Jun 17 2008
PPG Industries has introduced an online tool that enables architects, specifiers and building owners to compare the relative energy and environmental performance of common architectural glazings on prototypical buildings.
The tool, located at www.ppgideascapes.com/energy, features calculations made according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s most sophisticated energy-modeling program. It offers a selection of menus that enable users to input variables related to glazing type, glazing design, building location and building type. Once selections have been made, the energy-modeling tool generates a table that contains comparative figures according to glazing type, glazing design and city for the following:
- Total gas and electric operating costs
- Total heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment costs
- Potential energy cost savings
- Potential HVAC equipment savings
- Estimated energy-related carbon dioxide emissions
- Estimated energy-related carbon dioxide reductions
Users can select from 12 North American cities representing various climates. Standard building types include a one-story middle school and an eight-story office building. Glazing options include a complete window wall or punched windows in six glazing types, including high and moderate light transmittance solar control low-emissivity (low-e) glasses, tinted glass with a passive low-e glass and standard double-pane tinted glass.
The tool gives architects, specifiers and building owners a quick and easy way to compare the energy-saving potential of various architectural glazings but is not designed to be a custom building-specific model. It also helps users to estimate how quickly they can repay an investment in more sophisticated, high-performance products.
To preview PPG’s online energy-modeling tool, visit www.ppgideascapes.com/energy.