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The High Performance Window Certification Program (HPWCP)

1. Program Overview 

1.1 Purpose and Scope

Over the next 16 years, the energy performance of buildings is expected to increase to meet the Province’s Climate Leadership Plan target to achieve net-zero energy buildings by 2032.  A key component of this market transformation will be a ready supply of high performance windows. The costs associated with creating new product lines that exceed current BC energy efficiency requirements, including lab testing and certification, are a barrier to the introduction of high performance windows into the market. The High Performance Window Certification program (Program) aims to address this market barrier and stimulate BC manufacturers to develop new designs and manufacturing processes that will lead to cost-effective, marketable, high performance windows being built in British Columbia.  These new designs will in turn help BC residents and businesses to maximize the energy performance of their homes and buildings.

1.2 Energy Performance Levels

The Program will incentivize manufacturers to test and certify a new window product or product line to two different performance levels: the Canadian ENERGY STAR Most Efficient designation or to the Passive House Institute (PHI) Certifiable Component criteria

Information on the two standards can be found here:

ENERGY STAR Most Efficient: http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/pml-lmp/index.cfm?action=app.search-recherche&appliance=WINDOWS

Passive House: http://passiv.de/downloads/03_certification_criteria_transparent_components_en.pdf

For details on program eligibility requirements, see Section 2.

Funding for the Program is provided through the Innovative Clean Energy (ICE) Fund.  Established in 2007, the ICE Fund is designed to support the province’s energy, economic, environmental and greenhouse gas reduction priorities and advance BC’s clean energy sector.  

The Program was designed in accordance with, and to advance, the goals and objectives of the: Ministry of Energy and Mine’s 2017/18 – 2019/20 Service Plan, Climate Leadership Plan and the BC Jobs Plan.

1.3  Amount of Contribution

The following funding is available on a first come, first served basis for accepted projects per proponent through March 30, 2020:

    • ENERGY STAR Most Efficient product line certification: $25,000
    • Passive House product line certification to the Certifiable Component level for PHI climate One 3 or climate zone 2: $40,000

Proponents can receive up to two awards during the term of the Program.  However, a new and different product line is rquired for each award.

1.4  Summary of Process

All Program funding will be administered via the Fenestration Association of British Columbia (FENBC).

Program applications are made using forms provided by FENBC, and supplying required materials to demonstrate thermal performance certification by either Natural Resources Canada (ENERGY STAR) or the Passive House Institute, along with either CSA 440.2 or NFRC 100 testing results and NAFS testing results from a Standards Council of Canada (SCC) accredited testing lab .


2. Eligibility

2.1 Eligible Applicants

The following are eligible applicants:

    • A company that manufactures the subject window product or product line in BC.
    • A consortium of manufacturers that apply as a group, sharing a single fenestration product (or product line), that manufacture the subject product or product line in BC.

The manufacturer or consortium of manufacturers must weach have manufacturing facilities located in BC that as of March 6, 2017 are fabricating windows, at which hardware and glass are installed.

2.2 Eligible Projects

Eligible projects encompass a new window product line that as of March 6, 2017 or after is:

    • Either: 
        • certified by Natural Resources Canada as ENERGY STAR-Most Efficient;  or

        • certified by the Passive House Institute to the Certified Component performance level for PHI climate zone 3 or climate zone 2.
    • Achieves CSA 440.2 or NFRC 100 certification and NAFS-08 compliance to demonstrate productions are saleable in BC.

For the purpose of this program, a product line shall have a minimum of two individual unit products: an operable product and a fixed glass product that can be mulled together to produce a combination product, or that can be divided with mullions to allow fixed and operable units to be offered in a common frame. Product lines sharing framing designs having identical external boundary profiles in cross section view but differing in internal components or geometry shall be considered as separate product lines.

To qualify for an award, a minimum of one fixed and one operable product that can be mulled together shall be tested and certified to either the ENERGY STAR Most Efficient or the Passive House Certified Component performance level, and the NAFS standard (see note).

Note:  The NAFS testing of hinged or projecting product lines must qualify the fixed and operable products mulled togther side by side at NAFS gateway sizes as a combination assembly product, or as a composite unit product.  The NAFS testing of sliding sash product lines may qualify the fixed and operable products as two separate individual units, one containing a sliding sash, the other a fixed unit.

