Technology Tuesdays: Super Windows
Hello Partners!
I have 2 words for you: building envelope! Exciting, right? If we are honest, it is not very exciting, but it is the backbone of any energy efficiency work we do inside of buildings.
What is exciting is the concept of highly insulating windows or ‘Super Windows.’
What is a Super Window? First, let us talk about regular windows and why they are important. A ‘regular window’, by today’s standard, is a double-glazed low-E window with insulation between the two panes. This is a very energy efficient design and does a great job of keeping the temperature inside a building stable. Windows are rated on how well they are able to reduce the amount of outside heat that gets transferred to the inside space from outside in the summer and how well they keep heat inside the space in the winter. The double-pane window is a vast improvement over the single-pane windows, which is the older design however, neither are anywhere near the efficiency of a wall.
Since no one wants to live or work in a building that doesn’t have windows, and since windows are the weakest link when it comes to building envelop and energy efficiency, it is imperative that we continue to improve upon window technology. Enter, Super Windows!
A Super Window is truly an amazing thing because they are nearly as efficient as an insulated wall. For comparison, the industry standard double pane window has an R-value of 3. Super Windows have an R-value of 5 which means, they reduce the average amount of heat loss from a double pane window by 40%. It is estimated that each year in the United States, we waste about $20 billion in energy costs due to leaky, inefficient windows. A 40% improvement on $20 billion would positively impact a lot of lives.
Although the Super Window is a major step in the right direction when it comes to energy efficiency in building envelop, there has been much criticism that with the right effort, we can make a window commercially available that has an R-value of 7. There is also criticism that the R-value 5 Super Window is too expensive for most people in the residential market. However, as with all new technology, pricing will come down as adaptation increases and R-value 7 windows will be the next big thing! Keep an eye out for this technology in the very near future.
The savings never stop!
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https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2018/06/06/super-window-could-save-billions-in-energy-costs/