Labels, Ratings & Standards
A A M A
AAMA Certification & ANSI/AAMA/NWWDA 101/I.S. 2 - since 1962, AAMA's ANSI-accredited Certification Program, the original third party, window performance verification program, has provided manufacturers with the means to independently demonstrate product performance. Since then, AAMA Certification has grown to encompass a wide range of windows and door products.Certified Products Directory - labeled products and their manufacturers are listed in the AAMA Certified Products Directory, the industry's foremost sourcebook for certified quality products.
Certified PVC Extrusions - this directory lists the producers (and their code designations) who are licensees of the AAMA PVC Extrusion Certification Program. If a producer is not included in this listing, that producer’s extrusions may not be used in a window or sliding glass door which is labeled in the AAMA Window and Door Certification Program.
Verified Components - AAMA's Certification Program Verified Components List is a complete list of window and door component manufacturers who have submitted samples for testing and are in full compliance with the applicable specification.
N F R C
Developed and operates a uniform national rating system for energy performance of fenestration products. The linchpin of the Rating System is a procedure for determining the thermal transmittance ("U-Factor") of a product.The U-factor rating procedure is supplemented by procedures for rating products for; Solar heat gain coefficient ("solar heat gain" or "SHGC"), Visible light transmittance ("visible light" or "VT"), Condensation resistance and air leakage ("AL").
The N.F.R.C. label levels the playing field for claims of specific thermal performance. The 'U" value is the reciprocal of the "R" value, and in this case the lower the number, the better the window performs thermally as a "unit".
Energy Star
Energy Star was introduced by the US Environmental Protection Agency in 1992. It is a voluntary labeling program designed to identify and promote energy-efficient products.EPA partnered with the US Department of Energy in 1996 to promote the ENERGY STAR label.
Energy-Efficiency Specifications for Qualifying Products; Must be rated, certified and labeled for both U-factor and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) in accordance with the procedures of the National Fenestration Rating Council.
This Energy Star label appears on any unit which has been tested and meets N.F.R.C. testing standards for a given region.
L E E D
The LEED™(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building rating system was originally developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to provide d a recognized standard for the construction industry to assess the environmental sustainability of building designs.LEED™ is a point-based rating system; points are earned for building attributes considered environmentally beneficial. LEED™ differs from other rating systems in that it has quantified most of the "green credits". For example, 5% of the building materials must be from salvaged materials to earn a point for the salvaged materials credit.
