Super Insulated GlassEnergy efficient

insulated glass for:

• Windows• Curtain walls

•Doors• Skylights

• Roof Windows• Atriums

Residential and commercial buildings.

History of glass• The first glass dates to Mesopotamia – 3000 BCE.• Early Roman Empire window glass, largest being 3 feet by 4 feet, was discovered in Pompeii .• By the 10th century, Murano, Italy becomes the glass center of the world producing crown and cylinder window glass.• Plate glass was introduced in France in the late 17th century.• In 1959 Pilkington Brothers LTD started production of float glass, since licensed to other glass manufacturers, and becomes the worldwide standard.

Glass/glazing• The major ingredient of glass is silicon dioxide (sand). It is mixed with sodium carbonate, limestone, and other elements that supply color, then heat treated to form glass.• Glass types include: float, tempered, laminated, fire-rated, patterned, fritted, spandrel, tinted, reflective, property changing, and self-cleaning.• AFG, Cardinal, Guardian, Pilkington, and PPG are the primary sheet glass manufacturers, which also produce insulated glass units (IGU).

• Invented in 1865 by Thomas Stetson (USA) and the first commercial double-pane (Thermopane) glass is introduced in the 1930’s.• The first insulated glass had a fused glass edge.• Later replaced with a metal spacer.• Modern warm-edge technology adds high quality sealants that virtually eliminate thermal bridging, condensation, while increasing inside glass temperature and lowering U-values.• Triple- and Quad-pane continue to increase glass efficiency.

Insulated Glass

Low-e Insulated Glass

• Low-Emissivity coated glass improves glass efficiency in 1983 and improved versions are the current standard of today.• Microscopically thin, virtually invisible, metal or metallic oxide layers deposited on a window glazing surface• Sealed air-filled space is typically replaced with argon or krypton gases.•Low-e coatings can virtually eliminate the suns harmful UV rays.

SUMMER

WINTER

Super Insulated Glass

• Super insulated glass can be customized for almost any application, applicable for all sides of a building.• It combines the latest technology incorporating multiple Low-e coatings, argon or krypton gas, multiple glass layers, and warm edge separators.• Can produce U-values comparable to a standardwall while still utilizing passive solar gain.• Manufactures include:Cardinal, PPG, Southwall, and Serious Glass.

• Vacuum Insulated Glass was invented in Sydney, Australia in 1990.• A thin vacuum layer separates low-e coated glass typically only 6 mm thick.• Characterized by thin beads in between glass layers and metal vacuum seal.• Lightweight compared to other insulated glass units (IGU).• Manufactured by Pilkington and several overseas companies.

VacuumInsulated Glass (VIG)

Dynamic GlassDynamic glazing delivers these benefits:• Stops solar heat • Increase day lighting• Uninterrupted view

• Dramatically reduces fading• Blocks glareGives you the power to change your environment by doing what ordinary glass can’t do: It switches from clear to darkly tinted at the push of a button.

Insulated Glass Evolution

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0.25 0.2 0.125 0.08 0.05 0.125 0.067

U VALUES

1983 Insulated Glass had improved over 350% since

1930!(single pane to standard low-e coated IGU)

Important Specifications (Northern regions)

• U-Value is the rate of heat loss − .30 glass and .35 window (Energy Star & IECC) and .20 glass (DOE).• Solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) is the amount of solar heat gained.• Visible light (VT) is the amount of light emitted through the glass.• Ultraviolet rays (UV) is the amount of harmful rays emitted through the glass. • Air infiltration is the amount of air that leaks through window seals.• DP grade is the rating of a window in terms of water and wind resistance.

Super Insulated Glass

Premium Manufacturers Offer:• Minimum U-value of .125 (R-8).• Appropriate SHGC’s for all cardinal coordinates.• Optimize VT for daylighting.• Multiple manufacturing facilities.

• Serious Glass• Meets all four criteria• U-.125 Double-pane, U-.08 triple-pane

• Cardinal Glass• Meets 3 of 4 criteria (lacks a U-.125 unit)• U-.2 Double-pane, U-.15 triple-pane

• Southwall Technologies• Meets 3 of 4 criteria (lacks multiple manufacturing sites)• U-.1 Double-pane, U-.08 triple-pane, .05 quad-pane

Glass Sustainability(Common Sense)

• Glass is extremely durable, low-cost, recyclable, down-cyclable, provides daylight, provides views, provides passive solar energy, and most brands offer self-cleaning glass.

• Higher embodied energy rates, 6750 to 7500 BTU/lb are being reduced up to 65% with technology.• Carbon neutral buildings are almost impossible to economically design without super efficient glass that maximizes passive solar technology.

Windows

Units• The Romans first use glass in windows in about 100 CE.• Andersen Lumber Company introduced the first mass produced window in 1915.• Windows are available in several types including: double-hung, casement, fixed, awning, and glider.• Frame types include: aluminum, steel, vinyl, fiberglass, wood, and clad wood.• Wood windows are the least energy efficient and fiberglass are the most efficient.

