There are several different kinds of siding options for homeowners to choose from. The most popular types are vinyl siding and fiber cement siding. Both are durable and do not rot over time. Also, the use of vinyl sidings or fiber cement sidings will not lead to any infestation-related issues. Most importantly, they can help retain heat inside your homes and thus help reduce your energy bills.
There are however significant differences between vinyl sidings and fiber cement sidings. Vinyl sidings are mostly made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is a synthetic material that is essentially plastic. As a result, it is already colored, and homeowners or installers are not required to paint them. What a convenience! Since vinyl siding is basically made of plastic, it is affordable, recyclable, and impact resistant. Think about an empty plastic water bottle; it is cheap to produce, recyclable, and never breaks no matter how many times you drop it or throw it against a wall.
However, the properties of plastic lead to drawbacks for vinyl sidings. When vinyl sidings are exposed to fires, they can melt and release toxic fumes, which are environmentally hazardous and potentially fatal to homeowners. Also, in response to temperature, they contract and expand. As a result, this continuous bending can potentially cause vinyl sidings to crack. In addition, since they are already colored, which provides a convenience of not going through the painting hassle, this advantage can lead to a disadvantage. Over time, the color will wear off, and vinyl sidings cannot be repainted, since their contraction and expansion can cause paint to chip off. But a combined use of urethane and acrylic based paints has recently shown to solve this problem with their adhesive properties.
Meanwhile, fiber cement sidings are mostly composed of cement, sand, cellulose fibers such as the ones derived from wood, and ash. They have been used for over 100 years for home-building. This is a good indicator that homeowners have been satisfied with it, and there are several reasons why that is the case. Fiber cement siding is extremely durable, even during harsh weather conditions. It is also not affected by salt or UV rays. The properties of strength and durability are from the cellulose fibers that help prevent cracks from forming. Also, fiber cement sidings have a more natural look in terms of its wood texture as opposed to vinyl siding. They are required to be painted, but they provide the flexibility of choosing any color that you desire. The color from the paint in fiber cement sidings last 3-4 times more than the one in wood sidings; in fact, it can last for up to 25 years. In addition, fiber cement sidings are fire-resistant, and currently, they do not contain any materials that release toxic fumes. Hence, while they look like wood, at the same time, they act like bricks.
Despite their many advantages, fiber cement sidings have a major drawback of their high initial costs. During their production, they consume high amounts of energy, and they cost much more to produce than vinyl sidings. Also, it is more difficult for installers to install them. During their installation, fiber cement sidings release high amounts of dust, and safety precautions need to be taken to avoid dust inhalation. Hence, along with higher material costs, labor costs are also higher compared to vinyl sidings. Furthermore, fiber cement sidings can be brittle. Imagine that you throw a thin piece of concrete up in the air, and as soon as it hits the ground, you will likely witness many small pieces of concrete flying everywhere.
Thus, the ideal choice of home sidings depends on your preferences as vinyl sidings and fiber cement sidings have their own advantages and disadvantages in terms of energy efficiency, cost effectiveness, sustainability, and aesthetic appeal. If you have a low to medium budget and you want to avoid the hassle of painting, vinyl sidings may be a better choice. But if you have a medium to high budget, durability is paramount, and you prefer a more natural, wood-like texture, then go for the fiber cement siding. Also, another good word of advice: hire well-trained, professional installers to do the job for you, especially if you prefer fiber cement sidings. Needless to say, siding is one of the most important aspects of your home’s visual appeal and it is an essential part of optimizing your home’s performance, so you want to make sure you get it done the right way.
Garage doors: Energy Efficiency or Safety!
February 20th, 2012
Bhaskar Ale- MSME, E.I.T
Those of us with garages know, they are a pretty important part of our home. We use them to store anything and everything from cars to Christmas decorations. They become home work shops, unofficial man-caves, even band rehearsal space. When you are looking to replace the gateway to this multipurpose space, you garage door, there are two important aspects to consider: energy efficiency and safety.
