1. SOFT-
ENERGY STAR®
certified windows
ENERGY STAR®
is the trusted,
government-backed
symbol for energy
efficiency, helping us all
save money and protect the
environment. The program
makes it easy for consumers
to identify and purchase energy-
efficient products that offer savings
on energy bills without sacrificing
performance, features, and comfort.

2. Not all windows qualify for the
ENERGY STAR®
label. First
they must be tested by an
independent laboratory—approved
by the National Fenestration
Ratings Council (NFRC)—to
meet stringent criteria pertaining
to energy efficiency and light
transmittance. The ratings they
achieve will differ because of
variables such as the glass used,
style and product design and
construction. Windows may qualify
for the ENERGY STAR®
label in
one or more ENERGY STAR®
climate zones, so it is important
that you select windows that are
ENERGY STAR®
certified for your
region.
Anatomy of an Energy-
Efficient Window
Frame Materials—Windows can
be constructed of vinyl, fiberglass,
wood or other composite frame
materials.
Multiple Glass Panes—To
achieve greater efficiency,
windows typically incorporate
double- or triple-insulating glass
combined with a high-performance
Low-E glass.
Low-E Coatings—This film—
comprised of microscopically thin,
virtually invisible, metal or metallic
oxide layers—is applied to the
glass surfaces of the window or
door to help keep heat inside in
winter and outside in summer.
Inert Gas Fill—Odorless,
colorless, non-toxic gases such as
argon or krypton are inserted and
sealed between the glass panes to
improve the insulating properties
of the window.
Spacer System—Spacers ensure
that the window’s glass panes are
the appropriate distance apart.
Spacer systems are constructed
of aluminum, steel, composites,
fiberglass or vinyl. Warm-edge
spacers help lower a product’s
overall U-value and reduce the
likelihood of condensation.
ENERGY STAR®
Most
Efficient
ENERGY STAR®
Most Efficient is
a new program element to identify
and advance highly efficient
products in the marketplace. This
designation recognizes the most
efficient products among those
that qualify for the ENERGY
STAR®
program. Recognition
criteria were established to
ensure that products that receive
this recognition demonstrate
efficiency performance that is
truly exceptional, inspirational, or
leading edge — consistent with
the interests of environmentally-
motivated consumers and early
adopters. Soft-Lite Windows from
each of its product lines have
qualified for the Most Efficient
designation.
What are ENERGY STAR®
Certified Windows & Doors?
E
Frame Materials
Multiple Glass Panes
Low-E Coatings
Spacer System
Inert Gas Fill

3. The insulating properties of the entire window—including its
U-value, visible light transmittance and solar heat gain of the
glass—determine whether or not a window can be ENERGY STAR®
certified. The NFRC rates the following:
 U-FACTOR is a measure of rate of heat loss through a
product and shows how well a fenestration product insulates.
U-factor ratings generally fall between 0.20 and 1.20. The lower the
U-factor—or U-value—of a window, the lower
the heat loss.
 SOLAR HEAT GAIN COEFFICIENT
is a measure of rate of heat gain that passes
through a product and shows how well the
product blocks heat caused by sunlight. SHGC
is expressed as a number between 0 and 1.
The lower the SHGC, the less solar heat the
product allows to pass through it. Blocking
solar heat gain is particularly important during
the summer season because it reduces the
time cooling systems must run.
 VISIBLE TRANSMITTANCE measures
the amount of light the product lets through. It
is expressed as a number between 0 and 1.
The higher the VT, the more light you see.
 AIR LEAKAGE is a measure of the
rate at which air passes through spaces in
the window. It is measured in cubic feet of air
passing through one square foot of window
area per minute, and typically falls in a range between 0.01 and
0.30. The lower the AL value, the less air that will be transferred
through the product. Picture windows are typically the most airtight
type of window because they are glazed directly to the window
frame—and therefore have less potential for leakage. Casement
windows, which feature full-compression seals, are also very
airtight. Air leakage is an optional rating and manufacturers can
choose not to include it on their labels.
 Condensation Resistance measures how well a product
resists the formation of condensation. Condensation resistance
is expressed as a number between 1 and 100. The higher the
number, the better a product is able to resist condensation.
Condensation resistance is an optional rating, and manufacturers
can choose not to include it on their NFRC labels.
What Do the Ratings Mean?
ENERGY STAR®
Qualified in Highlighted Regions
VINYL DOUBLE HUNG
CLASSIC
Double Glazing.Argon Fill.Low-E
0.27 0.21
0.50 61
UNDERSTANDING U-VALUES
It is important to note that whole-window
U-values are the only form of measurement
recognized by the ENERGY STAR® certification
program. Whole-window U-values are more
accurate, as they are acquired from as many as
20 different locations on the product, whereas
center-of-glass U-values are based solely on the
most thermally efficient section of the product.

