1. Super
Insulated
Glass
Energy efficient
insulated glass for:
• Windows
• Curtain walls
•Doors
• Skylights
• Roof Windows
• Atriums
Residential and
commercial buildings.

2. History of glass
• The first glass dates to Mesopotamia – 3000 BCE.
• Early Roman Empire window glass, largest being 3 feet by 4 feet, was
discovered in Pompeii .
• By the 10th century, Murano, Italy becomes the glass center of the world
producing crown and cylinder window glass.
• Plate glass was introduced in France in the late 17th century.
• In 1959 Pilkington Brothers LTD started production of float glass, since
licensed to other glass manufacturers, and becomes the worldwide standard.

5. Low-e
Insulated SUMMER
Glass
• Low-Emissivity coated glass
improves glass efficiency in
1983 and improved versions
are the current standard of
today.
• Microscopically thin,
virtually invisible, metal or
metallic oxide layers WINTER
deposited on a window
glazing surface
• Sealed air-filled space is
typically replaced with argon
or krypton gases.
•Low-e coatings can virtually
eliminate the suns harmful
UV rays.

6. Super
Insulated
Glass
• Super insulated glass can be
customized for almost any
application, applicable for all
sides of a building.
• It combines the latest
technology incorporating
multiple Low-e coatings,
argon or krypton gas,
multiple glass layers, and
warm edge separators.
• Can produce U-values
comparable to a standard
wall while still utilizing
passive solar gain.
• Manufactures include:
Cardinal, PPG, Southwall,
and Serious Glass.

7. Vacuum
Insulated Glass (VIG)
• Vacuum Insulated Glass was invented in Sydney, Australia in 1990.
• A thin vacuum layer separates low-e coated glass typically only 6 mm thick.
• Characterized by thin beads in between glass layers and metal vacuum seal.
• Lightweight compared to other insulated glass units (IGU).
• Manufactured by Pilkington and several overseas companies.

8. Dynamic Glass
Dynamic glazing delivers these benefits: • Stops solar heat
• Increase day lighting • Uninterrupted view •
Dramatically reduces fading • Blocks glare
Gives you the power to change your environment by doing what ordinary
glass can’t do: It switches from clear to darkly tinted at the push of a button.

9. Insulated Glass Evolution
U VALUES
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5 0.9
0.4
0.3 0.55
0.2
0.25 0.2
0.1 0.125 0.08 0.125 0.067
0.05
0

10. 1983 Insulated Glass had
improved over 350% since 1930!
(single pane to standard low-e coated IGU)
U=.55
U= .9
U=.25
U values of super insulated glass can reach a
low of .05 an additional 500% improvement

11. Important Specifications
(Northern regions)
•U-Value is the rate of heat loss − .30 glass and .35 window (Energy Star & IECC)
and .20 glass (DOE).
• Solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) is the amount of solar heat gained.
• Visible light (VT) is the amount of light emitted through the glass.
• Ultraviolet rays (UV) is the amount of harmful rays emitted through the glass.
• Air infiltration is the amount of air that leaks through window seals.
• DP grade is the rating of a window in terms of water and wind resistance.

12. Super Insulated Glass
Premium Manufacturers Offer:
• Minimum U-value of .125 (R-8).
• Appropriate SHGC’s for all cardinal coordinates.
• Optimize VT for daylighting.
• Multiple manufacturing facilities.
• Serious Glass
•Meets all four criteria
• U-.125 Double-pane, U-.08 triple-pane
• Cardinal Glass
•Meets 3 of 4 criteria (lacks a U-.125 unit)
• U-.2 Double-pane, U-.15 triple-pane
•Southwall Technologies
• Meets 3 of 4 criteria (lacks multiple manufacturing sites)
• U-.1 Double-pane, U-.08 triple-pane, .05 quad-pane

13. Glass Sustainability
(Common Sense)
• Glass is extremely durable, low-
cost, recyclable, down-cyclable, provides
daylight, provides views, provides passive solar
energy, and most brands offer self-cleaning glass.
• Higher embodied energy rates, 6750 to 7500 BTU/lb
are being reduced up to 65% with technology.
• Carbon neutral buildings are almost impossible to
economically design without super efficient glass
that maximizes passive solar technology.

14. Windows
Units
• The Romans first use glass in
windows in about 100 CE.
• Andersen Lumber Company
introduced the first mass
produced window in 1915.
• Windows are available in
several types including: double-
hung, casement, fixed, awning, a
nd glider.
• Frame types include:
aluminum, steel, vinyl, fiberglass,
wood, and clad wood.
• Wood windows are the least
energy efficient and fiberglass are
the most efficient.

