#Energy efficiency building envelope windows#

Reproduced from Technology Roadmap: Energy efficient building envelopes © OECD/IEA 2013, p. To enable advanced building envelopes to be used in a wider range of climates and regions, all interested parties must make greater effort to support mechanisms that favour R&D and deployment of energy-efficient building materials.

To provide policy makers with the information they need, key energy efficiency indicators and benchmarks should be established for the energy consumption of multiple building types, and the market share of advanced building envelope technologies and products should be tracked.

○ More durable and lower-cost reflective roof ○ Lower-cost automated dynamic shading and ○ Less labour-intensive air sealing, and lower-cost ○ Advanced, high-performance, “thin” insulation

R&D on the following technologies will lead to greater returns on investment:.

It is vital to increase global collaboration on developing more affordable zero-energy buildings, especially in cold climates.New office buildings should be fitted with integrated facade systems that optimise daylight while minimising energy requirements for heating, cooling, artificial lighting and peak electricity use.Air sealing – restricting the passage of air through the building envelope – is a key way of increasing energy efficiency during new construction and deep renovation.Building envelope improvements can improve occupant comfort and the quality of life to millions of citizens, while offering significant non energy benefits such as reduced health care costs and reduced mortality of “at risk” populations.Transforming typical building renovation to make way for deep reductions in energy consumption – known as deep renovation – should be a high priority.The construction of new buildings offers the best opportunity to deploy passive heating and cooling designs, which make use of energy efficient building materials to minimise energy required for heating and cooling.The building envelope – the parts of a building that form the primary thermal barrier between interior and exterior – plays a key role in determining levels of comfort, natural lighting and ventilations, and how much energy is required to heat and cool a building.The IEA's four main areas of focus are: energy security, economic development, environmental awareness, and engagement worldwide. The IEA is an autonomous organisation which works to ensure reliable, affordable and clean energy for its 28 member countries and beyond. Given that heating and cooling account for over a third of global energy consumption in the buildings sector, optimising building envelope design should be a key part of any long-term energy reduction strategy.

#Energy efficiency building envelope windows#

While there has been substantial success in improving the energy efficiency of new appliances, lighting and heating and cooling equipment, many buildings are still being constructed that are leaky, have no insulation or exterior shade control, and have single-glazed clear glass windows and solarabsorbing roofs in hot climates. In most of the world, the energy performance of building envelopes has been significantly neglected. Keywords: building envelope, thermal insulation, energy efficient building, IEA. The publication consists of definition and analysis of available technology, development vision for R&D and technology deployment and assessments of policy, financial and related needs. ANDREI LITIU Project Assistant at REHVA The latest International Energy Agency (IEA) Technology Roadmap concerning energy efficiency in buildings was released on 18 December 2013 and focuses on Energy Efficient Building Envelopes.