CNC Report 08.26.24 8.5x11 - Flipbook - Page 42
PRIORITIZE WELLNESS AND ACCESS TO NATURE
How can the project provide a better connection to natural environmental factors (daylight, landscaping,
etc.)?
How can indoor air quality be improved via material selections (i.e.: Health Product Declaration) and
system performance?
Make windows operable with sufficient openings (4% of floor area for room with 1 external wall, 2%
per side for cross ventilated rooms) so that effective natural ventilation can be used when outdoor
conditions are suitable.
Design as many spaces as possible to have sufficient daylight so that electric lighting is not needed
during the day, and ensure the lighting provided are energy efficient LEDs.
1. Window-To-Wall Ratio
The window-to-wall ratio (WWR) is crucial in embodied and operational carbon considerations. A lower
WWR translates into reduced façade embodied carbon and lower energy requirements for heating
(operational carbon) due to decreased window surface area, which is prone to heat loss.
In regions where cooling is more necessary than heating, the window-to-wall ratio (WWR) remains
important for operational carbon considerations. Still, in these cases, it is crucial to consider solar
control to avoid high solar gains.
2. Triple vs. Double Glazing
Triple-pane insulating glass has about 1.5 times the embodied carbon compared to dual-pane glass,
primarily due to adding a third glass pane. This higher embodied carbon footprint needs to be
weighed against the lower operational carbon footprint to assess its overall impact.
The example on the right compares double and triple panes with different frames in a lifetime of 20
years. The findings suggest that frame type is more influential than the choice between double or triple
glazing. Double-glazed wooden windows outperform triple-glazed uPVC windows, and double-glazed
uPVC windows surpass triple-glazed aluminum framed windows. However, 20 years exceeds most
uPVC windows’ lifespan, making it less straightforward than initially perceived.
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archimania
Transsolar
KlimaEngineering
