Energy Efficient Housing essays

Energy Efficient Housing essays Energy efficient windows have multiple layers of glass. The reason for this is because the more layers of glass you have the better it insulates the house. Three or four layers of glass are one of the best because you have more airspace in between layers. A smaller airspace doesnt insulate the building as well as a thicker airspace would. The thickest an airspace should be is 1 inch because any thicker than that will cause the glass of the window to no longer insulate the building. The air in between the layers of glass should be thick and dense, so that it can save energy. One of the most common airs used in-between glass is argon. When argon is used heat loss is reduced. You could also use carbon dioxide or sulfur hexa-fluoride between glass. Another type of window that is used commonly to keep the home cool is tinted glass. Tinted glass and tinted window films are used on buildings to reduce heat gain through windows. Advancements in tinted glass have now allowed us to make the glass appear just as a regular window that you can see through. The tinted glass solution is also used in many vehicles and private rooms for privacy and to keep them cool in the summer to save on energy costs. When choosing a proper type of window frame, fiber glass is the number one choice. Fiberglass is the strongest material to use for the job and it also involves a smaller amount of maintenance compared to vinyl or wood. Glazes on windows are one of the newest methods for energy efficient windows. Glazing is a way of changed the glass so that the light reflects off the window or absorbs the light and brings it into the building. Photo-chromic is the best product for glazing, as it can be switched so that it both reflects the light and absorbs it. Photo-chromic is a product called a switchable glazing. All switchable glazing products are useful for reducing cooling loads and for minimizing the shine off the sun from coming i...