Energy Efficiency

Balancing Thermal and Acoustic Demands for Total In-Home Comfort

As homeowners seek to make improvements, it’s important to offer solutions that offer a range of high-performance benefits.

Andersen Corp. Invests in Ubiquitous Energy

Andersen Corp. announced a strategic investment in Ubiquitous Energy, a company in transparent photovoltaic technology that converts light into electricity using semiconductor materials while maintaining visible transparency. 

All Weather Launches Title 24 Compliant Series 6100 Windows

Available to order from All Weather’s network of dealers, the new Series 6100 window utilizes a thermal strut system and offers dual and triple glazing.

Don’t Forget the Frame

Today’s residential windows, sliding and terrace doors, and other fenestration systems can help protect us from extreme temperatures and conserve natural resources. While high-performance glass often is the first component we see, it’s essential to remember the role of the frame itself.

Photovoltaic Glass: Benefits and Technologies to Bring it to Market

If buildings have windows or curtain walls made of PV glass, they could become vertical power plants and make a huge contribution to the decarbonization required to meet the climate challenge.

Energy Star Version 7.0: Reckoning with The Future of Performance

Energy performance is a marker that only moves forward, and it’s incumbent upon the fenestration industry to continue rising to the challenge.  

Number of HERS-Rated Homes Grows in First Three Quarters of 2021

In the first six months of 2021, there were 150,894 homes rated and entered into the RESNET registry. This compares with the 145,961 homes that were rated during the same period in 2020.

Climate Change Drives Demand for Better Energy Efficiency

The implications of climate change and what it could mean in the form of increased specifications in all windows and doors in North America.

Upgrades to FenStar Restore Confidence in Certification Program

NFRC restructured and added personnel, enacted changes to policies and procedures, and upgraded software. Each of these elements has improved the FenStar program.

Next-Gen Window Technology

The next generation of window, door and skylight technology will be done in a lab with the most up-to-date thermal performance measuring equipment and predictive performance analysis software.

Explain Energy Efficiency to Close More Sales

The National Fenestration Rating Council is providing window, door and skylight retailers and salespeople with tools to help their customers understand the energy performance of the products they are buying.    

High-performing Windows and the Energy-efficient Home

The interactive Window Selection Tool is a way for manufacturers to list their products and reach energy savings-savvy consumers.

Developing a Passive House Line

Insights on developing a high-performance window system.

3 Reasons Manufacturers Should Take Advantage of Skinny Triples

Adoption of skinny triples has, so far, been slow, but that could change soon. With some new incentives in place that make skinny triples more attractive, and as finding ways to hit California’s thermal targets becomes mandatory, there’s a ripe opportunity for window and door manufacturers to take…

High Performance Building Practices Prevalent in the Residential Home Building Market

Home builders across the country are prioritizing high-performance building practices in their projects, regardless if they consider the home they are building to be green, according to new research published in the 2020 Green Single Family and Multifamily Homes SmartMarket Brief.

The Continued Evolution of Residential Comfort

I had the opportunity to attend the American Institute of Architects annual conference in New York City this summer. From my perspective, it was a great, busy show, with big names from around the industry, international attendees and a good energy overall. At the event, I noticed that talk about…

Making Smart Investments in the Future of Glass

Thin or "skinny" triples use a very thin, nonstructural center lite, allow the use of a single spacer, and create no significant weight changes compared with standard dual-pane IGs. Window suppliers can drop skinny triple units into existing framing designs with little or no change in the frame and…

The Green Issue

Green building and energy performance are ever-developing areas within the construction industry. So too are the associated risks for industry stakeholders. So far, claims relating to green building construction have been—and will likely continue to be—asserted based on theories that resemble…

Social Cost of Carbon

A little over a year ago, we provided a general summary of then-recent events relating to the development and implementation of an innovative conceptual number, expressed monetarily, known as the “Social Cost of Carbon.” SC CO2 is defined by the EPA as an estimate of the economic damages…

Ingrained Innovation

Sometimes innovation occurs not when something new is created, but when an improvement to an existing process advances new ideas and practices. In the ever-evolving world of fenestration, innovation is ingrained in the industry. While innovation brings about improvements and breakthroughs,…