SAs and ACEs
Many wonder who owns the energy performance of a product built from components from different manufacturers. NFRC addresses this situation by requiring a Specifying Authority (SA) be designated at the project onset. The SA, which can be an architect, contractor or a window component manufacturer, registers online with NFRC and then instructs the NFRC Approved Calculation Entity (ACE) to configure whole fenestration products and make the final energy-performance calculation. NFRC accredits ACE organizations, which may be an independent entity or manufacturer, to produce final label certificates. The SA is the party that enters into the license agreement with NFRC verifying the components used on the project. The SA does not have to pay a fee to NFRC.
ACEs are trained by NFRC on CMAST operation, and NFRC audits the ACE periodically, checking label certificates against the product specifications. NFRC provides annual workshops to update ACEs about any program or software changes. Allowing a manufacturer functioning as an ACE to issue its own label certificates provides versatility and enables expedient production of label certificates for use in the commercial marketplace. In addition, NFRC audits manufacturing ACEs more thoroughly than independent ACEs to ensure accuracy and fairness.
The CMA program does not label every window like NFRC’s residential program. Instead, the commercial label certificate lists the energy-performance ratings for each fenestration system for the entire building project. This document is designed to be easy to use by energy-code officials and to state clearly the U-factor, SHGC and VT values according to NFRC 100/200.
After a product is certified for a particular project, it can be used in successive projects without having to be recertified.
Preliminary Ratings
The commercial construction process can be spread out over several years. Window vendors may bid on a project several months or years before being selected for the project. The NFRC commercial energy rating program allows users to issue bid reports directly from the CMAST for use during the bidding process. These bid reports can be completed by any CMAST user and are not locked or available publically.
NFRC encourages energy-code officials to accept these documents early in a project, such as at plan review, and to require a label certificate at final inspection or occupancy. NFRC also cautions energy-code officials to not accept bid reports for final energy-code compliance because they are not typically completed by an ACE or available publically like label certificates.
Additional Benefits
Perhaps the biggest benefit to the component manufacturer is the elimination of any need to recertify the component ratings. Participating manufacturers simulate and test their components one time. Then the component submissions are inspected by NFRC-accredited entities prior to inclusion in the libraries. These data may remain in the database as long as the manufacturer wishes.
Energy-code officials may go to the NFRC website and access label certificates at any time at no charge. The label certificates are publically available, downloadable in Adobe and remain available on the NFRC website indefinitely.
NFRC conducts free monthly webinars about commercial energy ratings and energy codes. To learn more about these webinars or upcoming educational opportunities, visit the organization’s website. Architects may receive continuing education credits, as well.
PHOTOS: Utah Valley Convention Center