2.3 Ineligible Projects

A project will be considered ineligible where:

    • the applicant does not meet either one of the definitions of Eligible Applicants in Section 2.1 of this Program guide;
    • the project does not meet the definition of Eligible Projects in Section 2.2 of this Program Guide;
    • the project has already received funding from the ICE Fund;
    • the fenestration product or product line has already completed testing by a test centre accredited by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC), or the Passive House Institute, at the time the proponents’ application is submitted for the Program; or

    • the project does not otherwise meet the mandatory criteria as outlined in this Program Guide.

3. Application 

3.1 How to Apply

Each window manufacturer or consortium is allowed to submit only two applications during the termn of the program.

Step 1: Pursue the testing and certification of the new window product or product line as per eligibility requirements and receive all documentation demonstrating that the product(s) have achieved Program requirements.

Step 2: Download or otherwise obtain the Program Application Form from FENBC.

Step 3: Complete the Application Form as a fillable .pdf.

Step 4: Save the completed Application Form with the following filename format using the applicant’s name, HPWCP (acronym of the Program) and date completed (yymmdd).

For example: CompanyName_HPWCP_161030.pdf.

Step 5: Prepare supporting documentation that will be submitted with the Application Form (see Section 3.2).

Step 6: Email the completed Application Form and any supporting documentation to FENBC at:  HPWCP@fen-bc.org

Closing Date for Application to HPWCP:

All completed applications and supporting documentation can be submitted to HPWCP@fen-bc.org any time before 5:00pm, Pacific Daylight Time, Friday, March 30, 2020 (subject to available funds)  in order to be considered.

Notes:

    • The information being collected is for the administration of the Program and will be used to evaluate eligibility.  The information submitted is subject to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.  As such, any questions about the collection, use or disclosure of this information should be directed to the Contact at the end of this Program Guide.

    • This Program Guide is not an agreement to purchase goods or services, or an approval of any activity or development contemplated in any proposal that requires any approval, permit or license pursuant to any federal, provincial, regional district or municipal statue, regulation or by-law. 
    • FENBC is not bound to enter into an agreement with any applicant.
    • Applications will be evaluated with respect to the Eligibility Criteria detailed in Section 2 of the Program Guide.
    • Once an application is submitted, FENBC is not under any obligation to receive further information, whether written or oral, from any Applicant unless requested.

    • All application approval decisions are final.

 

3.2  Application Guidelines

When preparing applications, please refer to Table 1 below for the guidelines on submitting information and supporting documentation to address the Evaluation Criteria. The supporting documents listed are examples; proponents may submit additional or alternative documentation. 

NOTE: When attaching supporting documentation, please ensure that the text in the Application Form highlights the relevant points and references the page / sections in the supporting materials where this information can be found.  If Fen-BC cannot easily identify or find relevant information in the supporting documentation pursuant to the eligibility requirements, an application may not be accepted.

Table 1: Guidelines for Submissions

 Criteria

 Example Supporting Documentation

Demonstrate with certified third-party documentation that the window product or product line has met the required criteria of either:

1. Certified as ENERGY STAR - Most Efficient.

2. Certified by the Passive House Institue 
  • Notification from NRCan demonstrating ENERGY STAR Most Efficient along with evidences that the new eligible window products are listed online in the NRCan database or notification and a report from the Passive House Institute (Germany), demonstrating Passive House Certification.

  • SCC accredited-test centre reports on CSA 440.2/NRFC 100 testing

  • SCC-accredited test centre reports on NAFS-08 testing

Examples of documention:

Passive House Institute (PHI) Certification Contract

Report - Certified Passive House Component

Example - Passive House Institute (PHI) Certificate

 

3.3  Approval of Applications

It is anticipated that successful proponents will receive notification of approved project funding within 45 days of submitting their application, including notification of whether the project has been approved. 

Contributions are project-specific and may not be transferred from an approved application to a new proposal.

 

4.  Contact Information

Zana Gordon
Executive Director, Fenestration Association of BC
HPWCP@fen-bc.org

 

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