Solar Heat Gain Coefficient

SHGC (Solar Heat Gain Coefficient) measures how well a product blocks heat caused by sunlight. The SHGC is the fraction of incident solar radiation admitted through a window, both directly transmitted, and absorbed and subsequently released inward. SHGC is expressed as a number between 0 and 1. The lower a window’s SHGC, the less solar heat it transmits.

Blocking solar heat gain is particularly important during the summer cooling season in hot Southern climates. By contrast, people in Northern climates may want solar heat gain during the cold winter months to lessen the cost of heating the home.