4. ES
ENERGY STAR®
Products.
Good for you.
Good for the environment.
A great choice all around.
ENERGY STAR®
Qualification Criteria
Windows and doors protect you from the elements just like a
winter coat. But like a winter coat, you should pick the window
and doors that make the most sense for your climate. While
some windows, doors and skylights are better at keeping you
warm, others excel at keeping you cool.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently launched
new ENERGY STAR®
criteria for windows and doors. The
criteria for residential windows are tailored to four climate
zones. A window’s energy efficiency for a particular climate
is based on its impact on heat gain and loss in cold weather
and heat gain in warm weather. The four climate zones for
ENERGY STAR®
qualified windows are:
• Northern (mostly heating)
• North-Central (heating and cooling)
• South-Central (heating and cooling)
• Southern (mostly cooling)
Following are the qualification criteria for ENERGY STAR®
certified windows, as well as the map showing the boundaries
for each window climate zone:
Doors are a little different. Many doors don’t have any glass
(like your front door), but even doors with lots of glass (like
a sliding patio door) have lower glass-to-frame ratios than
windows or skylights. This means doors can provide more
insulation than a window can. Performance criteria for doors
are based on the amount of glass they have (called glazing
level) and their NFRC ratings. The ENERGY STAR®
criteria for
doors are as follows:
Along with the changes in thermal performance, ENERGY
STAR®
certified windows and doors must now also meet air
leakage requirements - by achieving an Air Leakage Rating of
≤.03 cfm/ft2
or better.

5. ENERGY STAR®
Certified
Products from Soft-Lite
Soft-Lite offers an array of technologically advanced insulating glass
systems that can be tailored to best perform in your climate region.
This ensures that your new replacement windows will provide the
best possible thermal performance for your home, which will save
you money on energy costs—as well as provide an array of other
benefits, including enhanced home comfort, UV protection, beauty
and durability.
Soft-Lite windows and doors have consistently achieved some of the
highest NFRC ratings in the industry. Our products are the result of
innovative product design, skilled craftsmanship, premium materials
and the most advanced manufacturing techniques and equipment.
They are, in fact, engineered specifically for maximum energy
efficiency.
Below are several examples of the high-performance glass options
that Soft-Lite offers. The possibilities for various glass, spacer and
Low-E combinations are practically endless…double- or triple-
insulating glass configurations, Intercept stainless steel spacer or the
unique metal-free Super Spacer system, and several different Low-E
coatings. Ask your authorized dealer about the best glass option for
your home.
Ultimate Glass™
Triple-Pane with
Super Spacer
High-performance
Low-E Coating
Clear Glass
Krypton Fill
Super
Spacer®
Solar Ultra Glass™ Triple-
Pane with Intercept®
Stainless Steel Spacer
High-performance
Low-E Coating
Clear Glass
Argon Fill
Stainless Steel
Intercept
Solar Low-E
Double-Pane Glass
with Super Spacer
High-performance
Low-E Coating
Clear Glass
Argon Fill
Super Spacer
Double-Pane Low-E Plus
Glass with Intercept®
Stainless Steel Spacer
High-performance
Low-E Coating
Clear Glass
Argon Fill
Stainless Steel
Intercept

6. 12 percent
> 85%
> $300 2.5 billion
billion metric tons
Replacing old windows with ENERGY STAR®
certified
windows lowers household energy bills by an average of
Since 1992, families and businesses have realized
estimated savings
IN 2014
PREVENTED
$300
$34
million
billion
alone, ENERGY STAR®
partners
and reduced utility bills for Americans by
metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions
MORE
THAN
and prevented more than
of greenhouse gas emissions.
on
utilitybills
Today, ENERGY STAR®
is a widely recognized
symbol for energy efficiency, with awareness
of the ENERGY STAR®
mark
about 1/4of your carbon footprint
Home energy
use accounts for
nationwide. Lower energy consumption also reduces
greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and shrinks a
house’s carbon footprint.
320 5.270
energystar®
foracumulative
certifiedproducts
exceeding
Americans purchased in 2014 across more than
products since 1992.
MORE THAN
million billionproduct
categories