Objectives:
To review the market potential for improvements in commercial building glazings, quantify
the energy savings potentials, explore potential design solutions, and develop guidelines
and tools for building designers so that systems are specified and used in an optimal
manner. A special emphasis is placed on the daylighting performance of glazings in
commercial buildings since lighting is the single largest energy end use and daylighting
can improve both visual performance and the quality of the indoor space as well as saving
energy.
Technical Approach:
This project has two major complementary elements. The first is the exploration and
assessment of glazing performance in commercial buildings leading to development of design
strategies that reduce unnecessary energy use. The final step is creating design guides
and tools that make this design knowledge accessible to practitioners, typically carried
out in partnership with others. Although the emphasis is energy impacts, e.g. annual energy
use, the performance issues addressed in the guides and tools include all that impact the
final glazing selection process, e.g. appearance, glare. The second element is an
exploration of daylighting strategies for commercial buildings since lighting energy use
is the major energy end use in most buildings. This work develops and evaluates new
daylighting devices and designs, assesses performance in commercial buildings, and
demonstrates system performance using test cells, test rooms and case study buildings. All
energy-related aspects of the design solutions, as well as other critical performance
issues, are addressed in this work. Results of this work are integrated into the guides
and tools described above. Much of this work has been co-supported by utilities and has
been carried on in conjunction with participants in an International Energy Agency
Daylighting Task. Design
Guides / Tools
Envelope / Lighting Integration (CIEE)
Electrochromic Systems
Daylighting in Commercial Buildings Source Book
High Performance Commercial Building
Facades
Daylighting The
New York Times Headquarters Building
Low-Energy Façade Solutions |