NFRC stands for National Fenestration Rating Council. NFRC is a nonprofit organization that provides the world's only uniform, impartial, independent rating system for windows, doors, and skylights. NFRC provides ratings and labels to provide consumers with vital information on products to effectively compare them to one another. Their goal as an organization is to provide fair, accurate and reliable ratings on the energy performance of the products [1].

Thanks to these NFRC ratings, homeowners, builders, code officials, and architects can all compare different products against one another and really get a feel for the differences in performance between them. Without this sort of uniform system, it would be very tough for a homeowner or even a knowledgeable professional to make informed decisions choosing between similarly priced products based on performance. The National Fenestration Rating Council makes these decisions much easier for all of us.

NFRC and Local Building Codes

One of the great benefits of the standards system put into place by the NFRC is the way it helps building officials in local municipalities, state government employees, and other individuals who are involved in the process of setting and administering building codes in their geographical regions to develop those codes and come up with enforcement standards based on a single set of performance guidelines. With ratings that apply to all fenestration products, NRFC standards make it easy to think about codes and write and administer them in a way that makes sense for everyone involved, from government officials to builders and contractors to homeowners.

Thanks to the National Fenestration Rating Council, manufacturers have a much easier time competing with one another and understanding the performance needed to market competitive products. The NFRC continues its work as time goes on, helping the industry move forward.

[1] http://www.nfrc.org/about.aspx Retrieved 2010-06-19.