Uploaded June 2020 | Updated September 2026, 13 hours ago
Mega Build Playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiwnMEDfDmfQ7jhMwua0zX0
This will be updated as segments are added.
There are 105 windows in our Project House, which means there are 105 places to let natural light illuminate our interior and 105 opportunities to create views of the beauty of our landscaping and the outdoor environment surrounding the home.
However, the presence of 105 windows also means that there are 105 places that are potential sources of heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer—that’s money literally going out the window!
The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that $20 billion in energy dollars were lost in the U.S. in 1990 due to unwanted heat gains and losses through windows—that’s one-fourth of all the energy used for space heating and cooling.
Air can leak around poorly installed windows, either your expensively cooled air leaking out (ventilation) or cold air from outside coming in (infiltration). Energy is also transferred through the edges and frames of windows (conduction, convection and radiation) , and of course, though the glass itself (radiation).
Most manufacturers use “R-values” in rating the energy efficiency of their windows. The R-value puts a number on a window’s resistance to heat flow. The higher the R-value, the less the heat loss, and the standard R-values range from about 0.9 to 3.0.
The following five factors affect the R-value of a window:
• The type of glazing material (glass, treated glass, plastic)
• The number of layers of glass
• The size of the space between the layers of glass and the type of gas (air, argon, krypton) used to fill the space
• The thermal resistance or conductance of the frame and spacer materials
• The “tightness” of the installation
When we designed the Project House, we knew we wanted windows that would be good-looking, long-lasting, great for energy efficiency and easy to care for.
For this reason, we chose vinyl frame, Low E, double-pane argon-filled windows from Simonton. Vinyl looks good, is easy to maintain and won’t pit, peel or chalk over time. Plus the thermal resistance of vinyl is very high—virtually the same as wood.
The panes of glass in our Simonton vinyl windows are coated on the inside with a micoscopically thin, virtually invisible layer of metallic oxide. This layer, a “Low-E coating” makes a huge contribution to the window’s energy efficiency by suppressing the flow of radiative heat through the window.
At the factory, the air between the panes is replaced by argon gas. Argon gas is heavier than air and is not in continuous motion like air, so the transference of heat and cold (convection) is greatly reduced. The Argon gas between the Low-E coated panes acts as an extra layer of insulation.
The benefits of windows using Low-E, Argon filled glass are significant:
*Reduced energy bills
*Reduced strain on heating and cooling equipment
*Reduced noise from outside
*Reflects over 80% of harmful ultraviolet rays, resulting in reduced fading of carpets, draperies and furniture
*Reduced potential for condensation
*Increased value for the home.
Mega Build Playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjTMbsoHW2eiwnMEDfDmfQ7jhMwua0zX0
This will be updated as segments are added.
There are 105 windows in our Project House, which means there are 105 places to let natural light illuminate our interior and 105 opportunities to create views of the beauty of our landscaping and the outdoor environment surrounding the home.
However, the presence of 105 windows also means that there are 105 places that are potential sources of heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer—that’s money literally going out the window!
The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that $20 billion in energy dollars were lost in the U.S. in 1990 due to unwanted heat gains and losses through windows—that’s one-fourth of all the energy used for space heating and cooling.
Air can leak around poorly installed windows, either your expensively cooled air leaking out (ventilation) or cold air from outside coming in (infiltration). Energy is also transferred through the edges and frames of windows (conduction, convection and radiation) , and of course, though the glass itself (radiation).
Most manufacturers use “R-values” in rating the energy efficiency of their windows. The R-value puts a number on a window’s resistance to heat flow. The higher the R-value, the less the heat loss, and the standard R-values range from about 0.9 to 3.0.
The following five factors affect the R-value of a window:
• The type of glazing material (glass, treated glass, plastic)
• The number of layers of glass
• The size of the space between the layers of glass and the type of gas (air, argon, krypton) used to fill the space
• The thermal resistance or conductance of the frame and spacer materials
• The “tightness” of the installation
When we designed the Project House, we knew we wanted windows that would be good-looking, long-lasting, great for energy efficiency and easy to care for.
For this reason, we chose vinyl frame, Low E, double-pane argon-filled windows from Simonton. Vinyl looks good, is easy to maintain and won’t pit, peel or chalk over time. Plus the thermal resistance of vinyl is very high—virtually the same as wood.
The panes of glass in our Simonton vinyl windows are coated on the inside with a micoscopically thin, virtually invisible layer of metallic oxide. This layer, a “Low-E coating” makes a huge contribution to the window’s energy efficiency by suppressing the flow of radiative heat through the window.
At the factory, the air between the panes is replaced by argon gas. Argon gas is heavier than air and is not in continuous motion like air, so the transference of heat and cold (convection) is greatly reduced. The Argon gas between the Low-E coated panes acts as an extra layer of insulation.
The benefits of windows using Low-E, Argon filled glass are significant:
*Reduced energy bills
*Reduced strain on heating and cooling equipment
*Reduced noise from outside
*Reflects over 80% of harmful ultraviolet rays, resulting in reduced fading of carpets, draperies and furniture
*Reduced potential for condensation
*Increased value for the home.