Consider the following when looking for an energy efficient garage door:
- Automation is In-the latest in technology are garage doors which come with automatic control which lets you control from anywhere in the world as long as you have WIFI.
- R-value matters but look beyond-Newer garage doors have higher value insulation (up to R17 as claimed by some manufacturers) but there is no national standard for calculating R-value in garage doors. Most manufacturers give the R value based on the heat transfer from the middle of the door whereas the edges can have higher heat transfer due to air leakage.
- Limit heat loss- seal up the panel edges, the seams between panels, and the perimeter of the door
- Ventilate Right- proper ventilation of air inside is also important as too much air tightness can also cause CO problems from the fumes inside the garage from the auto exhaust. There needs to be a ventilation system inplace if the garage door is too tight
Safety is as important of an issue as the energy saving aspect. Recently, I came across a product Craftsman Assurelink Garage Door Openers. Now what is really innovative about this device is that not only it is a automatic controlled garage door opener but it can be controlled from anywhere in the world, as long as there is electricity and WIFI.
As per Craftsman website it has the following additional functionality besides the convenience, security and piece of mind:
- Backup DieHard battery, which can operate the garage door for up to 20 cycles even after the power goes out.
- Belt drive (steel reinforced), for the ultimate in quiet, durable operation
- LCD smart motion-detecting wall control with time, temp and GDO diagnostic functions, plus timer-to close feature
- Keyless Exterior Entry Pad
- (2) 3-function remote controls
- 200 Watts lighting
- Automatic sleep mode, which conserves energy while the door is not operating.
With these settings and the ability to control it via your smartphone using a specific application, this is the next step in safety and peace of mind. With the cost of only $296.99, it would be a wise investment for the security for your home.
Both the problems and solutions Ive addressed here for a single garage door can be applied to many appliances or devices in your home. For instance programmable thermostat control to define a temperature profile for your home. The newer ones in the market even add learning your habits, e.g NEST. We need to be aware that the core services such as insulation, remodeling are there and getting better day by day but proper analysis (heating and cooling load) is equally important to achieve the desired results, may it be home improvement, energy efficiency, safety etc. But all in all, it seems home automation systems are going to have all these functions and will be the next wave especially with remote control abilities that will play an important role in the Home Energy and Safety Industry in the coming years.
Mass Save!
February 14th, 2012
Bhaskar Ale- MSME, E.I.T
Recently Massachusetts was designated the most energy efficient state in the US for the year 2011, topping California which held the position for the past 4 years. To reach such a milestone , there has been increased efforts from the federal, state and local bodies working together here in MA with utilities and municipalities to provide home owners and commercial/industrial building owners and managers with incentives for increasing their energy efficiency. One such program which greatly affected the homes or the residential side has been the MASS Save program.
Mass save basically comprises of Massachusetts’ gas and electric utilities and energy efficiency service providers, including Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, The Berkshire Gas Company, Cape Light Compact, National Grid, New England Gas Company, NSTAR, Unitil, and Western Massachusetts Electric Company. They work hand in hand with the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources to provide a wide range of services, incentives, trainings, and information promoting energy efficiency that help residents and businesses manage energy use and related costs.
There have been numerous adverts in the media and increasing promotion of MassSave through the utilities, so you, homeowners know of and can reap the benefits of this incentive program. So what are the benefits,
Well as per Mass Save the major incentive that are offered are the following:
- 75% up to $2000 toward the installation of approved insulation improvements which includes improving your attic insulation, wall insulation, air sealing, spray foaming etc.
- No-cost targeted air sealing (weatherization, caulking), installation of instant saving measures such as energy efficient CFL bulbs, programmable thermostat change out, low flow aerators for faucets and low flow shower heads
- Rebates are also available on qualifying energy-efficient heating, hot water heating and Air conditioning equipments
- Here is a link to finding all the heat/cooling rebates
- The opportunity to apply for 0% financing for eligible measures through the HEAT loan program which consist of basically getting a loan from a bank (has to be an affiliate of Mass Save) for the replacement of your heating equipment changeout without any interest, so basically it means the utility pays your interest!
