Attachments Energy Ratings Council
WCMA is developing a certification and rating program for residential and commercial fenestration attachment products.
To that end, WCMA is pleased to announce the establishment of the Attachments Energy Ratings Council (AERC). AERC’s mission is to create a consistent set of third-party energy performance-based rating and certification standards and program procedures, oversee the implementation of rating, certification, labeling, and performance verification procedures, and develop and maintain a publicly available, searchable electronic database of fenestration attachment product performance. Fenestration attachments as referenced by the AERC are non-integral fenestration attachments, i.e. products attached to an installed fenestration or attached to or near the perimeter of the inner or outer wall surrounding the fenestration. Attachments may be fixed or operable, manual or automated.
Fenestration attachments are a cost-effective means of reducing energy use in both the residential and commercial buildings and, due to their low cost and the rapid turnover of the installed base, have the potential to save approximately 800 tBTU by 2030 according to DOE analysis. Despite this substantial opportunity, there are currently no performance rating mechanisms for assessing the energy performance of fenestration attachments, which means the available energy savings are not being fully realized because consumers are unable to identify the fenestration attachment products that have the potential to save energy. The AERC’s work will fill this gap and pave the way for potentially billions of dollars in energy cost savings for U.S. households and businesses.
The success of this 4-year program will be based on a 3-pronged technical approach:
Prioritization of product types and performance indices, phasing in a wider array of attachment products as the program builds and sustains itself
Characterization of the key material properties (i.e. transmittance, reflectance, and emissivity)
Simulation of product performance, cost-effectively widening the range of products being rated and driving the development of the technically valid procedures to be applied to a broad array of products
The program aims to provide the technical tools necessary to transform the attachments market and provide a useful resource for consumers to make informed energy decisions. Manufacturers of components or finished fenestration attachment products, public interest organizations, non-profits, test laboratories, utilities, distributor/retailers of fenestration attachments, or individuals with experience in developing energy ratings or with expertise in energy efficient building design or construction are all welcome to become AERC members and have a voice in this new and exciting process. For additional questions or information please contact: Nicole Blackshear, [email protected] 678-303-3021.
For more information, visit the AERC website.