to assure that the Site-Built
Certification program will be accurate and credible. In addition,
NFRC recognized that there were several critical issues that needed
to be addressed including:
-
The absence of a manufacturing
entity - which established the need for a "responsible party"
to assure that the thermal ratings for a fenestration system
match the actual products being installed on the building
envelope.
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The impracticality
of having temporary and permanent labels on every opening
in a commercial building project - which established the need
to develop another method to communicate and compare the thermal
performance of commercial fenestration systems in a fair and
accurate manner and provide for the validation of the fenestration
system performance by building code inspectors and other regulatory
agencies.
The site-built program
provides the flexibility needed to meet the needs of the commercial
fenestration industry by establishing multiple license agreement
for the potential "responsible party." A responsible party may
be a glazing contractor or installer, a lineal supplier, a building
owner, an architect or even a construction specifier. In each
case, an entity agrees to guarantee the performance of the certified
products that have been specified and installed on the building
envelope.
A new "Label Certificate Form" was
developed to replace the temporary and permanent labels required
under the residential certification program. These new standardized
forms include the NFRC logo and the U-factor, solar heat gain
coefficient (SHGC) and visible transmittance of the certified
products installed on a building. The NFRC ratings are established
on standardized specimen, using the framing and glazing systems
specified.
These ratings will be
helpful to architects, specifiers and building owners for comparing
different potential suppliers with realistic product-to-product
performance. In addition, the Label Certificate Form, posted on
site of a building project, will provide building officials with
the documentation needed to show compliance with local, state
or regional energy codes.
These Label Certificate
Forms also help to assure compliance with NFRC requirements, by
providing a paper trail, with copies maintained by the responsible
party, the IA and at the NFRC office.
For more information on the Site-Built
Certification and Rating Program, contact the NFRC office at info@nfrc.org.
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