Would you like to learn more about how to improve the performance of your glass facades? If so, please plan to attend our next BEC-Philly Presentation as Dr. Helen Sanders from Technoform Glass Insulation will talk about polyamide thermal breaks, warm edge spacers, and u-factors as well as current energy codes and requirements for glass fenestration.
This course describes the multiple challenges in designing high performance building envelopes in order to deliver energy performance, sufficient glazed area for optimized daylight admission and views, thermal comfort and condensation resistance (indoor air quality) as well as structural and durability performance, yet still providing architectural design freedom. Common disconnects in specifying fenestration and fenestration components are reviewed. The concept of the “thermal zone” is introduced, and technologies such as polyamide thermal breaks and warm-edge spacer, that improve its performance are described. Guidance is provided on choosing the optimum thermal break and edge of glass spacer technologies to meet thermal performance requirements while still delivering the structural and durability requirements, and also allowing architectural design freedom. The fenestration U-factor requirements of the recently updated and more stringent energy codes, and how to specify fenestration components to meet them, are also covered.
Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the current challenges for designing high performance, sustainable, building envelopes
2. Identify the common misconceptions regarding the specification of fenestration
3. Summarize the key thermal zone technologies in the market and choose optimum thermal break and spacer technology to reach design thermal performance targets, while maintaining durability and structural performance, and optimizing aesthetics
4. Identify through case studies the use of thermal zone technology selection strategies to create high performance building envelopes in a range of climate zones and applications.
Speaker Bio: Dr. Helen Sanders, Strategic Business Development, Technoform has 24 years’ experience in glass technology and manufacturing, especially in functional coatings, insulating glass and thermal zone technology for fenestration. She has worked in a wide range of disciplines including manufacturing, engineering, product development, sales and marketing. Helen has a M.A. in Natural Sciences and Ph.D. in Surface Science from the University of Cambridge, England. Dr. Sanders is active in codes and standards development and in many industry organizations. Currently she is president of the Façade Tectonics Institute, vice president of the Insulating Glass Manufacturers Alliance (IGMA), and immediate past president of the Glazing Industry Code Committee.
This presentation is generously sponsored by the Technoform Group.