SAS on windows and zero carbon structures

Lennart Jonsson looks at the changing face of the industry and how systems companies and fenestration installation companies must change to meet stringent reductions in energy use.

If the government had its way with the building regulations, we would be living in buildings without natural light and covering ourselves with several feet of insulation...

This may be an over-reaction but it certainly seems that the regulations and thermal calculations for building suggest that this may be the easiest way to meet stringent future regulations for new build.

Today's thermally efficient windows are possibly the worst performing product we install in a building structure - they lose valuable heat from the inside of the building.

So, on this basis, shouldn't we be specifying small windows with high efficiency double glazing to minimise heat loss? To put this into context, a window or glazed facade, can be a high user of energy within a structure if it is poorly designed, old or draughty, however, facing in the right direction, on a sunny day and it can operate in an entirely opposite way, creating, in some cases, unwanted excessive heat even on the coldest of days.

It is entirely possible to build new structures which make best use of solar gain and renewable energy sources such as wind power, photovoltaic in combination with heat pumps.

These buildings can be self sustainable or 'Zero Carbon' and in some instances, actually have excess energy left over.

So why are we not building structures like these now for all our new building requirements?.

Reason - most of the decision making it is down to initial high cost - but these high costs are now falling partially due to the current recession.

Building Regulation's are funnelling our design process further to encompass more efficient designs and utilising renewable energies such as solar heating.

The UK's fenestration industry has to look more outward to the changing requirements of the UK's construction industry.

The industry must stop trying to place one material, or combination of materials, as better than another and tackle the real issue of the correct use of glazing in structures and the benefits that can be achieved.

Systems companies providing door, window and curtain wall products in the future will become more involved in envelope solutions and provide such items as heat recovery, solar heating and shading systems.

Fenestration companies will offer specifiers real solutions that allow natural light to enter our buildings and give more control over heating and ventilation systems which will impact positively on the energy required to run a building.

Senior Architectural Systems has begun their journey on this path by becoming one of the first systems companies in the UK to offer fenestration solutions, irrespective of material choice, and educate their fabricator network to offer specifiers real solutions for today's modern structures.

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