Compliance
The BCA calls up windows that comply with AS 2047. Are you using products that comply?
It is your responsibility to ensure your window manufacturer has compliance to AS 2047 or it will end up costing the builder or the owner a lot of money.
Don't take any chances! All AWA members undergo performance tests to verify performance claims.
For more information on the Compliance and Accreditation, download the following brochures.
Compliance FAQ
What is AS 2047?
It is the mandatory minimum specification for windows and doors used in Australia it includes compliance to the Glass Standard AS 1288.
The following performance tests are undertaken to verify product performance claims.
1. AS 4420.2 Deflection Test - positive and negative wind pressures are applied to the face of the window to test the maximum deflection under wind load.
2. AS 4420.3 Operating Force Test - to verify that an opening sash is capable of opening and closing without undue effort.
3. AS 4420.4 Air Infiltration Test - the air leakage of a window is tested to ensure energy and acoustic efficiency.
4. AS 4420.5 Water Penetration Resistance Test - this test is designed to ensure no water leaks through the window into the building.
5. AS 4420.6 Ultimate Strength Test - negative and positive wind pressures are applied to the window to at least 1.5 times the design wind pressure to ensure it does not fail in unusual wind conditions.
How do I know I have installed windows and doors that comply with the Building Code of Australia?
All windows and doors for homes must have a Performance Label which confirms that they are certified to comply with Australian Standard AS 2047. If you purchase windows from an accredited AWA member, you can also receive a Certificate of Compliance that supports a 7 year warranty.
Example: Window label which should be affixed to window and door products to ensure compliance to AS 2047.
All AWA members have products tested to AS 2047 and are a part of a third party NATA accredited program. This accreditation program is a proven and nationally recognised method of achieving compliance to assist builders, specifiers and homeowners to select products that comply with Australian Standards.
Look for these logos when purchasing your windows to be confidant you are purchasing compliant products.
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Certification and Council Approvals
Building Surveyors and Council Certifiers require compliance verification, so attaching the Compliance Certificate to your application will expedite approvals.
Example: Compliance Certificate that should be supplied by your window manufacturer
The Australian Standard for windows AS2047 was called up into the Building Code of Australia on the 30th June 1999. As a result all window manufacturers must now label their windows with:
• their identification mark; and
• the product's window rating and water penetration resistance.
Manufacturers must also be capable of verifying a product's performance claim. The Australian standard provides manufacturers with several means of demonstrating compliance however the majority of the industry have chosen the 3rd party certification provided by the Australian Window Association.
The AWA's Performance Certification scheme requires manufacturers to have their product's design tested in a NATA accredited testing laboratory and they must pass the requirements of AS2047.
During these tests sample windows are subjected to:
- • Simulations of high winds and driving rains
- • Operating Force requirement
- • Air infiltration pressure
- • Ultimate proof testing
• Register these test results with the Association.
• Permit audits of their factories so that validation can be made by NATA accredited auditors that the product manufactured is the equal to that which has been design tested.
• Agree to CSIRO site inspections in an effort to conclude unresolved product liability claims.
• Provide a minimum 7 year product guarantee.
Window Rating Selection Calculator
To assist in the correct selection of window performance (wind pressure and water penetration) the AWA commissioned the CSIRO to develop a Window Rating Selection Calculator. The calculator, in the form of an adjustable wheel, provides a guide which takes into account the:
- • Geographic region (location in Australia)
- • Terrain (the type of area in the immediate vicinity of the window)
- • Shielding (proximity of obstructions/other housing)
- • Topography (location on a slope)
Whilst the calculator does not take the place of an engineer, its use is intended to assist in the selection of the correct windows supplied to a building site.
Energy & Compliance
The Window Energy Rating Scheme (WERS) is designed to look specifically at window ratings to improve the comfort of homes. The main purpose of energy efficiency in a residential application is to reduce the amount of times the heating and cooling appliances are turned on and off.
WERS rated residential windows have star ratings and percentage improvements to help give an easy comparison of windows.
WERS is currently the only AFRC accredited system for rating windows in Australia required for compliance to the building code of Australia's glazing provisions
Installation of incorrect product with incorrect performance will be a costly exercise for builder and owner alike.
The Window Energy Rating Scheme enables windows to be rated and labelled for their annual energy impact on a whole house, in any climate of Australia. A New Zealand variant of WERS, the 'Window Efficiency Rating Scheme', is also available.
To participate in WERS, window makers must obtain energy ratings for their products from a rating organisation that is accredited by the AFRC (Australian Fenestration Rating Council)
The Window Energy Rating Scheme is managed by the Australian Window Association (AWA).
WERS is independent of any one manufacturer and acts as a fair, rigorous and credible system for testing performance claims. WERS-rated windows must meet all relevant Australian standards. The scheme forms part of the quality assurance that smart manufacturers offer their customers. It is all about certified performance.
To realise their full potential, WERS ratings are designed to 'plug in' to NatHERS, Australia's Nationwide House Energy Rating Software. Similarly, the FirstRate house energy rating software from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Victoria will accept data for 'real' windows. This enables designers to 'kick the tyres' of different windows during a rating before final selection is made.
Note: Any advice, recommendation, information, assistance or service provided by the AWA in relation to the above is given in good faith and is believed by the AWA to be appropriate, but is given without liability or responsibility on the AWA's behalf.