NFRC Technical Support

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 NFRC’s rating systems to DOE’s 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. Working with NFRC and PGMC staff, LBNL has the responsibility to collect, verify, certify and publish the optical properties database used by NFRC simulators. 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).

DOE’s investment in these LBNL software development efforts and the Optical Data Library are also aimed at helping NFRC rate products cost-effectively. With over 30,000 individual products rated, industry has saved millions of dollars by using software instead of additional testing to rate products. Software also allows industry to rate products before they are manufactured as part of the design process and does not have the large uncertainties associated with testing. It also allows industry to more quickly and cost effectively design new product lines that meet changing thermal performance needs. Feedback from NFRC’s industrial members provides critical input to guide ongoing software development efforts.

In order to ensure that NFRC standards are consistent with other national and international activities and use technically state-of-the-art procedures, LBNL staff also participate and lead supporting and complementary efforts within other standards organizations (ISO, ASTM, ASHRAE).