Heat and glare
10 April 2008
The very essence of windows – they let us see clearly through – is also at the root of their problem. Because windows let everything through: heat, cold and glare.
Left: Solar control window film can make a significant difference to internal temperatures reducing the need for energy consuming cooling devices.
People responsible for windows are inevitably aware of the problems of heat loss in winter – but what is often overlooked is the cost of windows in summer. And the cost can be counted in wasted energy, loss of productivity and in the welfare of people.
Glass in windows allows about 90% of sunlight to travel straight through causing problems with glare on screens and heat gain.
The Building Research Establishment (BRE), solar gains in a glazed building can account for ten times the heat generated by equipment or lighting. In one hour a person gives of about 8W of heat energy per square metre, similar to a computer, whereas a window representing 40% of wall space on a South facing elevation can transmit 63W of heat to a square meter of floor space.
The result is workspaces become excessively hot and, where sunlight falls directly on someone, the heat feels magnified. People complain – but not without reason as research undertaken by Wyon in the USA, albeit a bit dated, found that productivity in an office environment dropped by 40% at 75°F compared to 68°F, the most comfortable temperature to work in.
Other research from the USA by Vernon found that accidents are 30% more likely to occur at the higher temperature also because people become fatigued. Glare from the sun falling on monitors is also a problem with 75% of people that work on computers suffering from some kind of strain.
The proposition is that heat and glare should be stopped from entering the building in the first place. Solar control window film is a convenient solution as it can be installed on selective windows with little disruption to activity. And right from the start it improves the work/study environment by filtering out 75% of the heat and glare and can show a pay-back in energy savings.
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- 10/04/2008 - Heat and glare for Hospitals
- 10/04/2008 - Heat and glare for Schools
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- 10/04/2008 - Energy loss & carbon footprint for Hospitals
- 10/04/2008 - Energy loss & carbon footprint for Education
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- 08/01/2008 - Found in thousands of schools but is window film being used to maximum effect? Part 3.
- 08/01/2008 - Found in thousands of schools but is window film being used to maximum effect? Part 2.
- 08/01/2008 - Found in thousands of schools but is window film being used to maximum effect? Part 1.
