Energy saving, role of windows

The role of windows and doors is very important in energy saving.

If we want to actively contribute to the containment of consumption, we must, first of all, work to reduce waste, while the search for new renewable energy sources is intensified.

Let us understand better what the energy supply needs of a building in our Country are and lay the foundations for a modern building project, designed with the aim of energy saving.

Let’s just think about the fact that the surface they cover on the facade is quite large, corresponding to almost 8% of them.

Domestic energy consumption in Italy is almost one third of the total and is largely identifiable with the dispersion due to an inefficient window.

All this makes us realize how fundamental the role of windows and doors is for energy saving in homes, commercial premises, factories and offices and how much more advantageous it is to invest in highly energy saving windows. In fact, a higher purchase cost corresponds to a significant economic advantage that can be found over time as well as evident living comfort.

Hence the need for an accurate design of the fixtures.

Study of position and orientation

The study of the position and orientation of the building and its windows is very important to promote good lighting and save on light and heating consumption.

In the perspective of the environmental well-being and of respect for the energies of the planet, the study of bio-architecture also finds a wide field of application, according to which a correct orientation has a healthy effect for the body and mind, favoring the functions of our organism and cerebral functions. It is no coincidence that the oriental disciplines, much more advanced than the western ones from this point of view, provide precise indications on the position of the rooms and furnishings to reconcile work, study, rest and, more generally, the serenity of those who live there.

However, let us return to the material benefit deriving from the correct position and orientation of buildings and related windows.

Some basic rules have to be followed with possible variations due to climatic and positioning factors.

In principle, we can say that in a preliminary study of the project it should be considered to place large windows or large openings on the South side, to favor the sun irradiation from its rising at the hottest hours. But if the building is located in a particularly hot area, it is advisable to install thermal glass that favors heating during the winter months, but limits overheating in the summer. Conversely, the walls with fewer openings should be in the north.

If your goal is energy saving, you need to take into account some basic factors:

• latitude at which the building is located;
• climate;
• personal needs of the client;
• design needs;
• presence of natural or artificial obstacles.

After evaluating the path of the sun and choosing the position based on the cardinal points, a careful study of the project is necessary to define the orientation of the rooms and their doors and windows based on the construction possibilities and functional management of the spaces. In addition, the origin and intensity of the winds, the frequency of the rains, the power of solar radiation and its duration throughout the year, will influence your choice in positioning the fixtures. Finally, the presence of adjacent buildings, mountains, large trees or similar obstacles can alter the temperatures inside the home.

Do you have to hold the heat or reject it? Do you have to heat or keep the rooms cool even when the temperatures are hot outside?

Therefore your choice concerns the study of position and orientation, both on the type of doors and windows to be installed.

What are the best windows and doors

Since it is clear that position and orientation play an important role, you must carefully consider what are the best windows and doors to use to promote energy saving.

In a global assessment you have to take into account several factors:

• type of glazing;
• frame;
• materials;
• possible thermal dispersions.

In fact, it makes little sense to invest in thermally broken windows and doors, when any thermal bridge such as window sills, roller shutter boxes, etc… are not properly insulated. On the contrary, using some precautions and choosing the best and more suitable windows and doors can significantly change the costs in the bill and reduce the environmental impact.

There are some optimal solutions for glazing to see concrete energy saving results:

• low emission;
• selective;

The low emission glass has an invisible coating obtained with metal oxides that limit the dispersion of heat from the inside to the outside. For this reason it is the best solution for the windows and doors of buildings located in places with daily thermal excursions.

Selective glass, as its name reveals, is able to select solar radiation, making sure that it only partially penetrates the glass of doors and windows. Its ability to favor normal lighting by limiting the overheating of the interiors also makes it defined as “four seasons”. We recommend using these glasses on windows placed in buildings located in areas with a mild climate and well exposed to the sun.

Low emission glass or selective glass must be inserted in a double-glazing which consists of two monolithic or stratified plates that delimit an air interspace that is filled with air or inert gases such as Argon or Krypton. By improving the heat flow, they retain heat during the cold season and leave it outside in the hot months.

The doors and windows made with selective or low-emission glass, as well as with double glazing, also have the advantage of reducing external noise, leaving the rooms in a pleasant quiet.

In order for efficiency to be complete, it is essential to use the best glass combined with suitable profiles, made of low transmittance materials and with all the technical and mechanical requirements necessary for the frame to work at its best.

Tailor made window design

The design of a tailor made window is the basis for a perfect combination of functionality and aesthetics.

The great experts in the window and door sector such as Capoferri make the design and construction of tailor made windows the flagship of their business.

Taken for granted the evident technical skills, the competence and the possibility to access quality raw materials, the skill of the internal workforce of the company become relevant. The ability to combine the client’s requests, such as great internationally renowned architects‘ needs, make the tailor-made creative act inevitable.

The production of a tailor made window takes into account the many variables to which the design is subjected, first of all the efficiency of the finished product.

Today, the client is increasingly aware of the possibility of a tailor made product, so the inspiration of architects has the opportunity to materialize into a finished product of great value also thanks to its uniqueness.