The performance claims made for Reflective Blinds has been done under the Windows Energy Rating Scheme using the same computer modelling software as used by the US National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC). This software has been thoroughly validated against laboratory tests in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom — in all climates, hot and cold. WERS is truly international in its derivation and draws on over 100 person-years of R&D in 15 countries over the last decade.
Reflective Blinds / Energy Shield is a fully licensed participant in the Window Energy Rating Scheme (Australasian Window Council, 2002). Custom energy ratings for Reflective Blinds products, in their most basic form, denote the performance improvement provided by each product when used in conjunction with a typical, 3 mm clear glass, aluminium framed window. Energy ratings are based on optical measurements and computer modelling by means of software from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA, and the WERS Program (AWC 2002).
Energy Rating for windows is here to stay. Certified energy performance is an essential part of the information that professional companies provide to their customers. The Australian Federal Government’s Australian Greenhouse Office is helping to underwrite WERS as part of its commitment to improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse emissions from the built environment.
The market profile and returns from high-performance windows are increasing rapidly. Gone are the days when windows were just a commodity to be sold on price alone.
WERS will be referenced by AS 2047 and the Building Code of Australia.
The Australasian Window Council is the peak body for the window product and component industry in Australia and New Zealand. The AWA is a major player in that body. WERS is independent of any one manufacturer and acts as a fair, rigorous and credible system for testing performance claims.