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Department of Energy Makes Buying Insulated Windows a Breeze

June 12, 2011 by 1 Comment

Highly insulating windows, like this triple pane window, can help reduce heat loss in residential and commercial buildings by as much as 30 percent in heating-dominated climate zones. Photo courtesy of PNNL.

One of the easiest ways to conserve energy is to prevent heat lose through the use of heavily insulated windows, which the U.S. Department of Energy has just made easier for many businesses, schools, universities, architects, builders and large communities. In May, the Department of Energy expanded its High Performance Windows Volume Purchase Program. The expansions in the program make it easier for both residential and commercial buildings to find the appropriate  high performance insulated windows, vendors and prices on the program’s expanded website in order to save both money and energy.

Buyers can search through over 30 vendors who have met the requirements of the program for their specific window needs, as long as they meet the requirement of needing at least 20 windows.

“The high performance windows and low-E storm windows in the program can offer significant energy efficiency at attractive prices that make them cost effective in heating-dominate climate zones,” said Graham Parker, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory senior staff engineer who manages the program for DOE’s Building Technologies Program. The high performance windows also qualify for federal and utility incentives and rebates being offered across the country, he said in a press release. In addition, the DOE has expanded the program to offer commercial windows that also are high performance.

Double-pane, low-E, R-3 windows have typically been considered the standard for energy efficiency for residential construction in the last decade or so, but recent studies have shown that highly insulating, primarily triple-pane, windows reduce average heat loss through the window by more than 30 percent when compared to R-3 windows in residential buildings situated in heating-dominated climate zones. In situations where full window replacement is not an option, low-E storm windows can be installed over current windows to reduce heat loads by up to 20 percent, according to a DOE press release.

The program’s website is filled with information about the advantages of insulated windows, including the amount of energy and money they can save depending upon what type of climate the building is in, what builders and residents need to know about ordering and installing these windows and the advantages of buying in bulk, and which type of windows are right for which type of building or budget. The website is also full of examples of buildings that have made the switch to insulated windows, such as the Cambria Office Facility in Pennsylvania and the Wisdom Way Solar Village in Massachusetts, and how this switch has benefited them.

Graph courtesy of U.S. Department of Energy

Sources: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy

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Insanity’ works for West line duo Program adds quickness for Elam, Barlow

The Pantagraph Bloomington, IL October 28, 2010 | Randy Kindred NORMAL – Asked how he and teammate Johnathon Elam worked on quickness in the offseason, Guilianno Barlow said simply, “Insanity.” That is, the Normal Community West High School senior linemen did the Insanity workout, a program billed as “plyometric drills on top of nonstop intervals of strength, power, resistance, and ab and core training moves.” Whew! here insanity workout torrent

“It’s like P90X (another workout), only a little worse,” Elam said.

The impact has been insanity for opponents in short-yardage situations. With Elam and Barlow clogging things up, the “tough” yards have been nearly impossible.

“Their size and their feet are a big part of it,” Normal West coach Darren Hess said. “We go against a lot of big guys, but they can’t move as well as those two can.” Elam is listed at 6-foot-2 and 290 pounds. He says he weighs closer to 280, having dropped a few pounds in the offseason and during West’s 7-2 season.

“I was about 300 last year,” he said. “I wanted to get down just a little bit so I could get a little quicker. I think I have.” The 5-11 Barlow went the other direction. A 260-pounder last year, he is listed at 275 heading into Saturday’s 1 p.m. Class 6A playoff game against visiting Crete-Monee.

It is not quite accurate.

“I’m about 285, 290,” he said. “I tried to gain muscle and also gained a little fat.” Hess will tell you it hasn’t slowed Barlow down. So will those assigned to block him.

“When he gets moving, he’s hard to stop,” Hess said. “His first step is really, really good. It’s tough to handle him when he slants and penetrates.” While Barlow is a full-time defender, Elam plays mostly on offense. He has come in defensively when the Wildcats go to “Hoosier,” their goal line/short yardage package. web site insanity workout torrent

However, Elam will play a lot on defense Saturday because of an injury to standout junior nose guard Nick Bell. Bell tore a knee ligament in the regular-season finale against Mattoon and will be out at least two weeks.

Hess plans to give Elam occasional breaks so he can continue to play offensively. Yet, the Wildcats’ coach looks forward to more time with Elam and Barlow together on the defensive front.

“It really protects our linebackers so they can flow,” Hess said. “Those two have to have people on them at all times, so it keeps the pressure off of our linebackers and they can do their job much easier.” The defense has jelled well enough to shut out four opponents and allow 12.1 points per game, best in the Big 12 Conference.

“We thought we’d be pretty good and be tough against the run,” Barlow said. “We want to make teams one-dimensional, make them have to pass. Then we pass rush and get to the quarterback.” You call that insanity?

Well, at least in part.

Randy Kindred



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Comments

  1. Rex says:
    August 10, 2011 at 7:57 pm

    This is a great idea and one I’d recommend to anyone having an issue with heat loss in the winter. I myself got a set of interior windows for this purpose and I’m pretty excited with the results over the last few years (you know how those northeast winters can be). Initially I got the CitiQuiet windows just for that reason but as it turns out their soundproofing qualities are pretty spectacular, too.

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