Choosing Wisely

Choose an ENERGY STAR qualified window or patio door based on your climate zone

There are four climate zones in Canada. Zone A is the mildest region and zone D, the coldest. A product that is ENERGY STAR qualified for the zone you live in meets strict energy-efficiency requirements for that zone. As a result, your product is guaranteed to offer superior energy-saving performance.

The more zones a product qualifies for, the more energy-efficient it is.

See Listing of Québec cities according to climate zone

Check the product label or manufacturer's literature to find out which climate zones your product is qualified for

A window or patio door qualifies for one or more zones depending on its Energy Rating (ER) value, displayed on the product label or in the manufacturer's literature.

The ER value is based on several factors, including a product's U value, potential solar heat gain coefficient and airtightness.

Become familiar with ER scale

The ER scale determines the global energy performance required for a product to be certified for a particular zone. It can be used to compare the overall energy-saving performances of different ENERGY STAR qualified windows and patio doors. It ensures that even Canadians living in the colder areas of the country can base their choice on the most energy-efficient products available.

Minimum energy ratings (ER) required for each Québec climate zone

Get more technical information on your product

For more information on the energy efficiency of a particular window or patio door, consult the Qualified Products section of the Canadian ENERGY STAR site.