Code Compliance and Energy Efficiency
Changing times in the window and door business
By JEFF BAKER
The introduction of energy efficiency acts in British Columbia and Ontario, new energy codes at the national level adopted in six provinces, coupled with changes in the 2010 National Building Code for air, water and structural performance requirements, have necessitated considerable changes in the window and door industry in Canada over the past few years. To ensure that the products they are installing are code compliant, builders, renovators and contractors need to consult with, and work directly with, window and door suppliers.
Window manufacturers have been testing their products for air, water and structural performance for a long time, but the adoption of the Harmonized North American Fenestration Standard (NAFS) in NBC 2010 has changed the way the test data needs to be labeled on the product.
Window manufacturers have also been dealing with energy performance requirements in the ENERGY STAR program for many years now and most will have the energy performance data for their products, although labeling to comply with energy codes is new to some manufacturers.
For example, air, water and structural requirements for side-hinged doors had not been well defined in building codes prior to 2010. The NAFS standard now includes side-hinged entry doors and the reference of NAFS within the building code levels the playing field and clarifies expectations. Door prehangers are working to get their products tested to comply with the building code and energy code requirements.
Compliance
Unlike performance requirements for other building components the air, water, structural, and energy performance requirements for windows and doors vary with climate and location. There are performance requirements for more than 600 locations across Canada included in the building code and NAFS standard. If installed products are found not to be in compliance or not properly labeled to prove they are in compliance this could lead to delays, added costs and, ultimately, the removal of non-compliant products, replaced with compliant ones. By working with their suppliers, builders, renovators and contractors can ensure that the products being installed meet all local requirements and are properly labeled to prove they conform to the standard. It's far too late in the construction stage to run into compliance issues with windows and doors at final inspection.
The best time to address the performance requirement for windows and doors with your local building official is at the plan checking stage. Get the performance requirements on the plans and agreed to at this stage. Then, when you are talking with your window and door supplier there will be no debate as to what performance is required and the supplier will know exactly what product they need to provide with the appropriate level of performance.
In Ontario and British Columbia the provincial energy efficiency acts require that windows be certified for energy performance. This is above and beyond the energy code requirements. In British Columbia there are additional requirements for doors in their energy efficiency act as well. In both Ontario and B.C., you cannot sell a window without an energy certification label, therefore in these two provinces building officials will be looking for certified energy performance labels.
Working Together
All the changes in building and energy codes have significantly increased the requirements for window and door manufacturers to provide code compliant products for builders. But what do builders really need to know? Building officials are looking at windows and doors to ensure that they comply with the building and energy codes. Here's a windows and doors checklist to get you started:
Working with the your local building official and your window and door suppliers to get your project details right will save you a lot of aggravation, cost and unexpected delays.
Jeff Baker of WESTLab Canada is the technical consultant for Fenestration Canada, chair of the NFRC board of directors, chair of the CSA A440 technical committee on fenestration performance, and participates in several Canadian national building code committees.
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