Serious Materials Makes Serious Windows
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.25.08
Kevin Surace and his company, Serious Materials, have been on TreeHugger before; they invented and are producing EcoRock, a new drywall substitute that generates a fraction of the carbon dioxide released in the production of conventional board. They also make Quietrock, a soundproof drywall where one sheet is equivalent acoustically to eight sheets of regular stuff. They "aim for breakthroughs in product performance, without requiring changes in customer behavior or in how products are used – thus speeding market adoption."
But from board to windows? That is a stretch, the only thing they have in common is that they both are used in building.
Not according to Kevin Surace. "We are an engineering company, we solve problems." The latest problem that they have attacked is the window, which is traditionally a big thermal hole in the wall. As windows usually have an R-value of about 2 to 3.5, they are not very effective thermal barriers; they are responsible for up to 40% of the energy consumed by buildings, which are responsible for 40% of the energy consumed in America.
Many building codes have a big flaw; they may specify an R-value (thermal resistance or level of insulation) for the wall assembly but ignore the amount of window that is installed in it. Now authorities are getting smart and setting energy efficiency standards like California's, where there may be limits on the total window area. So if you want that wall of glass look you are going to need better windows.
Serious Materials delivers a window with an R-Value of up to R11, which is really quite extraordinary. They combine pultruded fiberglass soy-insulated frames with special Alpenglass+ with single or double film suspended within that reduces heating and cooling costs by up to 40%.
There is nothing new about pultruded fiberglass frames or glass with suspended films; the proprietary "ecospacer" holding the glass and film in place is the only thing that I have not seen before. But they have put it together in an effective package that delivers surprising results.
More companies have to think this way; they are not in the board business or the window business but in the green construction products business. Serious Materials
Serious stuff from Serious Materials in TreeHugger:
TH Interview: Kevin Surace of Serious Materials
Soundproofing and Climate Change
New Drywall From Serious Materials Saves Serious Energy
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Strange graph, single (R1.2) and double (R2.0) pane have identical length bars.
My only concern is the 'low solar heat gain' - does this mean I get no benefit of passive solar in the winter?
First, disclosure: I work for a window and door manufacturer in Canada's north. I've been working in this industry for about 5 years.
This isn't as revolutionary as it seems. Many manufacturers (including my employer) offer triple pane vinyl windows that reach R7 or higher. All these guys have done is go up to the equivalent of a quadruple pane sealed unit. Good for them, but even the small company I work for is going to be offering something similar in a year or two.
Looking more closely it seems that they're not actually quad-panes, but instead use three layers of suspended film. The idea is basically the same though, since most manufacturers who use that technology only use two layers, and they've simply added another.
It is my understanding that fiberglass frames perform better thermally than vinyl. Vinyl frames have generally needed to include internal metal stiffening plates, which help increase heat transference (a bad thing). A fellow who builds both kinds of windows here in Alaska says that some vinyl windows do not put in the metal and they are not strong enough frames then. Fiberglass being strong enough not to need stiffeners. Also, vinyl shrinks and expands in temperature differences more than fiberglass, which could lead to breaking caulking seals if not done properly or properly maintained.
So naturally I'm curious if this has been addressed in vinyl windows of today. Perhaps Stephan will post of his company's experience. Back when I was trying to help develop the Alaska building efficiency standards and active in the Alaska Craftsman Home program, we looked to the innovations of our eastern neighbors - Canada- as innovators in the field.
First: We are honored to be covered on Treehugger. A great blog in this space that many of us read daily.
I beg to differ with the Canada guy above. The advances here were quite substantial. And not simply easy.
We are offering up to R11 full frame systems. R11 full frame R value...not just center of glass.
Triple pane cannot get there, and is very heavy so causes frame issues. I am not aware of anyone who comes close to that in full frame R value. But for the sake of the environment, we hope others develop technology to get there as well.
Suspended film (which we use to increase center of glass by reducing convection) by itself won't do it either. Raises the center of glass, but not the full frame to the level that we need to get to.
One of our substantial inventions (patent pending) was EcoSpacer. A brand new spacer technology that allows the seal at the edge of the glass to be at R11 or higher. Typical metal spacers look like a thermal short at the edge. Takes an R7 center of glass with triple pane (on a good day) to R5...then put it in a frame and you end up at R4 full frame.
Creating a reliable, strong spacer at the edge which can support the suspended films and hold high R value is a breakthrough. Commercial warm-edge spacers so not have the strength.
And then we need to have pultruded fiberglass frame systems fully insulated. Or the frame becomes the weak point. Add a few more items like this (1 3/8" IGU's) and you get there.
Again, hopefully others will invent their own technologies to get there as we have. Took years of work and testing, but it is possible to raise full frame R values on windows.
Kevin Surace
CEO
Serious Materials