15. Super Insulated Windows
Premium Manufacturers Offer:
• Minimum U-value of .125 (R-8).
• Appropriates SHGC’s for all cardinal coordinates.
• Optimize VT for daylighting.
• Insulated fiberglass frame construction.
• Multiple manufacturing facilities.
• Serious Windows – Multiple Locations (Residential and Commercial)
•Alpen Windows - Colorado
•OwensCorning – Michigan (Sunrise) and Illinois (Serious)
• Sunrise Windows – Michigan
• Republic – Arizona
•Thermotech– Ottawa, Ontario
• H-Line - Wisconsin

16. Window Sustainability
(Common Sense)
 Wood framed windows can contain certified
forestry wood and is a good insulator, but are rarely
recycled, most are expensive, is the least energy
efficient, have a high expansion rate, and are
susceptible to moisture.
 Aluminum or steel framed windows are extremely
durable, can contain high recycled content, are
recyclable, a poor insulator, impervious to
moisture, can accept super insulated glass, but
require huge amounts of energy during production.

17. Window Sustainability
(Common Sense)
 Vinyl framed windows are the least expensive, can
be durable, can contain a high recycled content, are
recyclable, impervious to moisture, can accept super
insulated glass, can have insulated frames, but have
a high expansion rate and require huge amounts of
energy during production.
 Fiberglass framed windows are mid-
priced, extremely durable, can contain a high
recycled content, are recyclable, impervious to
moisture, can accept super insulated glass, have
super insulated frames, have the lowest expansion
rate, but due require large amounts of energy in
production.

18. Efficiency applied
to all four sides of a building
The best super insulated glass and window manufacturers produce products
that can be applied to every side of a building. The least amount of heat loss
(U-values of .125 or lower); multiple SHGC’s options with highest on south
wall (opposite in warm climates), medium for west and east, and lowest on
north; and while achieving good visible light for daylight.

19. Window vs. the Wall
• Energy zone 5 wall insulation requirements are: R-13 to 15
wall cavity plus R2 to 6 insulated sheeting for gas heat for a
maximum R-21 (U-.048) total. Electric heatis R-13 to 21+R-5
to 6 for a max of R-27 (U-.037).
• Energy zone requirements for windows are only a R-3.33
(U-.30). It will require another 650% efficiency increase to
match wall requirement (for gas heat).
• Doubling a windows R value to 6.66 (U-15) will have the
same benefit as increasing wall R value to a R-105 (U-.001).
• Windows with a R value of 8 or higher (U-.125 or lower)
are better than the best wall insulation because they
collectmore heat than they loose in 24 hour period.

20. Spend it now…
…and save for life

21. Storm Windows
Pro’s
• Low-cost, simple installation.
• Considerably extends life of existing windows.
• Low-e storm window installed over a single-pane is comparable to
a new low-e IGU.
• Lowers window unit air infiltration.
• 3 ½ to 5 year payback.
Con’s
• Limited efficiency improvement.
Chicago Case Study

22. Skylights
Pro’s
• Significantly increases day lighting
• Increases solar gain
• New Glass Technology reduces heat loss and reduces solar gain (if
preferred)
Con’s
• Can be difficult to shade
• Proper installation is crucial

23. LEED Credits
Energy and Atmosphere (EA)
• Optimize Energy Performance 1-19
Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)
• Increase Ventilation 1
• Daylight and Views, daylight 1
• Daylight and Views, views 1

24. Cradle to Cradle
Empire State Building, New York City
• Retrofit all 6,514 dual-pane windows (.5 U-value) with Serious super
insulated glass that incorporates Southwall’s Heat Mirror- technology
that improved efficiency by 400%
(.125 U).
• Reused glass and rebuilt IGU’s on site.
• Saves $410,000 ($4 million complete building retrofit) in energy costs
per year.
• Pay back – three years
So what?
• 40% of commercial buildings in NYC were built before 1945.
• Commercial building use 80% of building energy in NYC.
• In the US, buildings use 44% of total energy and 18% is commercial.
• 4.8 million US commercial buildings and only 4,000 (in 2007) meet
energy star (.35 U in northern region)

25. Regulators
• Energy Star
• Department of Energy (DOE)
• American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air
Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
• National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC)
• Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED)
• International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)
• National Green Building Standard (NGBS)
• Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
• United States Rural Development (USRD)

26. Next Generation IGU
•Foreign companies, like IP Glass Technology, are just now producing
hybrid systems that combine VIG with standard IGU that create a 20%
improvement in efficiency. These IGU U-values are about .067, which is
close the standard Quad IGU, but with approximately half the weight.
•Grezenbach (Germany) also is experimenting with this same hybrid
technology and plans to have an initial .005 U-value hybrid IGU in
production by 2012, later improving to a .035 (a whopping R-29).

27. Credits
Print
•Allen, E. &Iano, J ((2004). Fundamentals of Building Construction, John Wiley & Sons.
•Lechner, N. (2001). Heating, Cooling, and Lighting, Design Method for Architects, John Wiley &
Sons.
• McDonough, W. and Braungart, M. (2002). Cradle to Cradle, North Point Press.
• Montoya, M. (2011). Green Building Fundamentals, Prentice Hall.
•Environment Building News, Building Green LLC.
•Energy Design Update, Aspen Publishers.
•Glass Magazine, National Glass Association.
Web
• The Efficient Windows Collaborative.
• All listed manufacturers web sites.