Energy Star / Standards

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

High Performance Windows, Doors and Energy Efficiency is our top priority

Sunrise Windows and ENERGY STAR
Although they don't actually use energy, windows and doors can be a major source of heat loss. This is why more and more Canadians demand high performance windows and doors that meet ENERGY STAR standards. By considerably lowering energy costs, they represent substantial savings while providing comfort to your home or building. In addition, they help reduce potential condensation and attenuate outside noise.

For all these reasons, Sunrise Windows and Door Depot Ltd. is a proud member of the ENERGY STAR program in the window, sliding glass door and entry door category. This program ensures that energy performance are tested by a laboratory accredited by the Standards Council of Canada.

You can be sure that all Sunrise Window and Door Depot Ltd products bearing the ENERGY STAR symbol are ideally designed to withstand all Canadian weather conditions.

What is Low-E glass?

Low-E, or low emissivity glass has been coated with a low-emittance material designed to reflect heat. A window made with low emissivity glass repels ultraviolet rays that cause heat during summer months, but absorbs them and lets the heat in during winter. This type of glass can help you significantly lower your energy bills all year long.

What is ENERGY STAR?

ENERGY STAR is a voluntary Canadian energy efficiency initiative that helps consumers identify the most energy efficient products available. Administered by Natural Resources Canada, the ENERGY STAR program is internationally recognized and users include various levels of government, public service companies, manufacturers, retailers and environmental organizations.

In addition to administering the program, Natural Resources Canada oversees the promotion of its symbol and compliance with strict certification standards. ENERGY STAR-qualified products include home appliances, office equipment, consumer electronics, heating, cooling and ventilation equipment, lighting and signage equipment, commercial and industrial products, and windows and doors.

For more information on energy efficiency, visit www.energystar.gc.ca

How to Choose the Right ENERGY STAR Windows and Doors?

1. Consult the Canada's ENERGY STAR map divided in climate zones in order to know which one you are in.

2. The ENERGY STAR products that will suit your zones will be indicated on your windows and doors. Your retailer will be able to give you more information.

3. Choose a model that suits the climate zone where you live or a superior zone.

ENERGY STAR windows and doors will allow you savings that could reach 12%. There are many more advantages in the quality of these products: better comfort, less noises coming from the outside and less condensation than the traditional models.

Canada has been divided into four climate zones based on the annual average temperature. Zone A is the mildest, and Zone D is the coldest

What is Performance Energy Rating (ER) and the U-Value?

The U value measures the transfer rate or the thermal conductance of a product. The lower this value is, the more isolating value of the product is.

The energy performance rating assesses a window based on 3 aspects: the solar heat gain contribution, heat loss by the frame, the glazing or the spare and the heat loss by air leakage, no matter the material and the assembly method. Also, the higher the ER value of a product is, the better its energy performance.

In order to get the ENERGY STAR sign on a product, the U or the ER values must be certified by a third party.

CANADIAN STANDARDS ASSOCIATION
-CSA-A440 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

In order to more easily compare the quality and performance of windows, the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) has established the CSA-A440 standard. It describes how to measure and rate a windows air tightness, water tightness and wind resistance.

It also sets out minimum requirements for all components and their materials, from hardware, insect screens or weather stripping, to finishes adhesives and thermal performance, In addition, all windows must be designed to allow on-site glazing.

As a guideline, the higher the performance value in any given category, the better the resistance to the elements.

Throughout our brochure, Sunrise Windows performance ratings are listed with each window series to give a general comparison value.

Sunrise Windows CSA Performance Product Ratings

National Fenestration Ratings Council (NFRC)

Sunrise Windows is proud to have qualified all of our window and door products through the NFRC Quality Auditing Program.

NFRC is a non-profit organization that administers the only uniform, independent rating and labeling system for the energy performance of windows, doors, skylights, and attachment products. Their goal is to provide fair, accurate, and reliable energy performance ratings so that:

• Architects, builders, code officials, contractors, homeowners, and other can compare different products and make informed product choices.
• Building officials, provincial government employees, and others involved in code development and enforcement can determine if products meet local codes.
• Government and utility run energy efficient programs can establish performance requirements and standards.
• Manufacturers have fair and level playing field to compare products and an accurate method of showing the energy benefits of new designs or technology.

NFRC develops and administers energy-related rating and certification programs that serve the public by providing fair, accurate, and credible information on fenestration performance.

NFRC is the recognized leader in energy performance rating and certification programs for fenestration products.

Sunrise Windows and Door Depot Ltd is a NFRC certified manufacturer of windows and doors. Manufacturers that are NFRC certified are subject to frequent performance audits to ensure every product performs as well as the originally tested product.

For more information on the NFRC, visit http://www.nfrc.org/

The NFRC Label

The National Fenestration Rating Council energy performance label can help you determine how well a product will perform the functions of helping to cool your building in the summer and warm your building in the winter, keep out wind, and resist condensation. By using the information contained on the label, builders and consumers can reliably compare one product with another, and make informed decisions about the windows and doors they buy.

NOTE: All energy performance values on the label represent the rating of windows/doors as whole systems (glazing and frames)

U-Factor
U-Factor measures how well a product prevents heat from escaping. The rate of heat loss is indicated in terms of the U-Factor (U-value) of a window assembly. U-Factor ratings generally fall between 0.20 and 1.20. The lower the U-value, the greater a window's resistance to heat flow and the better its insulating value.

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient
Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) measures how well a product blocks heat caused by sunlight. The SHGC is the fraction of incident solar radiation admitted through the window (both directly transmitted and absorbed) and subsequently released inward. SHGC is expressed as a number between 0 and 1. The lower a window's solar heat gain coefficient, the less solar heat it transmits in the house.

Visible Transmittance
Visible Transmittance (VT) measures how much light comes through a product. The visible transmittance is an optical property that indicates the amount of visible light transmitted. VT is expressed as a number between 0 and 1. The higher the VT, the more light is transmitted

Air Leakage
Air Leakage (AL) is indicated by an air leakage rating expressed as the equivalent cubic feet of air passing through a square foot of window area (cfm/sq ft). Heat loss and gain occur by infiltration through cracks in the window assembly. The lower the AL, the less air will pass through cracks in the window assembly.

Condensation Resistance
Condensation Resistance (CR) measures the ability of a product to resist the formation of condensation on the interior surface of that product. The higher the CR rating, the better that product is at resisting condensation formation. While this rating cannot predict condensation, it can provide a credible method of comparing the potential of various products for condensation formation. CR is expressed as a number between 0 and 100.