Michael Franco, Phius operations manager and head of the Phius Product Certification Program, discusses an important milestone for the program.
Phius has reached an exciting milestone in our mission to advance passive building practices: the Phius Certified Windows and Doors Database now features more than 1,000 certified products! This accomplishment reflects the growing adoption of high-performance, energy-efficient fenestration and reinforces the program’s role in advancing passive building practices.
Both manufacturers and practitioners are increasingly recognizing the value of detailed, granular performance data. For those new to the program, here's an overview of how Phius works with its industry partners to certify fenestration products.
The Phius Certified Window and Door Program provides verified performance data for windows and doors specifically tailored to passive building projects. Our program provides product performance data at what we call the “component level,” and reports separate figures for the glass, spacer, and frame with climate-specific center-of-glass U-values. This approach offers practitioners unparalleled precision in energy modeling.
Other readily available performance figures rely on whole-window or whole-door U-values that are often calculated at standard window or door sizes and do not include separate frame and spacer performance data. These whole-product U-values at fixed dimensions are great for comparison shopping, but don’t offer a clear picture of performance at other sizes. Since whole-product U-vales don’t necessarily scale linearly, the performance of a standard-size window cannot be reliably scaled to nonstandard sizes without component-level data, which the Phius Certified Window and Door Program provides.
For designers, architects, and builders, Phius certified windows and doors provide key advantages:
Manufacturers can use Phius certification to differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive market. As the demand for energy-efficient buildings continues to grow, participation in the Phius certification program signals a commitment to developing and supplying high-performance products. Key benefits include:
A high-performance envelope is critical to reducing the amount of energy a building uses, and fenestration has a large impact on the envelope’s performance. Energy modelers rely on the availability of fenestration performance data to properly understand a building’s overall energy efficiency. The more detailed the performance data, the more they can refine their models.
Manufacturers also benefit from more precise product performance data. Obtaining Phius certification for their products offers additional credibility, increased visibility and a competitive advantage in the growing passive building market. Practitioners can confidently select Phius-certified products, knowing the performance data has undergone rigorous third-party validation.
To accommodate manufacturers of varying sizes and existing certifications, Phius offers two distinct certification pathways: the Blue Path and the Orange Path.
The Blue Path is tailored to manufacturers whose products are already listed in the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) Certified Product Directory (CPD) or are about to receive NFRC CPD listings; CPD numbers for each product are required to use this path. Since these products have already been tested and simulated through the NFRC framework, Phius is able to use this data to streamline the certification process, reducing the cost of certification and delivering results quickly. Manufacturers can easily earn Phius certification and maximize the value of their existing NFRC ratings, allowing them to tap into the passive building market without extensive testing beyond what they’ve already completed.
The Orange Path is best suited to manufacturers who either do not have NFRC CPD listings or do not plan to obtain them (however this path is open to all manufacturers). This option involves software simulations conducted either in-house by Phius staff or by a Phius-trained fenestration simulator. By taking this route, manufacturers gain access to Phius certification without completing other simulations or any physical testing. While this path does not offer the same economies of scale as the Blue Path, it is a less expensive alternative to certifying a lower number of products when compared to completing NFRC certification before pursuing Phius certification.
This option is also beneficial for international manufacturers who are either unfamiliar with North American testing standards, or who wish to provide performance data to European customers that is more in line with any existing testing completed per EN standards. It offers greater flexibility while ensuring accurate results.
We’re proud of this 1,000-product milestone, and we’re not stopping there. The program continues to expand, ensuring that practitioners have access to the data they need. Phius adds new certified products to our database each month, and we welcome suggestions for manufacturers or product lines that you’d like to see listed.
For manufacturers considering certification, there’s never been a better time to join. Our program documentation makes it easy to get started. We look forward to working with you!
Thank you to all the practitioners, manufacturers, and Phius staff and constituents who have contributed to this program and made this milestone possible!
