Modern Window & Doors, Inc. -- Energy Star Information

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ENERGY STAR is a government-backed program helping businesses
and individuals protect the environment through superior energy efficiency.

A large part, approaching 50%, of a home's energy cost is due heat gain or loss through windows and doors. ENERGY STAR labeled windows and doors are 40% more efficient than products manufactured using common building code guidelines.

ENERGY STAR guidelines For windows and doors, evaluate the U-factor and the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) of the glazing.

The U-factor is a measurement of heat transferring through a material. Lower U-factors indicate better insulating properties and therefore lower heating and cooling costs.

SHGC is a measurement of the amount of heat gained from the sun light through glass windows and doors. Lower SHGC measurements indicate better insulating properties and therefore lower heating and cooling costs.

The four-zone ENERGY STAR map shown below can be used a guide for your area. All across the country energy efficient windows and doors can increase your comfort and save you money.

Optional features can further increase the insulating characteristics of our windows and doors. Thicker insulated glass panels, low-E glass, triple-glazing and filling glass panels with Krypton or Argon gas (Krypton and Argon gas transmit heat more slowly than dry air), for example.

Low-emittance (Low-E) coatings are microscopically thin, virtually invisible, metal or metallic oxide layers deposited on a window or door glazing surface primarily to increase the R-Value by suppressing radiative heat flow. Low-E coatings are transparent to visible light.

ENERGY STAR labeled products must have U-factor and SHGC (Solar Heat Gain Coefficient) ratings equal to or less than those established by ENERGY STAR.