April 12, 2022
Calendar of Events
2022 Spring Committee Hybrid Meeting Recap
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The NFRC Spring Committee Hybrid Meeting was a productive event that allowed people physically in Philadelphia and those attending from their homes or offices to participate in the consensus process that guides NFRC’s procedures and programs.
Ten ballots were presented for this meeting, six of which passed membership debate and scrutiny. The ballots moving forward include:

  • Discussion and approval of this ballot included the following implementation plan:
  • Manufacturers with products with expiration dates prior to 12/31/2023 shall be given until 12/31/2023 to provide a new test report performed per the attached ballot.
  • Manufacturers with products with expiration dates after 12/31/2023 shall be required to provide a new test report performed per the attached ballot no later than 12/31/2025. 

  • Though approved (with editorial changes), this ballot will be held in abeyance until the CTA methodology program requirements are met. 

  • All three of the blinds-between-glass ballots were approved. Prior to these changes being incorporated into the three documents, the BBG Task Group will develop an implementation plan. In addition, changes to the simulation manual, CPD, and training needs will be considered and put into place. 

  • This approved document is entirely new – NFRC 715 Commercial Energy Performance Certification Program: Products and Projects – is the culmination of years of deliberation and planning by NFRC staff and the commercial program workgroup. Though a significant step closer to implementation, several important factors must be in place prior to rollout. These include software, training, and other program-related requirements being met.

In addition to the ballots, three task groups were formed, all reporting to the U-factor Subcommittee, under the Technical Committee:

  • NFRC 100 Sidelite Product Definition Task Group -- will review existing and proposed sidelite and slab sidelite language and suggest appropriate changes. 
  • NFRC 100 Table 4-3 Task Group – will review the general format of the table and the notes associated with the table and suggest appropriate changes.
  • NFRC 100 Glazed Wall Systems Task Group – will review existing language defining the terms “single-story systems” and “multi-story systems,” particularly in relation to defining curtain wall products versus window wall products for rating purposes and suggest appropriate changes. 

If you are interested, please contact Michael Thoman ([email protected]) to help us with these important efforts.

Save the date for the Fall Membership Meeting -- Oct. 24-26, 2022!
Women Connect, Share Experiences at Spring Meeting

The Women in Fenestration Network convened more than a dozen women professionals in the fenestration and green building industry at NFRC’s Spring Committee Meeting in Philadelphia. Conversations focused on career paths, finding work-life balance, and supporting growth for women.

This event was one of many, either in-person or virtually, for the Women in Fenestration Network to gather as a group from all professional levels in energy efficiency, emerging technology, green building, and manufacturing fields to share opportunities, barriers, and experiences on working in the industry.

A few of the upcoming events include:

  • SAVE THE DATE: LinkedIn bootcamp webinar – June 21
  • Mentoring opportunities
  • In-person networking at the NFRC Fall Membership Meeting

The LinkedIn webinar focuses on using LinkedIn as a research and networking tool. Participants will learn about the benefits of using LinkedIn to connect with professionals and women in the industry. LinkedIn is a great way to showcase your knowledge, credibility, and leadership expertise as well as join groups with similar professional interests and expand your network to professionals already working in the industry.
For more information on the Women in Fenestration Network, contact Membership Manager, Jess Finn at [email protected].
NFRC’s Steve Urich Serving as Juror for the Solar Decathlon 2022 Design Challenge

The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) is excited to be involved in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon® 2022 Design Challenge with Steve Urich, senior director of programs, serving on the jury for the Retrofit Housing category.

The Solar Decathlon is a 20-year-old competition that encourages college students worldwide to “design and build high-performance, low-carbon buildings that mitigate climate change and improve our quality of life through greater affordability, resilience, and energy efficiency.”

As one of the jurors, Urich is charged with evaluating entries in the Retrofit Housing category for innovation, cost, quality, resilience, efficiency, and more. “It’s an honor to be a part of this process,” Urich said. “Looking at the list of fellow jurors, it is humbling to be included with such distinguished company. The quality of work presented by these student contestants is impressive. Choosing a winner will really come down to the details. I am grateful that I can represent the fenestration industry in this competition and have an opportunity to stress the importance of fenestration's contributions to efficient building design."

The Solar Decathlon 2023 Design Challenge has been announced with registration opening from July 2022 until October 2022. Teams interested can find more information here.
New Buildings Institute: Carbon Reduction Solutions – Today!

Join Webly Bowles from New Buildings Institute to:

  • Understand why designers re-evaluate the amount of concrete, steel, aluminum, and other high embodied carbon products in their projects.
  • Learn about the carbon reduction solutions designers are making and the documentation they will be seeking.
  • Hear about current and pending regulations aimed at reducing carbon embedded in construction products, quickening the need for widespread embodied carbon education.

It’s not too late to register for this webinar! If you missed it, you can watch the recording here!

Sponsored by:
Improvements to the Certified Products Directory Search Released

NFRC has been planning updates to the Certified Products Directory public search to create an improved user experience. The first step in that process is now complete. 

The updated search features the following improvements:

  1. A significantly more functional Label Verification Search, which can retrieve label information for all products, current or historical, given their full CPD number.
  2. Streamlines the search process by eliminating extra steps.
  3. Uses consumer-friendly operator types and consolidates similar products.

This is just the start of our mission to provide major improvements in functionality to our public search. We expect further improvements in search filtering later this year. Stay tuned!  
Sponsor Spotlight - Quanex
The EnergyQuest™ window and patio door system from Quanex takes your replacement program to a new level of performance, aesthetics, and marketplace features in demand today. Also ideally suited for builders and homeowners wanting a better window and patio door solution for new construction, EnergyQuest offers a comprehensive system solution to exceed your expectations – today – and well into the future.
Membership Matters

Launching on April 25, 2022

We know how important networking is, and we have been working to introduce a new NFRC community within the nfrccommunity.org website. No new logins to remember, just new features that will help you:

  • Connect with other memberssearch for and connect with other members and message through the online community
  • Access your groupssee all the groups that you are part of, putting the information you need at your fingertips
  • News updatesreceive updates on things happening at NFRC and interact on the homepage
  • Keep your information up to date

What do you need to do?

Do you know your nfrccommunity.org login? If you do, there is nothing that you need to do.

If you haven’t accessed your profile in a while, then test your login now to make sure that you can connect to the NFRC Community site.

Need a profile? You can request one here. If you are with a member company, then you can create a user profile.

If you are not a member of NFRC, click here to learn more about the many benefits of membership.
Register for the 2022 Better Buildings, Better Plants Summit

Don't miss this opportunity to connect with fellow industry experts across building sectors about energy efficiency, decarbonization, water and waste management, and much more. The Summit takes place May 17-19, 2022, at the DoubleTree Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia (just outside of Washington, D.C.). Register today to reserve your spot at this engaging, interactive event. Grow your network and make connections with industry peers, technical experts, and other Better Buildings partners and Allies.
Click here for the 2022 SUMMIT PREVIEW
New 2022 Sponsorship Opportunities  

Sponsors receive recognition on NFRC websites, emails, social media, and in-person and virtual meetings. New opportunities include The Efficient Windows Collaborative, webinars, and meetings. Contact Michelle Blackston at [email protected] for more information.

NFRC envisions a future where every window, door, and skylight purchase decision is made using the
NFRC label to evaluate energy performance.