Window Glasses is unavoidable in a home, we want to see what is it outside and blend with nature, still we want protection from outdoor environment. Winds, smokes, leaves, or insects to be kept out of the room. Some prefer it tinted, some other prefer it white clear, while other smoke it, or sand blast it. Here, we are not going to talk about those preferences, but how to save your bucks.
Glasses is often disregarded in terms of energy efficiency, as it is common and cannot be avoided. Often times, it is the single and biggest source of where heat transfer through in a well insulated home. In summer, it can be hundred times hotter than the same area of an insulated wall, while in winter heat loss can reach 10 times greater. Now, how to deal with these?
First we look for the nature for answer, Leaves, blinds and deciduous creepers and trees can be placed and angled to shade your windows in summer but let winter sun in. Another choice is the use of construction materials.
Second, Chick Louvre are also becoming popular and can be set at angles to increase solar gain in winter and reduce it in summer. they can also direct breezes for cross ventilation.
Third, you do something with the glass. Double glazing, used overseas for decades, is now gaining popularity here to reduce winter heat loss (surprisingly, more of a problem in than summer heat gain in some area). It doesn’t prevent radiant heat from entering, but slows down conducted and convective heat losses. With the big influx of products, it offers a way of incorporating large windows without sacrificing thermal efficiency.
Last method, includes specific technical techniques. Quantifying the sustainability of a product is to get a carbon assessment. Some local areas has produced Local product such as eTool which has been identified as one of the worlds leading tools by the Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute Australia. eTool can compare the environmental impacts of materials and house design. Its Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) includes analyzing the embodied energy (the energy and carbon that goes into the materials, their transportation to site, assembly and maintenance) with the operational energy (energy used to run the building) over the buildings design life.
It also includes a cost analysis to find out which design will give the best value for the environment and your hip pocket Figures are now showing that with intelligent design principles, including an eTool LCA. designers can produce a home that costs less to build and run and has a lower carbon footprint, lasts longer and has greater resale value. The web based software is free for anyone to use. or the eTool team can conduct the assessment for you. Only if you live in Australia, especially the Melbourne city.
Finally, improving the energy efficiency of a home can be started right from the glass next to you. What will you do to deal with it but not prohibiting its benefit is of a technological tricks, nature or design principle. How much glasses are there in your home? Might be its time to replace them.