Minimum and Maximum SGHCs Proposed
in Climate Zones 5 through 8 for IRC; Proposal Disapproved

Thomas Zaremba of Roetzel & Andress, representing Pilkington North America, and Tom Mewbourne, representing AFG Industries Inc., proposed that the Building and Energy Conservation Code Committee of the International Code Council instate a minimum solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) of .40 and a maximum of .59 in Climate Zones 5 through 8 for labeled fenestration products in an attempt to increase energy efficiency.

Though ultimately the proposal was disapproved by a vote of 11-0, Thomas Culp of Birchpoint Consulting LLC spoke in favor of it.

“The best glass in the South is the worst glass in the North,” said Culp. “[This proposal] prevents the wrong glass from being used in the North.”

However, the majority who came to the podium was opposed, including Craig Drumheller of the National Association of Homebuilders.

“This proposal creates hard limits when they’re not necessary,” he said. “It prevents good decisions from being made when possible and it limits the availability.”

Alecia Ward of the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance agreed.

“We need to allow for places that have harsh summer cooling loads and harsh winter heating loads to have adaptability,” she said.

Julie Ruth, a member of the Building and Energy Conservation Code Committee and code consultant for the American Architectural Manufacturers Association, noted that the concept of the proposal had merit—but that there could be a better avenue for the changes.

“I think minimum SGHCs in some applications in the North is a good thing, but it has to be done appropriately,” she said.

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