What is the NFRC Label?
The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) is a nonprofit, public/private organization created by the window, door, and skylight industry. It is composed of manufacturers, suppliers, builders, architects and designers, specifiers, code officials, utilities, and government agencies.
The NFRC label appears on all products certified to the NFRC standards and on all window, door, and skylight products which are part of the ENERGY STAR program. NFRC labels on fenestration units give ratings for U-factor, solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC), visible transmittance (VT), and condensation resistance (CR).
For more information about the NRFC labels, please click here.
U-Factor
The rate of heat loss is indicated in terms of the U-factor (U-value) of a window assembly. The insulating value is indicated by the R-value which is the inverse of the U-value. The lower the U-value, the greater a window's resistance to heat flow and the better its insulating value.
North/Central Climate: Select windows with a U-factor of 0.40 or less. The larger your heating bill, the more important a low U-factor becomes.
South/Central Climate: Select windows with a U-factor of 0.40 or less. The larger your heating bill, the more important a low U-factor becomes.
Southern Climate: A low U-factor is useful during cold days when heating is needed. A low U-factor is also helpful during hot days when it is important to keep the heat out, but it is less important than SHGC in warm climates. Select windows with a U-factor lower than 0.75 and preferably lower than 0.60.
Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC)
SHGC is the ratio of the solar heat gain entering the space through the fenestration product to the incident solar radiation. SHGC is expressed as a number between 0 and 1. The lower a window's solar heat gain coefficient, the less solar heat it transmits, and the greater its shading ability. SHGC can be expressed in terms of the glass alone or can refer to the entire window assembly.
North/Central Climate: If you have significant air conditioning costs or summer overheating problems, look for SHGC values of 0.40 or less. If you have moderate air conditioning requirements, select windows with a SHGC of 0.55 or less. While windows with lower SHGC values reduce summer cooling and overheating, they also reduce free winter solar heat gain. Use a computer program such as RESFEN to understand heating and cooling trade-offs.
South/Central Climate: If you have moderate air conditioning requirements, select windows with a SHGC of 0.55 or less. While windows with lower SHGC values reduce summer cooling and overheating, they also reduce free winter solar heat gain. Use a computer program such as RESFEN to understand heating and cooling trade-offs.
Southern Climate: A low SHGC is the most important window property in warm climates. Select windows with a SHGC less than 0.40.
Visible Transmittance (VT)
The visible transmittance (VT) is an optical property that indicates the amount of visible light transmitted. The NFRC's VT is a whole window rating and includes the impact of the frame which does not transmit any visible light. While VT theoretically varies between 0 and 1, most values are between 0.3 and 0.8. The higher the VT, the more light is transmitted. A high VT is desirable to maximize daylight. Select windows with a higher VT to maximize daylight and view.
Air Leakage (AL)
Heat loss and gain occur by infiltration through cracks in the window assembly. It is indicated by an air leakage rating (AL) expressed as the equivalent cubic feet of air passing through a square foot of window area. The lower the AL, the less air will pass through cracks in the window assembly. At this time, the AL is optional. Select windows with an AL of 0.30 or less (units are cfm/sq ft).
For more information about the NRFC labels, please click here.
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