Glazing and Energy Codes

Architects and building owners face growing challenges in balancing aesthetics and daylighting design needs with increasingly stringent building and energy code requirements. This month’s discussion will focus on ways to reduce heat loss and heat gain to comply with commercial energy codes. Thermal energy performance of glass can be improved several ways; many of them are just now beginning to be incorporated into the commercial segment.

Several products have been introduced that will help reduce conductive heat loss through the edge of insulating glazing units (IGUs). Warm-edge technology will also help reduce condensation that typically occurs around the edge of glass near the frame. Below are some of the different types of insulating glass (IG) spacers available.