Effects of glazing on energy efficiency.

In the past, most windows where constructed with clear glass as the glazing component of windows. Technology however has changed that. By using different types of material and different coatings on the glazing, they are becoming much more energy efficient than ever before.

Low-E or low emissivity is a special coating used on the surfaces of glazing to reflect incoming and outgoing heat. Low-E glazing is designed to reflect as much as 70% of the heat attempting to enter or exit your home. While low-E reflects heat, it still allows almost all of the light to pass through your window.

Reflective glass in similar to low-E in that it reduces the passage of heat into your house but it also reduced the amount of light as well. Reflective glass is most useful in warmer climates where you spend the majority of your money cooling your home.

Heat-absorbing glazing uses specially designed tints to capture and absorb incoming solar radiation. By absorbing as much as 45% of solar energy you can keep your house cooler while using less electricity. Because of the close proximity of the glazing and your inside air, some of the absorbed heat is still let through by conduction.

Some glazings are made from plastic materials such as acrylic, polyethylene, and polyvinyl chloride as well as other plastic materials. These materials can be stronger, lighter and less expensive than glass but they can also allow more solar radiation and heat through than glass. So be sure you weight the pro's and con's of alternative glazing materials before purchasing them.

Author,
Eric Stewart

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