Aqua Apartments Maximised Glazed Window to Achieve Building Efficiency

DC Studio and Koichi Takoda Architects selected glazed windows to complement the building.

Glazing component of the building, achieve efficient cross flow ventilation and meet regulatory safety standards at the Aqua Apartments in Bondi Junction.

Window Glazing

Window Glazing

Window Glazing can affect a building's energy efficiency an talent comfort.

Kiwi Couples' Innovation Could Help Lower Cost of Double Glazing

A Kiwi couple's innovation could help improve living standards in thousands of homes around the country.

Their new technique for retro glazing windows slashes the cost of double glazing, a luxury which has previously been too expensive for some.

When Mike Hodges and Cathy Mann started building their dream home in Central Otago, they were inspired to experiment with a clay they were using in the build.

"Clay absorbs condensation, it's called a desiccate, that's what sort of got us thinking and playing around with clay and trying to use that as a material to see if we could create a new window that we could use to create a secondary glazing product," says Mike Hodges of company, RetroWood.

Adding another layer to existing windows was their simple ventilation technology to prevent condensation between the glass.

And homeowners are already seeing a big difference.

"The condensation, it's a non-event anymore we don't have any condensation on the glass," says homeowner, Brian Hyland.

Around ninety per cent of Kiwi homes could benefit from double glazing but it hasn’t been included in the new housing standards as it was deemed too expensive.

It’s hoped this technique could change that.

Reference: https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/kiwi-couples-innovation-could-help-lower-cost-double-glazing-v1

A Transparent Look at Energy Efficient Double Glazed Windows

Energy-efficient windows have been touted as a way to reduce your home’s energy loss. After all, your average pane of glass doesn't do much to keep heat or cold inside your home, depending on what's desired for the season. So energy-efficient windows are well worth considering for homeowners who want to control their costs.

“Homeowners should know that including energy-efficient windows will not only keep your home comfortable and your residential heating and cooling costs down, but they will also raise the resale value of your home,” says Brian Gow, president of Scheel Window & Door.

In fact, 25% to 30% of cool air and heat escape through windows, according to Energy.gov, which can force your system to work harder and your bill to shoot up.

But is it actually worth investing in energy-efficient windows? Here’s what you need to know.

What are energy-efficient windows?

So, what differentiates an energy-efficient window from a regular window? A low emissivity (or "low E") window coating made from nearly invisible metallic oxides on the glass pane suppresses the radiant heat flow throughout the window, according to Robert Himmaugh, manager at Acadian Windows and Siding. Such windows can range from $100 to over $1,000 depending on the size, he says.

But buying energy-efficient windows is not as simple as going to the store and asking for them; you need to know which type of windows would be best for your situation.

“Choosing the right energy-efficient windows depends on the region you live in, the severity of your weather, and if your house is exposed to extreme weather events,” says Anne Fairfax, co-founder of architectural firm Fairfax, Sammons & Partners, which has offices in New York City and Palm Beach, FL.

“We favor custom wood windows, with true divided light panes, double glazed window, for our high-end projects,” Fairfax says. “For our more budget-minded projects, we like to use Brosco windows, which is a traditional, well-priced wood window, which has optional interior storm panels.”

Understanding efficiency ratings

Double glazed window. U factor. What do all of these terms mean, and how do they affect the efficiency of your windows? Here are the key indicators of energy performance for windows:

• U-factor: The lower the number, the more energy-efficient the window is. Michael DiMartino, senior vice president of installations at Power Home Remodeling, says you always want to look for a U-factor of 0.30 or lower.
• Solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC): This measures how well a window blocks heat from sunlight. Again, a lower rating is the sign of a more efficient window.
• Air leakage: This rating measures how much air passes through the joints of a window. A lower rating means less leakage occurs.
• Visible transmittance: Sometimes, a higher number is important. Visible transmittance measures how much light a window lets through, and it's ideal to get as much as you can.
• Condensation resistance: This measures how well the window resists water buildup. Mark Montgomery, vice president of marketing at Ply Gem Windows, says homeowners should look for a higher rating in this case, as that marks a window that allows for less buildup.
• R-value: This indicates the material's resistance to heat flow, so the higher the better. Fairfax explains that a window with single glazing will have a lower R-value than a triple-glazed window.
• Energy rating: This is a measure of the balance between the U-factor, SHGC, and air leakage.
• Alternatives to replacing your windows
• Energy-efficient windows can help you save money, but completely replacing your windows might not be in the cards right now.

Applying a low-E coating on your existing windows (on the interior or the exterior) can improve their energy efficiency, according to Himmaugh.

There are other ways to improve energy efficiency. For example, Fairfax says, your window treatments can make a difference.

