Green Homes Special Series: Part Eight: Windows

Benney says that today’s window frame materials that are more energy-efficient and low-maintenance include fiberglass, wood/fiberglass composite, other wood composites, vinyl windows and vinyl and aluminum cladding, as well as thermally broken aluminum. 3. Visit the Efficient Windows Collaborative (EWC) web site. Check out the EWC web site, developed by DOE’s Windows and Glazing Program at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of The NFRC rates and certifies energy performance. Minnesota's Center for Sustainable Building Research. The EWC is a coalition of manufacturers, research organizations, government agencies and others interested in expanding the market for high-efficiency fenestration products. Fact sheets provide details about different classes of windows for hundreds of locations across the country. A Window Selection Tool allows you to compare costs for a typical house by window type, city and more. 4. Download a simulation program. Get more information about window efficiency by downloading a simulation tool from the Berkeley Lab. While it does operate with some presumptions, you can personalize it with such factors as housing type, location, orientation, utility costs and characteristics of the windows you are considering. The software calculates approximate energy use and costs to help you compare windows. 5. Check with the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) and Window and Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA). While Energy Star and NFRC labels look at energy efficiency, two other labels look at window performance. The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) and the Window and Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA) each offer a window product line certification process. Their programs are based on their harmonized standards and those of the Canadian Standards Association known as AAMA/WDMA/CSA 101/I.S. 2/A440. The WDMA's Hallmark Certification Program and the AAMA Gold Label Certification Program certify that a sample of that product met performance standards for air and water infiltration at the specified pressures, structural integrity and resistance to forced entry. Directories of certified products are available on their web sites.

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