Earlier this year, the National Fenestration Rating Council’s (NFRC) FenStar® Certification Program, which ensures fenestration products meet ENERGY STAR® specifications, received accreditation to the acclaimed ISO/IEC 17065 Product Certification standard through the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Because of this, the FenStar staff made several significant changes to ensure the program maintains this accreditation and, at the same time, preserves the confidence and trust of its participants. The changes focused on licensee and laboratory requirements.

NFRC, through the FenStar Certification Program, is the nation’s sole independent, certification organization rating the energy performance of windows, doors, and skylights. NFRC also is the only EPA recognized ENERGY STAR® Certification Body and remains an EPA recognized Verification Testing Organization. NFRC and EPA have worked together closely since the inception of this and throughout the development of the FenStar Certification Program. This relationship ensures that the program aligns with the goals of ENERGY STAR and provides a third-party certification that has real value in the marketplace.

During a recent webinar, NFRC’s FenStar team discussed the details of the program’s improvements and updates to documents as well as shared the 2019 verification testing results and the 2020 verification testing cycle. Overall, manufacturers are receptive to these changes, which are designed to reduce testing delays and reporting of results. These reductions can be directly attributed to requirement modifications for both licensees and laboratories, streamlining the understanding of roles and expectations of each group within the verification testing process.

So why does this accreditation matter? Accreditation to the ISO/IEC 17065 standard solidifies NFRC’s commitment to the integrity of the certification program. It also fulfills the requirements for certification bodies for the ENERGY STAR Program. NFRC and FenStar build and maintain the confidence and trust of program participants and consumers who want to know the windows, doors and skylights they are buying are certified. That’s why we’re making efforts to ensure the program maintains the accreditation. 

Additionally, FenStar staff encourage manufacturers and their representatives to reach out with questions and concerns regarding the changes. Feel free to contact Steve McDowell, NFRC’s residential program manager, and Dan Womer, FenStar program administrator. In case you missed it, listen to the webinar, review the presentation, submit comments or questions, and view other resources here.