For more information you can also check out disireusa.org for a comprehensive list of all the utility rebates and incentive programs not only by the major utility companies in MA but also the local municipalities which also offer additional rebates regarding renewable technologies as well such as solar water heaters.
Solar Power Towers
February 8th, 2012
Poornima Muralidhar, Junior Energy Engineer
References:
http://www.green-the-world.net/
http://polizeros.com/wp-content/
http://www.wipp.energy.gov/science/energy/powertower.htm
http://www.solarpaces.org/CSP_Technology/docs/solar_tower.pdf
Build Tight, Ventilate Right!
February 7th, 2012
Bhaskar Ale- MSME, E.I.T
I’m sure many home performance contractors and homeowners alike have considered whether a home can be sealed so tightly that it might cause Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Issues? Building scientist definitely need to understand the issue of ventilation requirement for the home. Builders have a saying “Build tight, ventilate right!” and they are not saying this for no particular reason. They are promoting fresh air intake devices, energy recovery wheels and ventilating fans and there are reasons behind it.
First, lets take an old home or apartment. It is allowed abundance of air exchange due to the leakiness of the house. Hence it is harder to heat or cool due to the irregularity issue of air inside the house. On top of that, energy is expensive. Just like gas prices of the automobile industry, home energy prices are going to rise even higher with depleting resources. So builders tend to tighten up the gaps, air seal, insulate, install higher pane windows, weatherstrip doors etc.
What does that do to the building? Here are some consequences:
- Firstly, air is trapped inside and becomes stale from exchange of air with humans
- Humidity and contaminants levels rise
- Indoor air quality goes down
- Moisture in the air exacerbates asthma and allergies in humans
So how do we solve this issue. First, we as New Englanders live in a cold climate, i.e Region 5 according to Energy star. They have recommended insulation values of upto R60 for the attic which is super insulated and with proper air sealing we would definitely get less heat loss to the surrounding. It will also lower our heating bills. But now that you have a super tight home and no air leakage, IAQ issues are going to arise .
The answer is simple; ventilation. The historical practise for ventilation has been 0.35 ACH, basically what that means is that the volume of air in a defined space of the building should be exchanged to the outside 0.35 times per hour. It is an average to test the leakiness of the house but not the absolute. So when a blower door (leakiness testing device) gives you this value, does not necessarily mean that your home is ventilated right. You need to take into account wind, temperature difference and the pressure difference between the indoor and outdoor. This can result in the house being ventilated less than the blower door test data. But the trend in most states is to follow an acceptable national standard for ventilation which is the ASHRAE 62.2-2007 – Ventilation and acceptable IAQ in Low Rise Residential Buildings.
As far as the ventilation methods there are basically 3 methods (see EERE website):
1) Natural Ventilation – It is the uncontrolled air movement from windows, doors, or cracks in the home. It is still a common methods of ventilation practised among older homes where fresh outside air replaces indoor air.
2) Spot Ventilation – It is using exhaust fans to controls air movement by removing pollutants and moisture at the source. Spot ventilation generally works when natural ventilation is not enough. Common fans are bathroom exhaust and kitchen hood roofs.
3) Whole House Ventilation- System comprising of using one or more fans and duct systems
to exhaust stale air and/or supply fresh air into the house. It provides controlled, uniform ventilation throughout the house.
There are 3 types of whole house systems:
- Exhaust-only (relying on leakage into the building for fresh air)
- Supply-only (relying on air leakage from the building to exhaust stale air)
- Balanced systems that include both exhaust and fresh air intake components.
Besides the solutions, other things to take also into account are the following:
- sone rating – the noise produced by the ventilation equipment
- type of air handler or exhaust fan installed and the associated cost
- fittings for the installation
- configuration of the ducts
- fan pressure and capability
- control strategy i.e Controls (Digital or Pneumatic ) for the control of devices and dampers associated with Ventilation system.
