How does glass affect the energy efficiency of buildings?

Source: Qianjia.com

Despite various reasons leading to increasingly hot summers, the construction industry is considered one of the "culprits" of global warming.

Buildings account for nearly 40% of global energy related greenhouse gas emissions. If building energy consumption is not reduced and made green, the world will not be able to solve the Climate crisis, and efforts to successfully improve building energy efficiency and flexibility will be one of the technical solutions to achieve carbon neutrality. Energy efficient buildings provide a suitable living environment with minimal energy consumption and waste, thereby maximizing energy conservation. Energy flexible buildings can manage their demand and power generation capacity based on local climate conditions, user needs, and grid requirements.

In addition to greenhouse gas emissions, buildings also consume about 40% of the world's energy, making them a crucial part of creating a more sustainable environment. There are many factors that affect building energy efficiency. However, it is well known that windows are one of the key factors. Therefore, for construction companies, it is important to consider what windows they purchase; For window manufacturers, they should be concerned about the products they sell, as they play an important role in energy efficiency. When everyone is doing their part in the chain, energy efficiency can be improved.

Insulated glass affects the thermal performance of windows

According to Sparklike, one option for achieving energy efficiency is to choose insulated glass units (IGUs) because they perform well in thermal control, but the prerequisite is correct filling. It is important to affect the heat flow or loss because one third of the Primary energy in the building is used for heating and cooling. Therefore, choosing the appropriate window is also a cost-effective action.

IGU is made by sandwiched a layer of insulating material (usually air or other gases) between two or more layers of glass. This structure helps to reduce heat transfer between inside and outside buildings, thereby saving energy and improving thermal comfort.

As mentioned earlier, gas filling plays an important role in the insulation performance of IGUs, which can be enhanced by using inert gas and optimizing cavity size. The performance is represented by a U value, with lower values indicating better performance. Therefore, measuring the gas concentration of insulating glass has become more important than ever, as it helps to improve the energy efficiency of insulating glass.

Low Emissivity coating combined with inflatable IGU can improve energy efficiency

Different coatings are an effective way to improve energy efficiency, and low Radiance (Low-E) coatings are manufactured for this purpose. Low-E glass is coated with a thin layer of metal or metal oxide, which can reflect infrared radiation, which is the main cause of heat loss. This allows glass to block the escape of heat from the building while still allowing visible light to pass through.

By combining low radiation coatings with IGUs, window manufacturers can create a high-performance glass system that provides insulation and solar control. This helps to reduce heating and cooling loads, improve indoor comfort, and reduce energy costs. For example, using a low radiation IGU filled with 90% argon gas can increase the insulation value of windows by up to 16% compared to filling with air. The improvement of krypton filling can reach 27%.

Monitoring the timeout performance of IGUs

I would like to emphasize the importance and benefits of measuring IGU gas concentration, as well as its connection with sustainability. During the manufacturing phase, the gas concentration inside the unit can be monitored by installing sensors in the cavity. However, a simpler method is non-destructive testing, which allows measurements to be made without breaking the glass. Using laser equipment, measurements can be made on double-layer and three-layer glass IGUs with coatings or layers. It is necessary to repeat measurements on the installed window units to check for IGU leakage, which has a negative impact on energy efficiency.

In addition, why should we be concerned about gas concentration? Regulations and standards vary by country and region. It is important to add gas concentration monitoring during the process to ensure that the product meets commitments and standards. By measuring the concentration of insulation gas, in addition to improving environmental performance, it can also save costs and improve the reliability of equipment/procurement processes.

Overall, the simultaneous use of low radiation coatings and insulating glass units is a common strategy for achieving energy efficiency in modern architectural design. Note that the insulating glass device is manufactured according to standards and maintains the windows in good condition for a long time, sealing the entire process of building energy efficiency.