The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) currently has eight ballots open for review and voting by NFRC members ahead of the Fall Membership Virtual Meeting. Ballots are introduced and made public so that all of those involved in NFRC’s procedures are aware of potential changes in the fenestration rating processes. Also, this creates an opportunity for interested parties to become members and vote.

This overview of the ballots that are currently open for comment details the proposed changes. To review the full ballots, please go to the NFRC Community Website. Voting is open from now until Sept. 24, 2020. Ballots will be discussed during the committee sessions at the Fall Membership Virtual Meeting Oct. 19-21.

NFRC’s New Commercial Program – Four ballots

After years of careful review of industry needs and opportunities for improvement of the current NFRC commercial program the Component Modeling Approach (CMA), NFRC staff have introduced the first of four ballots providing membership with the opportunity to comment on the program.

Three ballots have been prepared to amend technical documents – ANSI/NFRC 100, ANSI/NFRC 200, and ANSI/NFRC 500 – with language for the Commercial Trendline Approach (CTA) that will be used for calculating ratings for commercial fenestration products.

In addition, the program document for the new commercial program is undergoing the first draft review by membership – NFRC 715: Commercial Energy Performance Certification Program: Products and Projects. All NFRC members and participants who are interested or involved in the commercial fenestration market should review this document.

Spandrel Ballots – Two ballots

There are two ballots, affecting ANSI/NFRC 100 and ANSI/NFRC 200, that will allow all spandrel panel systems to be simulated. Research has shown that interior opaque metal insulation panels can be simulated and validated, which will expand what is currently available for commercial manufacturers of glazed wall systems. This work has been prepared by the Spandrel Validation Task Group.

Dome Skylights – One ballot

This ballot presented by the Solar Optical Performance Non-Planar Transparent Systems Task Group makes editorial changes to allow for the inclusion of dome skylight products in the ANSI/NFRC 202: Procedure for Determining Translucent Fenestration Product Visible Transmittance at Normal Incidence.

Improvements to ANSI/NFRC 500 – One ballot

Previously presented and discussed, NFRC developed an improved rating for condensation (see “Understanding the New NFRC Condensation Index” webinar presented this summer). This ballot refines the language in ANSI/NFRC 500: Procedure for Determining Fenestration Product Condensation Index Ratings providing clarification regarding simulating blinds and shades between the glass and locations to collect temperatures.

Not a member company, but want to vote? Contact Jessica Finn, NFRC Membership Manager. It’s not too late to become a member—your vote is your voice!

Additional information, including the schedule and supporting documents, can be found on the NFRC website.