- In attic – ventilation plays an important role as in the winter, the soffit or rafters allow air to enter and escape out the hoods which causes constant cold temperature otherwise the if not properly ventilated the hot air from the indoor space will seep into the attic and stay causing the ice damming (melting of snow on roof and forming in the gutters causing damage to the roofs). Similarly, during summer, ventilation removes super heated air out of the attic protecting the roof and shingles and removing moisture.
I hope the information provided helped you find some reasoning as to why builders promote the idea of ‘Build tight, Ventilate right’. For more information you can visit EERE website.
Armed with the Right IR Camera
February 3rd, 2012
Alex Lee, Energy Engineer
You have been given a new mission. Your training has prepared you for moments like this. You gather your tools of trade and begin your expedition to the designated location. Upon arriving on-site you unsheathe one of your most essential tools, your infrared (IR) camera. You are an home energy auditor. But how do you know that your IR camera is battle-ready?
First the basics. How do IR cameras work? As a brief explanation, their lens retrieves all the infrared light from everything in their view such as our bodies and electronics. The infrared light detectors create a temperature map, which is known as a thermogram, based on their viewing area. Then, through signal processing, they convert the information into electric signals that are used to display thermal images or even videos. That way, energy auditors can estimate the temperature at a particular point in a given area.
Some of you non-energy auditors out there may be asking about the exact purpose of using IR cameras. Simply put, they are used for detecting insufficient insulation, overloaded circuits, and/or overheating machines in residential houses or commercial facilities to improve energy efficiency. For instance, if you scan outside a residential house and see bright areas in the windows or rooftops through the IR camera screen, this indicates that heat is seeping out in these areas. To pinpoint the exact source of heat loss, you should also scan inside the house, since heat can leak out from one area inside the house and seep out through a different area outside the house. On the other hand, even though the roof is well-insulated, wet insulation absorbs heat more quickly than dry insulation. Hence, the IR camera can still detect it as a poor-insulated roof, and this is an indication that the roof has a leak problem. Also, when you inspect an insulated hot water pipe in a commercial facility, a bright area shown in one particular area of the pipe through the IR camera screen indicates that there is an insufficient insulation in that area. By the way, if you think you can simply get away with using a conventional camera with infrared film, unfortunately it is not sufficient for energy auditing, because it is not sensitive enough compared to the IR cameras.
I’m sure there are many companies that manufacture and supply IR cameras, but I will briefly describe different models of the FLIR IR camera, which are grouped by series. For instance, the FLIR i3/i5/i7 IR cameras (three different models) have the basic features of a typical IR camera. One of the features includes indicating an estimated temperature in the area within a circular cursor. The IR camera screen shows the temperature scale for the entire thermal image, and you can save these images by pressing the trigger (get the pun?). The pictures are then saved into a data card. By the way, for those of you who are very price-conscious and/or need the IR camera occasionally, you can rent the FLIR i7 IR camera at your local Home Depot store.
If you take a look at the FLIR E-series IR camera (models E30, E40, E50, and E60), they may look similar to the FLIR i3/i5/i7 IR cameras, but they have many more additional features. Unlike the screens of the i3/i5/i7, the E-series IR cameras are installed with touchscreens and can magnify thermal images. Another additional feature of the E-series is the Wi-Fi connectivity. After you save the images, you can send them online and access them to any computer or a smart-phone with the FLIR Viewer software. In addition, the E-series IR cameras can record videos and are armed with a flashlight and a laser pointer to pinpoint particular areas.
The FLIR T-series IR cameras (models T300, T400, T620, and T640) have all the features of the E-series, but they also have further additional features. One major feature is their rotating lens, which would help you take thermal images at difficult angles. Another feature that the T-series are equipped with is their advanced optics lens. They can not only magnify images further than the E-series, but also perform like a thermal microscope. Needless to say, the prices of IR cameras increase with the additional features and higher precision, magnification, and temperature range. Note that I did not cover every feature of the mentioned IR cameras, and solely mentioning these IR camera models does not mean that the FLIR IR cameras are the best ones for you to use.
