A new Product Category Rule (PCR) has been released in collaborative partnership among the Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance (FGIA), the National Glass Association (NGA) and the Window and Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA). This PCR for Fenestration Systems provides manufacturers with the base document needed to develop Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). EPDs provide a means for manufacturers to take comprehensive, third-party verified Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) and transform them into standardized declaration labels for their products.
The new PCR for Fenestration Systems defines a normalized “declared unit” as one square metre of fenestration assemblies including framing and glass. To reflect the differences in fenestration manufacturing approaches, EPD results disclose the LCA results as a total fenestration system and also separately for both the frame and the glazing, because some manufacturers may make only the frame, or there may be variability in glass types used.
This new PCR covers exterior-grade, finished, assembled fenestration assemblies including skylights, windows, curtain walls, storefronts and doors. For more specific inclusions, see Table 1 of the PCR for Fenestration Assemblies.
The relative ratio of framing and glass for EPDs based on this PCR is derived from National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) standard sizes and configurations prior to normalization. This may or may not be representative of the project-specific sizes and configurations on a specific building or group of buildings.
“This Fenestration PCR is more encompassing for the glass and glazing industry and will allow companies to generate their EPDs with the most up-to-date rules for sustainability,” said NGA Vice President of Technical Services and Advocacy, Urmilla Sowell.