Super Insulated Windows

Premium Manufacturers Offer:• Minimum U-value of .125 (R-8).• Appropriates SHGC’s for all cardinal coordinates.• Optimize VT for daylighting.• Insulated fiberglass frame construction.• Multiple manufacturing facilities.

• Serious Windows – Multiple Locations (Residential and Commercial)• Alpen Windows - Colorado• OwensCorning – Michigan (Sunrise) and Illinois (Serious)• Sunrise Windows – Michigan• Republic – Arizona• Thermotech – Ottawa, Ontario• H-Line - Wisconsin

Window Sustainability (Common

Sense) Wood framed windows can contain certified

forestry wood and is a good insulator, but are rarely recycled, most are expensive, is the least energy efficient, have a high expansion rate, and are susceptible to moisture.

Aluminum or steel framed windows are extremely durable, can contain high recycled content, are recyclable, a poor insulator, impervious to moisture, can accept super insulated glass, but require huge amounts of energy during production.

Window Sustainability

(Common Sense) Vinyl framed windows are the least expensive,

can be durable, can contain a high recycled content, are recyclable, impervious to moisture, can accept super insulated glass, can have insulated frames, but have a high expansion rate and require huge amounts of energy during production.

Fiberglass framed windows are mid-priced, extremely durable, can contain a high recycled content, are recyclable, impervious to moisture, can accept super insulated glass, have super insulated frames, have the lowest expansion rate, but due require large amounts of energy in production.

Efficiency applied

to all four sides of a building

The best super insulated glass and window manufacturers produce products that can be applied to every side of a building. The least amount of heat loss (U-values of .125 or lower); multiple SHGC’s options with highest on south wall (opposite in warm climates), medium for west and east, and lowest on north; and while achieving good visible light for daylight.

Window vs. the Wall

• Energy zone 5 wall insulation requirements are: R-13 to 15 wall cavity plus R2 to 6 insulated sheeting for gas heat for a maximum R-21 (U-.048) total. Electric heat is R-13 to 21+R-5 to 6 for a max of R-27 (U-.037).

• Energy zone requirements for windows are only a R-3.33 (U-.30). It will require another 650% efficiency increase to match wall requirement (for gas heat).

• Doubling a windows R value to 6.66 (U-15) will have the same benefit as increasing wall R value to a R-105 (U-.001).

• Windows with a R value of 8 or higher (U-.125 or lower) are better than the best wall insulation because they collect more heat than they loose in 24 hour period.

Spend it now……and save for life

Storm Windows

Pro’s• Low-cost, simple installation. • Considerably extends life of existing windows.• Low-e storm window installed over a single-pane is

comparable to a new low-e IGU. • Lowers window unit air infiltration.• 3 ½ to 5 year payback.

Con’s• Limited efficiency improvement.

Chicago Case Study

Skylights

Pro’s• Significantly increases day lighting• Increases solar gain• New Glass Technology reduces heat loss and reduces solar

gain (if preferred)

Con’s• Can be difficult to shade• Proper installation is crucial

LEED Credits

Energy and Atmosphere (EA)• Optimize Energy Performance

1-19

Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)• Increase Ventilation

1• Daylight and Views, daylight

1• Daylight and Views, views

1

Cradle to Cradle

Empire State Building, New York City• Retrofit all 6,514 dual-pane windows (.5 U-value) with

Serious super insulated glass that incorporates Southwall’s Heat Mirror- technology that improved efficiency by 400% (.125 U).

• Reused glass and rebuilt IGU’s on site.• Saves $410,000 ($4 million complete building retrofit) in

energy costs per year.• Pay back – three years

So what?• 40% of commercial buildings in NYC were built before 1945.• Commercial building use 80% of building energy in NYC.• In the US, buildings use 44% of total energy and 18% is

commercial.• 4.8 million US commercial buildings and only 4,000 (in 2007)

meet energy star (.35 U in northern region)

Regulators

• Energy Star• Department of Energy (DOE)• American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)• National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC)• Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)• International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)• National Green Building Standard (NGBS)• Housing and Urban Development (HUD)• United States Rural Development (USRD)

Next Generation IGU• Foreign companies, like IP Glass Technology, are just now producing hybrid systems that combine VIG with standard IGU that create a 20% improvement in efficiency. These IGU U-values are about .067, which is close the standard Quad IGU, but with approximately half the weight.• Grezenbach (Germany) also is experimenting with this same hybrid technology and plans to have an initial .005 U-value hybrid IGU in production by 2012, later improving to a .035 (a whopping R-29).

Credits

Print•Allen, E. & Iano, J ((2004). Fundamentals of Building Construction, John Wiley & Sons.• Lechner, N. (2001). Heating, Cooling, and Lighting, Design Method for Architects, John Wiley & Sons.• McDonough, W. and Braungart, M. (2002). Cradle to Cradle, North Point Press.• Montoya, M. (2011). Green Building Fundamentals, Prentice Hall.• Environment Building News, Building Green LLC.• Energy Design Update, Aspen Publishers.• Glass Magazine, National Glass Association.

Web• The Efficient Windows Collaborative.• All listed manufacturers web sites.