According to the Building Performance Institute (BPI), the recommended minimum resolution for the IR camera is 240×120. For example, the FLIR i5 IR camera has a resolution of 80×80, while the resolutions of the FLIR E50 and FLIR T620 IR cameras are 240×180 and 640×480 respectively. But as long as any of your IR camera regardless of the model or series works well for you, you can stick to it. But if you really need the newer IR camera to do your job effectively as an energy auditor, by all means, buy it; enjoy the additional features. But the point is, there is no need to spend excessive money on a new IR camera just to meet the recommended standard. Note that the meanings of recommended minimum and required minimum are different, but the BPI does not currently have the required minimum resolution for the IR cameras.
Hence, the IR camera model that you need depends on your current needs. Whether you are conducting an energy audit on recently-built houses before they are purchased or on residential houses as a routine checkup, a basic model of an IR camera may be sufficient. On the contrary, if you are auditing factories that house many machineries with potential overheating problems or facilities that store nuclear waste, you may be better off with an advanced model. Furthermore, the optimal weather condition to perform energy audits is when there is a 20 degree Fahrenheit difference between indoors and outside at northern states or if the air conditioner is turned on during warm weather at southern states.
Along with the IR camera, its combined use with other equipment can turn out to be very effective. The ones that help contribute to improving energy efficiency in residential homes and commercial facilities include the smoke pen, blower door, duct blaster, and manometer. The use of the smoke pen is another effective way to detect poor insulation especially in the windows by seeing where the smoke goes after its release. Also, the blower door and the duct blaster are used to spot any air leaks in the house and in the ventilation ducts respectively. If the IR camera was used in conjunction with the blower door or the duct blaster, it would show dark streaks on its screen if such leaks in the house are present. At the same time, the manometer is used to measure pressure and air flow to determine the severity of air leakage.
The IR camera is, by all means, a very useful tool for energy auditing, but you should not rely solely on it. Other equipment can confirm what the IR camera spotted or even point out other hazards that the IR camera missed. One good example is detecting levels of carbon monoxide with a combustion analyzer. If, let us say, the heating system performed inefficiently and released unusually high amounts of carbon monoxide, this is potentially fatal to homeowners, since carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas. Even though the IR camera can detect overheating in the heating system, it cannot measure the concentration of carbon monoxide. Thus, the use of multiple pieces of energy auditing equipment is crucial for auditors to do their jobs effectively in improving the energy efficiency of residential homes and/or commercial facilities.
Simple and Unique Energy solutions for the Home!
January 27th, 2012
Bhaskar Ale- MSME, E.I.T
Increasing the home’s aesthetic appeal or comfort are two areas where we as homeowners and renters focus much of our home improvement attention, but how often do we make an effort to reduce our energy consumption? Energy saving products can have huge benefits in the long run in terms of ROI. With minimal effort and expense, you can save you from 5-10% on your energy bills.
The other day, I was looking for some cost effective, easy to implement home energy saving measures and I came across several solutions that embody one of the core tenants of the Mass Energy Lab Mission statement: Simplicity. Here are a few measures most under $20 each and under 1 hour install time that can help take more control of your energy usage :
Aerators and Low Flow Shower heads
These are simple solutions for solving your water problems. It is like a damper for the flow of your water in the faucet. It determines the maximum flow of the water by spreading the water stream into many single droplets. This action allows for decrease in Gallons per minute of water coming out of your faucet or shower heads. The general requirement for energy saving buildings is to have 1 gpm faucet aerators and 2.5 gpm showerheads as stated by DOE. It can save you in water bils upto 25-60%.
