| What
is the ENERGY STAR® Progam?
ENERGY
STAR® is a government-backed program helping businesses and
individuals protect the environment through superior energy efficiency.
ENERGY STAR® is an independent U.S. Government program establishing
a standard set of guidelines to recognize the energy efficiency
of various products. In the home building and remodeling industry,
ENERGY STAR® guidelines are used in conjunction with a variety
of building materials, including windows and patio doors.
What Window And Door Features Are Recognized By
ENERGY STAR®?
For windows and doors, ENERGY STAR® guidelines assess the U-factor
and the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC).
The U-factor is commonly described as the amount of heat transferred
through a material. The lower the U-factor, the slower the rate
of heat flow and the better the insulating quality.
The SHGC refers to the amount
of heat from the sun that windows and doors allow into the home.
The lower the number, the greater the ability to reduce the amount
of heat absorbed into the home.
ENERGY STAR® qualified window
products also provide protection against sun damage to fabrics in
your home. |
Studies have shown that over 40% of a typical home's annual
energy budget is consumed by windows and doors. ENERGY STAR®
labeled windows and doors are twice as efficient as those manufactured
just ten years ago, and they are 40% more efficient than products
manufactured using common building code guidelines.
|
What Factors Can Affect An ENERGY
STAR® Qualification?
Several product features can improve a window
or door's ability to meet ENERGY STAR® guidelines. Features such
as low emissivity glass, the size of the air space inside the insulating
glass unit and the type of frame and sash material are just a few
product attributes that can alter how well a window or door meets
the established ENERGY STAR® guidelines in a specific area of
the country.
To be labeled as an ENERGY STAR® product, the U-factor and SHGC
(Solar Heat Gain Coefficient) ratings must be less than or equal to
those established by ENERGY STAR®.
|
If
all the residential windows in the United States were replaced with
ENERGY STAR® qualifying models, the nation would save $134 billion
in energy costs over the next 15 years. Using new technology in
frame materials, glass coatings, design, and gas fills, today's
ENERGY STAR qualified window products help achieve significant heating
and cooling cost savings.
Learn more about the ENERGY STAR® Program
at their web site. |
