California energy code
What is Title 24 for windows & doors?
California Title 24 establishes the state's building energy-efficiency requirements. For architects, developers, contractors, and homeowners, it is usually the first code question a glazing-heavy design has to answer — because windows and glass doors are where buildings win or lose the most energy.
The moving parts
Fenestration performance is evaluated on more than one number.
- U-Factor
- How readily the whole assembly — frame and glass together — conducts heat. Lower numbers mean better insulation, and large openings make this the number plan checkers look at first.
- SHGC
- Solar Heat Gain Coefficient: how much of the sun's energy passes through the glazing into the building. Hot-climate zones generally push SHGC down; some heating-dominated designs want it higher.
- Glazing
- The glass build-up — Low-E coatings, insulated units, gas fill, laminated plies — does most of the energy work. The same frame can carry very different ratings depending on the package.
- Frame construction
- Aluminum conducts heat, which is why thermal breaks matter. A thermally broken profile separates inside from outside metal, keeping slim frames viable under energy codes.
- Climate zone
- California is divided into 16 climate zones, each with its own prescriptive requirements. The same window can pass in San Francisco and miss in Palm Springs.
- Project design
- Orientation, shading, window-to-wall ratio, and the chosen compliance path (prescriptive or performance) all decide what the fenestration actually has to achieve.
How we help
We answer the schedule,
not just the spec.
ORLUTI systems are engineered for California Title 24 requirements: thermally broken aluminum frames paired with Low-E insulated glazing packages configured per project. Send the window and door schedule and we return the system series, glass build-up, and project-specific U-Factor and SHGC configurations for your energy consultant to verify — solutions available for projects requiring Title 24 compliance, stated the way a plan checker expects.
Common questions
Title 24, asked plainly.
Is Title 24 a product certification?
No. Title 24 is California's building energy code — it applies to the building, not to a product in isolation. Whether a window or door works for a given project depends on its rated performance, the project's climate zone, the design, and the compliance path the energy consultant uses.
What values do I need from a window supplier for Title 24?
Most projects need whole-product U-Factor and SHGC values for each fenestration type on the schedule, typically verified through NFRC ratings. Your energy consultant plugs these into the prescriptive tables or the performance model.
Can large sliding glass walls meet Title 24?
Large openings raise the stakes, but thermally broken frames combined with the right insulated Low-E glazing package are engineered for exactly this. The compliance path is confirmed project by project — climate zone and design determine the targets.
How does ORLUTI support Title 24 compliance?
Send us the plans or the window and door schedule. We return project-specific system and glazing configurations with the performance data your energy consultant needs to verify the compliance path — engineered for California Title 24 requirements rather than generically claimed.
Performance and compliance vary by system, glazing configuration, project location, and applicable code requirements. Contact ORLUTI for project-specific documentation.