Balloon Chimney
This was another unique simple but effective technology I came across during my research. The company that manufactures is called Chimneyballoon. It is basically a balloon that fits into the throat of your chimney where the damper is situated. It can be easily removed and installation is quick and easy. Its main advantages are that it stops cold drafts from coming into the house as well as warm drafts leaving the house. Blower door test data from the manufacturer suggests an improvement of 27% energy saving from open chimney conditions. It has other advantages as well such as stopping unpleasant smells and odor from outdoors , critters and bugs coming into house and better noise protection.
Toilet Tank Bank
This was an interesting item. It would apply to the retrofit market. We all know that the new low flush toilets can be expensive, maybe the actual cost is low (around $250) but the installation and labour cost involving a plumber is usually high. Flushing can consume around 3.5 gallons per flush but newer low flush toilets have 1.6 gpf. What if we provided a simple solutions to your problem using your older toilets. Well, the product is toilet tank bank. It basically displaces 0.8 gallons less per flush by taking up tank space. It is simple to install, you just need to fill it up with water and it clips on the inside of the tank.
CFLs
Energy saving CFLs (Compact Flouroscent Lamp) have as high as 75% energy saving potential compared to the Incadescent lights. They are basically curly versions of those longer florescent tube lights you might have at home. It uses less wattage to produce the same amount of lumens your incandescent bulbs are prodcuing. The bulbs are available in a range of light colors, including warm (white to yellow). Encased versions with a covers are also available to further diffuse the light and provide a similar shape to the bulbs you are replacing. They are dimmable versions as well.
Air Sealing
It can mean saving your energy bills. Air leakage into the house from attic, walls, roofs, crawl spaces are a constant problem and causes an increase in your heating or electrical bills. Drafts cause your heating/cooling equipments to work harder and longer to maintain constant temperature requiring an increase in the gas/electrical bills. The way to control the amount of draft in you home is to first know where the drafts are coming from and this is done through a proper Home Energy Assessment where identification is made of the different infiltration sites by for example the blower door test. Then these sites are sealed up with caulking, weatherstripping and even some spray foam for bigger holes.
Thermostats – Programmable
How many times you would get home and your house is boiling hot because you forgot to turn down the thermostat when you left home. Well I know because I have experienced it. It gets a little cold at nights than during day time in winter so you raise the thermostat level a little higher than your preferable room temperature. You get up in the morning and you are hurry to get to office that you forget to turn down or turn off your thermostat. You come home from work and your thermostat and furnace has been running all day at your set night temperature . This not only creates an uncomfortable environment for you but also an increase in your heating bills. The solution; a programmable thermostat which you can program the temperature of your home to the different time of the day. It will guarantee savings on your heating bills. For installation you should have a certified installer.
Well I hope, the energy saving products mentioned above have been helpful to you. Mass Energy Lab is always looking for energy saving products backed up with performance. If you have any you might want to share, please feel free to contact us at info@massenergylab.com.
How Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLED’s) Can Transform Residential Electronics in the Next Decade and Beyond
January 24th, 2012
Alex Lee, Energy Engineer
Simply put, OLED’s are LED’s that contain layers of organic compounds. Basically, LED’s work when electrons in semiconductor materials become excited after electricity is applied. As electrons move around, they emit photons, an action that is equivalent to emitting light. The materials used in LED’s depend on the choice of light color. Meanwhile, OLED’s use the exact same concept, except that they contain layers of organic materials instead of semiconductor materials. Remember, as long as the compounds contain carbon atoms, they are considered organic.
By now, some of you may be asking yourselves why OLED’s instead of LED’s. The major obstacle to the commercialization of LED’s is their high cost. To help reduce the manufacturing costs of OLED’s, one of the processes to manufacture them involves spraying organic materials onto substrates just as an ink printer sprays ink onto a printing paper. These substrates can be made of plastic rather than glass, which is required for support in LED’s. Since glass absorbs some light, this property makes LED’s dimmer than OLED’s that are made with plastic substrates. As a result, OLED’s are brighter, thinner, lighter, and more flexible than LED’s. Yes, you heard that right; talk about bending light! What is even better is that when OLED’s are turned off, they are actually transparent. Basically, they simply look like a sheet of plastic.
