A glazing schedule provides the information needed to identify and assess the windows and glazed doors proposed for a residential development. Under an elemental Deemed-to-Satisfy energy-efficiency assessment, accurate glazing information helps establish whether the documented window configuration satisfies the applicable National Construction Code provisions.
Window dimensions, orientation, product performance and external shading may all influence the assessment. When this information is incomplete or inconsistent across drawings and schedules, additional clarification can be needed before the compliance review can be finalised.
For architects, building designers and project teams, preparing a coordinated glazing schedule early can reduce avoidable revisions and help ensure that the assessed window configuration is the one ultimately specified for construction.
A useful DTS glazing schedule does more than list windows. It connects each glazed opening to the dimensions, orientation and performance information used in the assessment.
In Brief
A glazing schedule prepared for an elemental residential DTS assessment should clearly identify the windows and glazed doors included in the proposed building envelope.
Relevant information commonly includes opening identifiers, dimensions, locations, orientation, window-system performance values and any external shading relied upon in the assessment.
The schedule should be consistent with the current architectural plans, elevations and other supporting drawings.
Preliminary product assumptions may be sufficient for an initial review, but the final documented window systems must align with the performance values and configuration relied upon for compliance.
For the wider compliance framework, visit the Residential DTS Knowledge Hub.
NCC and documentation note: This article discusses documentation commonly used to support elemental glazing assessments under NCC 2022 Volume Two Housing Provisions Part 13.3. It is not a prescribed national glazing schedule template. The information required for an individual project depends on the applicable NCC edition, building classification, climate zone, jurisdiction, assessment method and approval circumstances.
The glazing schedule provides a practical connection between the architectural design and the window information used in the elemental assessment.
A floor plan may show where a window is located, while an elevation shows its proportions and relationship to the façade. The glazing schedule brings together the information needed to identify that opening and establish its proposed specification.
Where the schedule is coordinated, the assessor can more readily determine which windows are included in the calculation and whether the nominated performance values correspond with the intended design.
A clear schedule can help project teams:
The schedule does not replace the applicable NCC glazing calculations. It provides supporting information for the assessment and helps communicate the specified window configuration.
The technical requirements themselves are explained in Residential DTS Glazing Requirements: What Must Be Checked?.
Each relevant glazed opening should be identifiable across the architectural drawings and glazing schedule.
Consistent window references help the assessor connect the scheduled information to the correct location, orientation and dimensions.
Useful schedule fields may include:
Dimensions should be clearly defined. A rough opening, overall frame dimension and visible glass dimension are not necessarily the same measurement.
The area used in the glazing assessment must follow the applicable calculation method, so the schedule should provide dimensions that can be reconciled with the assessed area.
Where multiple windows have the same dimensions and specification, they may be grouped for documentation purposes if the assessment information remains sufficiently clear.
However, openings on different orientations or with different shading conditions should not be treated as interchangeable merely because they use the same window product.
Window thermal performance information is an important part of the glazing schedule where it is relied upon in the elemental assessment.
The two principal values are the total-system U-value and the total-system solar heat gain coefficient, commonly referred to as SHGC.
These values describe different aspects of window performance and should not be used interchangeably.
The schedule should make it clear:
A glass-only performance value should not automatically be substituted for a total-system value that includes the frame and glazing assembly.
Where the exact window manufacturer has not yet been selected, preliminary performance targets may be used for an initial assessment where appropriate. Those targets should be clearly identified as assumptions rather than confirmed product specifications.
The final selected window system must be checked against the performance assumptions used to establish compliance.
The orientation of a glazed opening can influence the applicable elemental glazing assessment.
For this reason, window locations should be coordinated with a clearly identified building orientation on the architectural drawings.
A schedule that identifies every window only by room name may be insufficient where the assessment needs to distinguish openings on different elevations.
External shading should also be documented where it is relied upon in the relevant NCC calculation.
Supporting information may include:
A note describing a window as shaded does not necessarily provide enough information to support a calculation.
