NFRC Announces New Ventilation Rating
The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) has approved a new ventilation rating in its Spring 2016 Committee Meeting in Alexandria, Virginia.
The Ventilation Rating Task Group, led by chair Ray Garries, developed a new method for rating the ventilation performance of operable windows. According to Garries, "The key point here is that NFRC will now be able to supply the key part of the formula for effective natural ventilation. [...] NFRC’s ventilation rating will fill in the ‘A’ in the formula Q_wind = K * A * V."
The formula provides NFRC with a way to measure the effectiveness of ventilation systems, which in this case are natural ventilation systems.
Q_wind = K * A * V
where:
Q_wind = airflow volumetric rate (m³/h)K = coefficient of effectivenessA = opening area, of smaller opening (m²)V = outdoor uninterrupted wind speed (m/h)
So, why is this important, anyway? The approval of the new ventilation rating could mean a huge advancement in ventilation systems. The NFRC has figured out a way to make natural ventilation work as well as mechanical ventilation. The benefits of natural ventilation through operable windows will become much clearer, while we might reconsider the use of mechanical ventilation systems.
The world would no longer waste ridiculous amounts of energy on HVAC, our electricity bills would not drive us to misery, and we would enjoy the fresh air more often. This is major news for sustainable construction and commercial building operation. NFRC could be the leader of a change that would improve the environment without affecting our day-to-day lives.
In addition to the new ventilation rating, the NFRC developed an alternative method for rating residential windows and took its first steps toward determining a modeling method for vacuum insulating glass performance in windows.
Release of the procedure and implementation of the ventilation rating is expected in early 2017. However, it’s not too early to fantasize about fresh air flowing through your office.