Based on what you have read so far, some of you may think that OLED’s are a completely new technological breakthrough that will take years before they are first commercialized in household electronics. In fact, that is false; some of you may already have used your own devices that use OLED’s. Some common examples include the screens of cameras, cell phones, and small-screen television sets. The plastic substrates that provide the property of flexibility in OLED’s reduce the risk of broken screens. But at the same time, other applications of OLED’s have a lot of work to be done. These include household lamps that emit bright, white light and large-screen television sets. As some of you may already have heard this month, Samsung and LG revealed their OLED 55-inch television screens that are only 4 millimeters thick. They have shown that images from OLED television sets are not only sharper and clearer but also more energy efficient than the ones from liquid crystal display (LCD) television sets, which are more difficult and time consuming to manufacture. Based on the unique properties of OLED’s, they open a vast array of application possibilities that we may never have thought of. Other potential applications of OLED’s in the distant future include smart clothing that monitors its wearer’s own well-being, ID cards, and even newspapers. Imagine having a large, thin sheet of plastic that can be powered to read the news, and at the same time can be rolled and stuffed into your backpack like a regular newspaper! A decent proposal to cut down paper usage.
But don’t get too excited now. The major benefit of OLED’s is higher energy efficiency than LED’s and LCD’s. Additional benefits include their flexibility, lighter weight, and simpler design. Based on the progress, OLED’s have shown a tremendous promise to succeed in the technology market. However, they currently have their own downsides. Since OLED’s are in their infancy stage, they are still very expensive to manufacture. For instance, it is estimated that at the end of 2012, one 55-inch OLED television set can cost more than 5,000 dollars. In fact, one LG executive predicted that the OLED television set will not be cheaper than the conventional LCD television set until 2016. Also, light blue OLED light, in particular, has a much shorter life expectancy compared to other colors. For instance, studies conducted by the Universal Display Corporation found that the average life expectancy of yellow-green is 1.4 million hours and the one of red is 900,000 hours, while the average life expectancy of light blue is only 20,000 hours.
http://www.oled-info.com/tags/lifetime/blue_color
Hence, OLED’s are, unfortunately, not quite ready to hit the market yet.
Despite these setbacks, it is still amazing that with many extensive years of research on OLED’s, we are getting closer to making science fiction a reality. Remember the movies Minority Report and Avatar, where the characters use slabs of transparent plastic that become computer screens when they are turned on? In later years to come, with their high light intensity and lowered manufacturing costs, OLED’s can potentially be the next major source of lighting that can eventually replace fluorescent lights. By the beginning of the next decade, we will begin to witness the use of OLED’s in our everyday life through lamps, television, computer screens, car headlights, and many more to come.
A Look into Energy Efficient Windows!
January 4th, 2012
Bhaskar Ale- MSME, E.I.T
Windows are an important aspect in every home as they can enhance or detract from the aesthetic appeal and thermal efficiency.
They play an integral role in both heating and cooling. But windows are region specific as well i.e for Northern climate you might require high solar heat gain windows whereas, the lower climates you would require lower solar heat gain.
It is not always necessary to maximize optimization of your windows i.e getting low E R4 windows on all sides of your house. Your windows should be calibrated to the Heating and Cooling loads required for the building. For a proper install you would need high solar gain product in the south face and add a little bit of thermal mass and exterior siding. The east and west should have low solar gain and north should have low U factor windows. The north should be your super window with multiple low E and triple pane glass to reduce heat transfer. But the delivery platform and the installation is always critical for any window installation and it is critical to maximize both.
Generally, the performance of any window system is depended upon these important factors:
- glazing system- it is the glass but nowadays incorporates multiple panes of glass, gas fillings, and high-tech, heat-sensitive coatings
- frame materials – should have greater thermal resistance. Overall, vinyl, wood, fiberglass, and some composite frame materials have higher thermal resistance than metal.
