Founded in 1989, the National Fenestration
Rating Council (NFRC) is a non-profit, public/private partnership which develops and
administers a fair, accurate, and credible rating systems for the optical and thermal
performance of windows and other fenestration products. NFRC's rating systems are aimed at
facilitating the selection and development of efficient window products. Given the
importance of NFRCs rating systems to DOEs energy efficiency goals, LBNL
provides technical support to the NFRC in a number of ways as outlined below. As unbiased sources of technical information, LBNL staff and other DOE-supported staff lead several NFRC task groups and committees charged with developing and administering NFRC technical procedures. These efforts have helped NFRC develop and implement procedures to determine fenestration product U-factors and Solar Heat Gain Coefficients as well as their underlying optical properties. Current LBNL activities in support of NFRC's mission are aimed at
developing a consumer-friendly annual energy rating system for windows and on expanding
the existing technical base to cover complex window and fenestration products (skylights,
greenhouse windows, non-homogeneous glazings). |