Page 39 - November 2015 Green Builder Magazine
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Exteriors / Roofing / Structure / Insulation / IAQ / Windows / Heating / Lighting / Appliances / Faucets & Fixtures / Finishes / Cabinets & Tops / Alternative Energy
(24 percent) by switching from double-pane windows to triple- Glossary of Terms 37
pane with high solar gain, low-E glass. Keep this in mind when
you are assessing the “ rst cost” of new windows. CREDIT: ONYX SOLAR Know the Lingo www.greenbuildermag.com 11.2015
COMFORT ■ Air Infiltration: The amount of air that passes between a
Know the Science window sash and frame, measured in cubic feet per minute
For homeowners, how comfortable a house feels can be just as per square foot of frame area.
important as its energy e ciency. An older window with a lower
glass temperature feels colder because more heat is radiated from ■ Argon Gas: A colorless, odorless, inert gas that fills the
a person’s body to the window. otherwise empty space within an insulating glass unit.
Cold glass can also create uncomfortable drafts as air next to ■ E cient Windows Collaborative: Organization that
the window is cooled and drops to the oor. This sets up an air provides detailed reports and studies on the value of
movement pattern that feels drafty and accelerates heat loss. using high-performance windows. Visit the website at
www.e cientwindows.org for more information on the
High-performance windows with lower U-values will result in studies cited in this article.
a higher interior window temperature in winter and thus greater
comfort. Proper installation along with weatherstripping designed ■ Insulating Glass (IG): Glass units constructed of two or
to seal tightly will also improve comfort by reducing cold air leakage. more glass panes separated by a hermetically sealed space.
During the summer, direct sunlight strikes people and surfaces, ■ Low-Emissivity Coating (low-E): Low-E finishes reduce
creating overheating and discomfort. Windows with low solar heat energy transfer through insulating glass units, and thereby
gain coe cients will reduce the solar radiation coming through achieve one of the highest levels of energy performance
the glass. That’s where low-emissivity (low-E) glass comes in— possible for glass.
reducing heat gain while still providing su cient light and view.
■ Solar Heat Gain Coe cient (SHGC): Measures the
LESS FADING AND CONDENSATION fraction of solar energy admitted, and indicates how well
Block the Rays the product blocks heat caused by sunlight.
High-performance windows with new glazing technologies make
homes more comfortable. They create warmer interior glass ■ U-Value: The escape of BTUs per square foot per hour, per
surfaces, reducing frost and condensation. High-performance degree Fahrenheit.
windows with warm edge technology and insulating frames have
such a warm interior surface that condensation on interior surfaces ■ Warm Edge Technology: The use of low-conductance
spacers to reduce heat transfer near the edge of
SOLAR GLASS insulated glazing.
AN UP-AND-COMING technology called building is signi cantly reduced under all conditions.
integrated photovoltaics, or BIPV, enables Another concern for homeowners is the e ect of sunlight on
conventional construction materials to generate
renewable energy. These materials overcome both the the home and its contents. Many organic materials, such as carpet,
aesthetic concerns and physical limitations of conventional fabrics, paper, artwork, paints and wood may fade upon exposure
solar panels. Onyx Solar has pioneered BIPV technology with to sunlight. Window selection can in uence the type and intensity
its photovoltaic glass, which comes in a variety of colors and
sizes. This special glass can be used in windows, skylights, continued on page 39
canopies, facades and floors; double-pane, argon-filled
glass is also available, when greater thermal performance is Somfy myLink
needed. Look for BIPV to play a larger role in the net-zero
homes of the future. The Somfy myLink app allows users
to control and program Somfy
motorized shades, shutters and
screens via connected via smartphone,
tablet or other Internet-connected
device. Somfy products can respond
according to changing activities or
varying sun conditions, saving energy
and heating and cooling costs.
www.somfysystems.com
Series 3600 90-Degree
Vinyl Multi-Slide Door from
Western Windows
This new door is specifically engineered
for a 90-degree, no-post configuration
for maximum performance and
durability. The design also opens up rooms to the outdoors without
sacrificing e ciency. Dual-pane, argon-filled, low-E glass make it one of
the most energy-e cient 90-degree multi-slide doors on the market.
www.westernvolumeprogram.com
