BUILDING ENVELOPE SYSTEMS WINDOWS

There are separators between interior environments as well as separators of an interior environment and the exterior environment collectively, the latter constitute the building enclosure. The nature of the building enclosure and its spatial relationship with the other parts of the building are shown in Figure 1.įigure 1: The building as a set of separated spaces and the as-built separatorsĪs suggested by Figure 1, a building in general consists of a collection of spaces bounded by a set of spatial separators. The exterior environment above grade is very different from that below grade, and within any building there can be numerous interior environments. But its installation on an existing building demands improvement to the existing envelope and additional costs.Both the above-grade and the below-grade portions of the building enclosure are part of a physical system involving three interactive components: the exterior environment(s), the enclosure system, and the interior environment(s). High-performance building envelopes provide the best opportunities when deployed on new construction since they can be built into the building. La Jolla Commons, San Diego, California: The largest net-zero energy building in the U.S employs highly-efficient building envelope technologies like on-site fuel cells, low emissive coatings that reflect invisible long-wave infrared heat, and an under-floor air distribution system. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Colorado, U.S.A: The building includes rooftop photovoltaic systems and transpired solar collectors to generate the same energy that the structure consumes.ģ. The Unisphere, Maryland, U.S.A: The Unisphere building possesses solar photovoltaic systems, high-performance electromagnetic envelopes, earth coupled heating-cooling system, etc., to help the building function with no carbon emissions. Some of the examples of NZEBs that have used high-performance building envelope components are:ġ.

Building envelopes with technology to harvest solar energy help create sustainable buildings.Įxamples of High-Performance Building Envelopes.

Airtight construction prevents leaks, hence preventing heat gain and heat loss.

This creates less burden on the A/C or heating systems.

Proper insulation to walls controls severe temperature changes within the building during hotter or colder seasons.

BUILDING ENVELOPE SYSTEMS WINDOWS

Energy-efficient windows reduce heat by 80 percent compared to uncoated single-pane glasses.Provides an additional barrier against heat gain and heat loss.High-performance building envelopes contribute towards energy sustainability in the following ways: This implies that it must produce enough energy to exceed or match the overall building consumption. A high-performance building envelope integrates solutions for temperature control, airflow regulation, moisture control, etc., into the design to maximize the comfort of occupants within a given building, thus reducing the overall energy consumed by the building system.Īn NZEB building creates net-zero energy. High-Performance Building Envelopes to Reduce Energy ConsumptionĪ building envelope comprises walls, roofs, windows, doors, foundations, etc. It should be durable and must provide low maintenance during its life period. The system must also be simple, elegant, and constructed with ease. The cost for this superior performance must be balanced and affordable. Whatever be the components employed, the four key attributes that a high-performance building envelope must possess are:Ī high-performance building envelope should perform at a superior level in functionality and sustainability.

High-performance envelopes can be made of various components like windows, walls, doors, insulation, and other systems. Key Attributes of High-Performance Building Envelopes Examples of High-Performance Building Envelopes.High-Performance Building Envelopes to Reduce Energy Consumption.

Key Attributes of High-Performance Building Envelopes.

Building envelope systems