“Insulated curtains can help increase energy efficiency by keeping out the cold,” she says. “For dealing with heat gain, inexpensive natural blinds can be installed on the exterior of the windows.”

Reference: https://www.realtor.com/advice/home-improvement/energy-efficient-windows/

Global Double-Glazed Window Market 2019

Global Double Glazed Window Market has been invigorated by both the international and provincial economy. The economy has influenced the way how global Double-Glazed Window market approaches consumers and allows market participants to form effective international marketing strategies. The Global Double-Glazed Window Market Report provides elaborative analysis on how the market has been performed previously and how it will steer its way in the future.

The report offers market evaluation based on various segments such as Double-Glazed Window types, applications, technologies, leading participants, and key regions. A proposed precise segment has been derived after deeply comprehending demographic, behavioral, psychographic, geographic status of the market. a detailed analysis of market segmentation is essential to all marketers whether it is a well-established or novice, it allows a business to exactly reach a customer specific need and anticipations. Segment study makes easier to use resources more efficiently and make remunerative strategic decisions.

Double Glazed Window Manufacturer Segment Analysis (Company and Product introduction, Double-Glazed Window Sales Volume, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin):

• Oldcastle Building Envelope
• AGC
• Sinclair Glass
• Hartung Glass Industries
• Trulite
• Guardian Industries
• Thompson I.G
• PFG
• Schott
• NSG
• VIRACON
• PPG

Global Double-Glazed Window market segmentation has been included after determining various factors such as consumer’s anticipations, common interest, consumption tendencies, and demographic profile of each region. It can help to point out the target and relevant market and form specific strategies accordingly.

The report also implicates a complete and robust portray of the competitive landscape of the Double-Glazed Window market that will enable marketers to benchmark their performance against competitors. It holds vital importance in extensive global Double Glazed Window market research because it helps to obtain the ability to swiftly determine industry trends and revamp existing business plans in order to be ahead of the curve.

In addition, the report encompasses an exhaustive analysis based on leading participants performing in the Double-Glazed Window market to determine their strengths, weaknesses, and strategies that could provide a reader with distinct advantages. It also offers a conception of the barriers that can be developed in order to prevent to enter the market. Detailed profile that includes, value chain analysis, capacity utilization analysis, explanation of participant’s manufacturing technique, Double-Glazed Window production cost, pricing structure, raw material sources, have been included in this report.

A comprehension of financial status which includes various financial ratios, profit growth rate, sales volume, and revenue is emphasized in the report to give a thorough perception of participant’s financial stature. Newly adopted technologies, product launches or alteration, acquisitions, and mergers which fall under strategic moves are also analyzed in the Double-Glazed Window market report.

Reference: https://honestbusinessman24.com/2019/02/global-double-glazed-window-market-2019-manufacturing-cost-structure-top-vendors-product-category-by-requirements-2024/

Insulated Windows 101 - Double Glazing, Triple Glazing, Thermal Performance & Potential Problems

Double glazing. Triple glazing. Insulated windows. Double-glazed windows. Triple-glazed windows. 

You’ve probably heard those terms before, but if you aren’t or haven’t been involved in construction and design work, or in the retrofitting of your own house, then you may not know exactly what they mean.

If you are unfamiliar with these terms, I’m going to provide a basic overview of the terminology and what exactly it relates to in practice, as well as a brief discussion of the problems that can arise with such tech.

Insulated Windows & Glass — Basic Overview

Insulated windows and glass are essentially an insulation solution whereby multiple layers (panes) of glass are used in place of a single layer/pane — with the spaces between these panes generally being turned into a vacuum or filled with a gas with lower thermal conductivity and heat capacity than “air” (such as argon, or sometimes krypton).

Double glazing refers to the use of two panes of glass with an evacuated space between or a high-performance fill-gas, and triple glazing refers to three panes of glass with two evacuated spaces or gas-filled spaces.

Generally speaking, the glass panes used in such systems vary between 1/8″ to 3/8″ in thickness (3-10 mm) — with both/all of the panes being of the same thickness in the same window, though there is some variance when sound-insulation is a desired quality as well.

The two or three glass panes in question, are turned into a cohesive unit through the use of what’s termed a “spacer” — which is usually made out of foam, or a combination of foam and aluminum, nowadays. Care must be taken when materials are selected so as to reduce the occurrence of condensation — though desiccants are also generally relied upon in spacers as a further “insurance policy” to protect against condensation. The reason why condensation is a sensitive issue for multiple-pane windows is because there is no access to the inner spaces to wipe down the window as one would easily do with a single pane window.

