NCJ Number
64371
Editor(s)
R E FISCHER,
W F WAGNER
Date Published
1978
Length
55 pages
Annotation
A 1977 DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS ROUND TABLE ATTEMPTS TO DEFINE RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGIES NOW AVAILABLE FOR ENERGY-EFFECTIVE WINDOWS AND TO ANTICIPATE DESIGNER AND INDUSTRY NEEDS.
Abstract
CONFEREES REPRESENT A WIDE SEGMENT OF INDUSTRY, DESIGN PROFESSIONALS, RESEARCHERS, GOVERNMENT PROGRAM MANAGERS, FEDERAL AGENCIES, AND TECHNICAL AND CONSUMER PUBLICATIONS. AN OVERVIEW OF WINDOW RESEARCH AT THE NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS EXAMINES STUDIES OF WINDOW-DESIGN STRATEGIES FOR ENERGY-EFFECTIVE WINDOWS, THE USEFULNESS OF CONTROLLED DAYLIGHT AND HEAT TRANSFER THROUGH WINDOWS, THE EFFECT ON HUMAN BEHAVIOR OF WINDOWS (OR THE LACK OF THEM), WINDOW-MANAGEMENT STUDIES, AND THE LIFE-CYCLE COSTS INVOLVED WITH THE TRADE-OFFS. CURRENT WINDOW RESEARCH AT A PRIVATE LABORATORY CONTRACTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY DESCRIBES A WIDE SPECTRUM OF COST-EFFECTIVE WINDOW DESIGNS, COMPUTATIONAL TECHNIQUES THAT CAN QUANTIFY THE RESULTS OF ALTERNATE STRATEGIES, AND METHODS OF MANAGEMENT OF WINDOWS BY BUILDING OCCUPANTS TO MAXIMIZE THE BENEFITS OF GOOD DESIGN. A PICTORIAL GUIDE ILLUSTRATES AN ARCHITECT'S 'AGE OF INNOCENCE,' 'AGE OF IGNORANCE,' AND 'AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT' IN THE USE, OVER-USE AND SENSIBLE USE OF GLASS IN OFFICE BUILDING DESIGNS. THE CASE FOR WINDOW AREA AS A POSITIVE FACTOR IN SAVING ENERGY THROUGH SOLAR RADIATION AND DAYLIGHTING IS PROPOSED IN A DISCUSSION OF WINDOW RESEARCH IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND EUROPE. A ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION INDICATES THAT LIFE-CYCLE COST-BENEFIT INFORMATION MUST BE MADE EXPLICIT TO POTENTIAL BENEFICIARIES IF ENERGY-CONSERVING TECHNOLOGIES ARE TO BECOME SIGNIFICANT FACTORS IN BUILDING DESIGN AND OPERATION. THE CONFERENCE CONCLUDES THAT EMPIRICAL DOCUMENTATION OF WINDOW ENERGY EFFECTIVENESS MUST BE COMPILED; THAT BROAD INTERACTIONS MUST TAKE PLACE BETWEEN LAND PLANNING, BUILDING ORIENTATION AND SHAPE, AND ALL OTHER ASPECTS OF WINDOW PLANNING; THAT SYSTEMS MUST BE DEVISED FOR DISTRIBUTING HEAT FROM BUILDINGS' SUNNY SIDES TO OTHER PARTS OF THE BUILDING; AND THAT HUMAN TOLERANCE OF VARIATION IN TEMPERATURE AND LIGHT IS AN IMPORTANT VARIABLE IN WINDOW MANAGEMENT. A LIST OF PARTICIPANTS, DIAGRAMS, AND PHOTOGRAPHS COMPLEMENT THE TEXT. (MHP)