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ENERGY STAR^® – Windows‚ Doors and Skylights

The elements specified for ENERGY STAR qualified windows doors and skylights apply to Canada only. In addition‚ the levels have been developed primarily for products that are installed in buildings of three or fewer stories and used for residential or light commercial purposes.

Definitions

Window

An assembly that transfers visible light and is designed to be secured in a vertical position within a wall structure in a building envelope.

Skylight

An assembly that transfers visible light and is designed to be secured in a sloped position within a roof structure in a building envelope.

Door

An assembly that may or may not transfer visible light and is designed to be secured in a vertical position within a wall structure in a building envelope. The primary function of the assembly is to allow human egress. A sliding glass door opens in plane with the wall and has a glazed area more than 75 percent of the total assembly in size.

CSA – Canadian Standards Association

CGSB – Canadian General Standards Board

NFRC – U.S. National Fenestration Rating Council

Test Standards

Thermal

CSA A440.2 Energy Performance of Windows and Other Fenestration Systems

CSA A453.0 Energy Performance Evaluation of Swinging Doors
(Note: the Energy Rating or ER formula from the CSA A440.2 - 04 standard must be used to calculate the ER rating for swinging doors).

NFRC 100 Procedure For Determining Fenestration Product U-factors

NFRC 200 Procedure For Determining Fenestration Product Solar Heat Gain Coefficient and Visible Transmittance at Normal Incidence

Structural (for airtightness)

CSA A440.0   Windows

CGBS 82.1   Sliding Doors

CGSB 82.5   Insulated Steel Doors

Criteria

Windows and doors may qualify for ENERGY STAR with either their U-value or Energy Rating (ER) value. If a window or door qualifies with its ER value‚ the U-value for that product may not exceed 2.00 W/m² K. Skylights may only qualify with their U-value. Values given in Table 1 and Table 2 are for total product performance only‚ not centre-of-glass. Products may qualify for more than one zone. For windows and sliding glass doors‚ there is also a maximum air leakage rate of 1.65 (m³/h)/m (CSA A440.0/CGSB 82.1‚ Level A2) for all zones.

^*See Appendix 1 for an explanation of the 2004 ER formula.
^**The sash may be integral to the frame. Example: fixed casements.

Appendix 1: Information About the New ER Formula

In the 2004 version of the CSA A440.2 standard, the ER formula underwent the following changes:

1. A 20 percent solar reduction factor was added.
2. A constant factor of 40 was added to make all ER numbers positive.

In addition, window sample sizes were harmonized with the U.S. NFRC standards.

As a result of the changes, the qualifying levels for ENERGY STAR had to be recalculated to match the thermal performance required by the previous version of the ER equation. Table 3 compares the ENERGY STAR zone gateway values for the 2004 version of the standard to the previous 1998 version.

Zones

Because the climate varies widely across Canada and because windows‚ doors and skylights are part of the building envelope‚ four climate zones in Canada‚ based on an average annual temperature indicator called a heating degree-day (HDD)‚ were developed specifically for the ENERGY STAR program for windows‚ doors and skylights. A heating degree-day is the annual sum of the degrees of the average daily temperature for all days below 18°C.

This accumulated sum is then averaged over a 30-year period to provide a good indication of the average temperature in a certain location. The higher the average HDD value‚ the colder a location and the longer the heating season‚ usually with very cold winter temperatures. Zone A is the mildest region in Canada‚ and Zone D is the coldest region.

(Image - Map of Canada)

For locations that are significantly higher in elevation than the surrounding area‚ it is better to purchase a product rated for at least one zone colder than indicated on the zone map. This is especially true in southern and central British Columbia‚ where energy efficiency levels have been determined for major urban centres‚ which are normally located in valleys.

The following are heating degree-day values and ENERGY STAR qualification zones for a number of locations in Canada.

Sample Procurement Language for ENERGY STAR – Qualified Windows‚ Doors and Skylights

The following language is recommended for use in procurement contracts so that you receive ENERGY STAR qualified windows‚ doors and skylights . As with all purchases‚ be sure to ask the appropriate questions so that you get exactly what you want.

The vendor must

• Verify that the window‚ door or skylight model has been qualified to bear the ENERGY STAR symbol by a manufacturer participating in the ENERGY STAR initiative.

• Ensure that the model qualifies for the area where the product is installed (or for a colder area) according to the heating degree-days and climatic zones (A, B, C, D) as per the information in the preceding section.

• For window and sliding glass doors‚ ensure that air leakage does not exceed 1.65 (m³/h)/m.

Information Resources

List of models: Windows

List of models: Sliding Glass Doors

Search options include:

1. Brand name
2. Product Name
3. Model number
4. Material and/or Style
5. ENERGY STAR Zones

Original Data Source

Data supplied to NRCan (Natural Resources Canada) by participating manufacturers

List of participating manufacturers of ENERGY STAR qualified windows‚ doors or skylights.

List of participating dealers of ENERGY STAR qualified windows, doors or skylights.

Update Frequency

As required

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