Highly Insulating Windows

Lead Performer: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Berkeley, CA

Buildings

November 3, 2020

Lead Performer: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Berkeley, CA
Partners:
-- Andersen Windows
-- Alpen
-- Plygem
-- Quanex
-- Bystronic
-- NSG
FY20 DOE Funding: $920,000
Project Term: October 1, 2018 - September 30, 2021
Funding Type: Direct Funded

Project Objective

The U.S. window market today represents a remarkable transformation to products that reduce their building energy impact by 50% compared to those used in the early 1980s. The technology for a second market transformation that will enable windows to be net energy neutral products in many climates exists in prototypes and niche markets but is not yet available in volume at competitive prices.

Our objective is to promote mass-market adoption of state-of-the-art high-performance windows. This is accomplished through technology push, market pull, and education. The technology push is based on refinement and market introduction of novel frame and glazing technologies, such as thin-glass triple-pane and vacuum insulating glazing (VIG). Market pull programs are designed to engage a wide range of traditional market transformation actors, such as utilities and ENERGY STAR®, to structure programs that will encourage industry investment in the new designs. Consumer and industry education on the value of high-performance windows is accomplished through stakeholder engagement and new research, such as quantifying often under-recognized benefits like thermal comfort.

Project Impact

Windows account for ~4 Quads of combined heating and cooling energy use at an annual cost of more than $40B. This project seeks to establish market adoption of products capable of capturing the ~2 Quads of heating energy lost by windows.

Contacts

DOE Technology Manager: Marc LaFrance
Lead Performer: Charlie Curcija, LBNL

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