- U factor – The rate at which a window conducts heat flow. It’s usually expressed in units of Btu/hr-ft2-ºF. For windows, U-factor is basically just the glass or glazing alone. The lower the U-factor, the more energy-efficient the window i.e higher R values.
- Solar Heat Gain – it the amount of solar energy coming through your windows, It should be minimized where not required and maximized when required. To block off solar heat gain you would install windows with low solar heat gain coefficients.
- Durability – ability to withstand degradation or resist stress or force over a time period
NFRC (National Fenestration Rating Council), is an organization, which gives a total performance value of the window installation. Values such as U factor, Solar Heat Gain Coefficient, Transmittance, Air Leakage, Condensation Resistance are some of the values presented with NFRC label.
The major part of window energy efficiency comes from insulation and its R value which can be found by taking the inverse of the U value i.e R = 1/U. Generally, the glass for the windows determine the R value. There are four main glass options:
- Single pane ~ R1
- Double Pane ~ R2
- Triple Pane ~R3
- Low E (includes glazing and argon gas and is double pane size) ~R4
There are other factors as well. Windows should be a protective weather barrier. Also, insulation levels of windows should always be matched and be consistent with HVAC systems design. You should also get the windows flashed around the periphery to prevent water from entering between gaps in adjoining building surfaces. For complete structural support windows should be integrated and continuity should be there with air barriers. Also, when you are looking at it from a builders perspective, these points should be noted:
- quality installation is the most important for maximum benefits
- window performance should be sized to HVAC
- safety glazing to notify that you dont walk into the glass such as patio glass
- coastal regions should have impact resistant windows
- structurally stable
- should factor in wind loads, safety loads, egress requirements etc
With the above understanding you should be able to get an idea of what to look for while installing windows. You should always research the costs associated with making changes to your windows and the different energy efficient window options available in the market today. Call your window contractor or Home Energy Auditor for proper assessment.
The 2012 Outlook on Green Building
December 19th, 2011
Jen Kaye
As 2011 is quickly coming to an end, it’s time to reflect on the successes in green building in the past year and think towards the future of the industry. The 2012 forecast predicts that sustainable building will continue to occur in full force in the new year.
It is predicted that international green building will grow exponentially in 2012 as LEED standards continue to gain awareness and recognition around the world. Major corporations also influence the spread of sustainable building by opening facilities in foreign countries thus imposing their green building practices in new locations. Within the US, there will be new LEED mandates to be implemented. These mandates are in response to the evolving industry and will allow the LEED standard to cover a wider range of market segments in addition to having more specific technical requirements.
Renovations of existing buildings are predicted to be the future of the industry with the goal being to keep buildings running efficiently and in working condition for longer. This is the most cost effective and sustainable way of improving energy efficiency and sustainability. Energy Star benchmarking, building audits and building envelope commissioning will continue to grow. Energy management systems are another great way to control energy and they can affect 60 percent of the world’s energy use.
It is predicted that 2012 will see continued increases in the availability of funding and incentives for green building and LEED certified projects. Multiple Building Certification is also expected to rise within the next year as the USGBC and LEED standards continue to focus on smaller scale commercial facilities. A trend that is currently developing is the disclosure of building materials. People seem to have a growing desire to know that certified products including wood, cleaning, products, drywall and insulation are being used to construct the building they occupy. The International Living Future Institute has also established a program called Declare which allows manufactures to share information about their product’s environmental impact and level of sustainability.
Companies will continue to be a huge influence on sustainability by training their employees and establishing a green mindset within the company culture. In recent months there has been a large push towards green IT, specifically with the opening of more energy efficient and sustainable data centers. This trend is expected to continue along with consumer interest in energy efficient ratings on the equipment they buy. As a testament to the longevity and legitimacy of this sustainability movement, city planning now incorporates the development of greener urban districts and widespread energy efficiency initiatives.
The past year has seen monumental progress in green building and sustainability which gives promise that 2012 will bring many more improvements. To read more about the Top 10 Green Building Trends for 2012, visit Green Building Services’ website.
