ENERGY EFFICIENCY BASICS
I need new windows. What’s the first thing I need to know when it comes to windows and energy efficiency?
Energy-saving windows can help you reduce water and electricity costs and have more advantages. Choosing energy-saving windows will make your home more comfortable, because their performance determines how much heat enters and exits through the windows.
How do I know if a window or a door is energy efficient?
Various performance ratings – like U-factor and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient – measure a product’s effectiveness in insulating and blocking heat from the sun, among other things.Certification programs such as those administered by the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) and ENERGY STAR provide ratings designed to indicate a window or door’s efficiency.
U-FACTOR
Simply put, U-factor measures how well a window keeps heat inside your home. It’s a measure of total heat flow through a window or door from room air to outside air. Lower numbers indicate greater insulating capabilities. It’s a particularly important measure for climates with colder winters.
SOLAR-HEAT GAIN
If U-factor denotes how much heat leaves your home, the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) measures how much radiant heat enters your home. All you really need to remember is: The lower the number, the less heat a window lets in.
VISIBLE TRANSMITTANCE
The amount of visible light transferred through a window. Low E coatings can reject solar heat gain without significant reduction to visible light passing through the glass.
HIGH PERFORMANCE
What else do I need to know if I want to make my home super energy efficient?
It’s easier than ever before. Modern sustainable building methods, like Passive building, LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and Net Zero building can help you minimize environmental impact and maximize energy efficiency. ENERGY STAR also offers a “Most Efficient” list, a distinction that recognizes products that deliver superior efficiency through cutting-edge technologies and innovations. Marvin is an industry leader in offering a wide selection of products that meet these rigorous criteria.
Is sustainable building the same as high performance building?
Sustainable building refers to both a structure and to processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’s life-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition. According to the National Institute of Building Sciences, high performance building integrates and optimizes all major high-performing building attributes, including energy efficiency, durability, life-cycle performance, and occupant productivity.
Can I make my home a high performance building?
There are methods to optimize energy efficiency in a home environment, most easily with new construction. One way is to plan for a building to generate at least as much energy as it consumes. Net Zero homes and Zero Net Ready homes are carefully designed structures that currently or in the future make use of alternative energy solutions such as wind, solar and/or geothermal systems. You don’t need to build a Net Zero home to dramatically improve energy performance in your home. Whether replacing windows in an existing home or designing a new construction, there are plenty of energy-saving windows to choose from.