The relevant geometry should be identifiable in the drawings so that the shading assumption can be checked and carried through to construction.
If an eave, balcony or awning changes during design development, the associated glazing assessment may need to be reviewed.
A glazing schedule should describe the same window configuration shown on the current architectural drawings.
Differences between the schedule, floor plans and elevations can create uncertainty about which dimensions and specifications should be assessed.
Common coordination issues include:
These inconsistencies do not necessarily indicate that the design itself cannot comply. They can, however, prevent the assessor from confidently establishing the proposed glazing configuration.
A coordinated drawing issue should include clear revision information so that the assessment can be linked to the appropriate design version.
This is especially important where several consultants, designers or suppliers are contributing information during the documentation stage.
A residential DTS review may begin before the project team has selected the final window manufacturer or product range.
At this stage, the assessment may use nominated performance assumptions or target values where the assessor considers them appropriate for the preliminary review.
The distinction between preliminary assumptions and final specifications should remain clear throughout the documentation process.
For a preliminary review, the project team may be able to provide:
For final documentation, the nominated products or enforceable performance specifications must align with the values and assumptions relied upon in the assessment.
A window product with a different U-value or SHGC may change the compliance outcome even when its dimensions and appearance remain similar.
Product substitutions should therefore be reviewed before the project relies on an earlier glazing assessment or finalises the construction specification.
A glazing schedule does not need to be unnecessarily complex. It does, however, need to contain information that can be reconciled with the proposed design and the assessment method.
Common omissions or inconsistencies include:
The practical effect is often additional correspondence, revised schedules or a request for updated architectural information.
Where a compliance calculation has already been completed, an unresolved discrepancy may also require the glazing configuration to be reassessed.
A coordinated schedule can reduce these avoidable interruptions without adding unnecessary complexity to the documentation package.
Before the glazing information is issued for assessment, the project team should check that the schedule is complete enough for the relevant review and consistent with the current architectural design.
The purpose is not to duplicate every drawing detail within the schedule. It is to ensure that the assessor can identify the proposed windows and obtain the information needed for the applicable calculation.
A practical pre-submission review should consider whether:
Where information is still being developed, clearly identifying the outstanding items can help the assessor distinguish between an initial pathway review and documentation intended to support a final compliance outcome.
For the broader documentation package, see Preparing Residential DTS Documentation for Certifier Review.
Frequently Asked Questions
An elemental glazing assessment requires sufficient information to identify and evaluate the relevant windows and glazed doors. A coordinated glazing schedule is a practical way to provide that information, although the exact documentation format depends on the project and assessment requirements.
The schedule should provide dimensions that allow each relevant glazed opening to be identified and its assessed area established in accordance with the applicable method. The dimensions should be clearly defined and consistent with the architectural drawings.
Not necessarily for an initial review. Preliminary window performance assumptions may be used where appropriate, provided they are clearly identified. The final specified window systems must align with the performance information relied upon for the compliance outcome.
Where these values are used in the elemental glazing assessment, they should be recorded or otherwise clearly linked to the relevant window specifications. The information should describe the appropriate total-system performance rather than only the glass component.
Yes, where fixed external shading is relied upon in the relevant glazing calculation. The supporting drawings should provide sufficient geometry to establish and verify the shading assumptions used in the assessment.
Changes to window dimensions, locations, orientation, shading or thermal performance may affect the original assessment. The revised information should be reviewed before the earlier compliance outcome is relied upon for the updated design.
Related Knowledge
Understand the elemental compliance pathway, applicable building provisions, project suitability and assessment process.
Understand the technical glazing provisions, including U-values, SHGC, orientation, shading and the relevant NCC calculations.
Coordinate architectural drawings, construction specifications and compliance information for approval-stage review.
Explore how window placement, shading, building form and construction choices influence residential elemental DTS during design development.
Residential DTS Assessment
Certified Energy can review architectural drawings, proposed window performance information and glazing documentation as part of a residential elemental DTS assessment.
Explore Residential DTS Assessment