Insulated or double glazed windows date back to at least 1865, when an American by the name of Thomas Stetson patented a system whereby two panes of glass were sealed with a glass-edge. Further patents were filed in the 1930s by other parties, and followed quickly by products including the “Thermopane” branded ones — that word is now in common use to denote any insulated window products.

All of that said, the basic idea for double- and triple-glazed windows clearly builds upon earlier “storm window” designs. Storm windows essentially just being (generally removable) second-layers outside the building used to provide further insulation during cold weather. The primary downside to conventional storm window designs is the space required, and storage during summer months. What double-glazed and triple-glazed windows bring the table are their relatively compact footprints which allows them to easily take the place of conventional windows, while also allowing for the use of screens during open-window weather and better air-seals.

Double-glazed or triple-glazed insulated windows are one of the key components in passive solar home and building design.

Thermal Performance, R-Values, & Soundproofing

The thermal performance of double-glazed and triple-glazed windows will vary quite a bit based on: the thickness of the space between the glass panes; the gas used as fill (or the degree to which vacuum evacuation was effective); the number of glass panes involved; and the spacers used, amongst other things.

Generally speaking, the thicker the gas-filled space is the more effective it will be with regard to limiting thermal conductivity. Glazed windows utilizing evacuated vacuum spacing are a somewhat different matter — with effectiveness mostly depending upon the effectiveness of the manufacturing process. An issue with evacuated glazing though is that the temperature-difference between the two panes can become extreme and thus lead to cracking — owing to lack of convective thermal transfer between panes of glass (leaving only radiative transfer and conduction through the spacers.

As noted before, when vacuum glazing isn’t used, reliance upon gases that offer better thermal performance than air are generally used — in particular, argon is used a lot, and krypton is used occasionally. The thermal conductivity of argon is just 67% that if air, and the thermal conductivity of krypton is itself only around half of that of argon. Both gases are considered to be non-toxic, chemically inert, relatively easy to source, transparent, and odor-free — hence their widespread use.

Occasionally the potent greenhouse gas sulfur hexafluoride is also used — partly due to its effective sound-insulating qualities, and partly due to thermal conductivity somewhat better than that of argon — but this isn’t particularly widespread in many regions.

With regard to the R-values of different types of double-glazed and triple-glazed windows, ranges of between R-3 and R-13 are common — with the lower-end being represented by basic double-glazed windows utilizing argon gas and no low-emissivity coatings; and the higher-end by vacuum insulated units and some cold-weather-oriented quadruple-glazed or quintuple-glazed options.

Sound-proofing is a benefit of double-glazed and triple-glazed windows, which accompanies and adds to the thermal insulation capacity features. While all windows featuring multiple panes will provide some sound-proofing capacity, designs featuring higher numbers of panes and/or asymmetric thickness in different panes perform the best. And, as noted previously, the potent greenhouse gas sulfur hexafluoride functions particularly well in this capacity. The spacers used will of course greatly affect sound transfer as well.

Potential Problems — Cracking, Condensation, & Lifespan

Potential problems accompanying the use of double-glazed or triple-glazed windows include: cracking due to high temperature differentials between the panes (primarily with regard only to vacuum insulated windows); and condensation problems and loss of effectiveness to the breaking of the seal (and saturation of desiccant).

Condensation is only a problem, it should be realized, after the perimeter seal has failed (and the desiccant has already become saturated) — once this has occurred, then thermal performance will have already been impacted for some time (due to the loss of the vacuum or of the argon/krypton). That being the case, condensation is the least of the owner’s problems if high thermal performance is needed (as in a passive solar house).

The primary cause of such seal-failures is the same as it is for the formation of cracks: the presence of large differences in temperature between the inner and outer glass panes, and thus the spacer adhesives as well. Think of a glass bottle being moved rapidly from extreme heat to cold to get an idea of what happens. Partial-shading of single panes can also lead to cracking — as is true of conventional glass windows as well.

These problems can be prevented to some degree by utilizing thicker glass panes in the windows — which comes with associated higher costs and weights. Also, limiting the differences in temperature between panes by tripling-up, quadrupling-up or quintupling up the number of panes, can be an effective way to limit the temperature differentials between adjacent panes.

With regard to longevity, most double-glazed and triple-glazed windows simply aren’t going to maintain their high thermal performance for as long as the windows themselves remain functional as windows. While the manufacture of highly durable multiple-pane glazed windows is of course possible, in practice, keeping costs affordable seems to require that warranties and projected lifespans be limited to ~10–25 years.

Speaking generally, lifespans will vary to a great degree depending upon placement, typical indoor/outdoor temperature differences, shading or sunlight exposure, and local climate and weather conditions. 

Source: https://cleantechnica.com/2018/04/28/insulated-windows-101-double-glazing-triple-glazing-thermal-performance-potential-problems/

Author: James Ayre