Do I Really Want Radioactive Windows?: A state-of-the-art, multiple-low-e-coating Serious Window with xenon gas

BuildingGreen.com LIVE: Do I Really Want Radioactive Windows? by Alex Wilson on 04/03/2012

Do I Really Want Radioactive Windows?: A state-of-the-art, multiple-low-e-coating Serious Window with xenon gas

When a low-e coating is added to a window (see last week's blog), the radiant component of that heat loss is significantly reduced, and as a result the conductive and convective portions become much more significant. As the name implies, low-conductivity gas fills reduce conductive heat flow. Most of us think of conduction, which is the transfer of kinetic energy from molecule to molecule, as occurring only through solids--think of a hot cast-iron skillet handle--but conduction also occurs across gases. Sometimes we refer to this as gas-phase conductivity . The Noble gases Air has a thermal conductivity of 0.014 Btus per square foot per hour for every degree Fahrenheit difference in temperature (don't worry about those units) at room temperatures. If we can replace that air with a lower-conductivity gas, we can slow the heat loss through windows. Argon is a great option. I...

Full article: http://www.buildinggreen.com/live/index.cfm/2012/4/3/Do-I...

Tweets

@GreenSpec » 05 Apr '12, 6pm
Do you really want radioactive windows? the answer may surprise you... @bglive [link]
@bglive » 04 Apr '12, 4pm
It's not exactly kryptonite...but krypton in windows can be radioactive. Should we go with lower-performing gas fills? [link]
@WNCGBC » 03 Apr '12, 8pm
[link] LIVE: Do I Really Want Radioactive Windows? by Alex Wilson on 04/03/2012 [link] #avlgb
@tweetsfortune » 03 Apr '12, 4pm
Do I Really Want Radioactive Windows?: A state-of-the-art, multiple-low-e-coating Serious Window with xenon gas ... [link]
@ChorltonRefurb » 03 Apr '12, 4pm
@bglive Do I Really Want Radioactive Windows?: A state-of-the-art, multiple-low-e-coating Serious Window with xe... [link]
@unexpcontractor » 03 Apr '12, 4pm
#GreenBuilding Do I Really Want Radioactive Windows?: A state-of-the-art, multiple-low-e-coating Serious Window ... [link]
@LinkousConst » 03 Apr '12, 4pm
Do I Really Want Radioactive Windows? [link]
@Voyageurlumber » 03 Apr '12, 4pm
RT @bglive: Do we really want radioactive windows? (A case for argon over krypton.) [link] @atwilson
@ZeroPassiv » 03 Apr '12, 3pm
Yikes! Radioactive Windows [link]
@bglive » 03 Apr '12, 3pm
Do we really want radioactive windows? (A case for argon over krypton.) [link] @atwilson
@atwilson » 03 Apr '12, 3pm
Did you know that the krypton in high-performance windows is radioactive? More fun facts on windows: [link]
@EcoLogosLLC » 04 Apr '12, 2pm
Do I Really Want Radioactive Windows? [link]
@EcoFoamCEO » 03 Apr '12, 4pm
Do I Really Want Radioactive Windows?: A state-of-the-art, multiple-low-e-coating Serious Window with xenon gas ... [link]
@HBAArchitects » 03 Apr '12, 4pm
Do I Really Want Radioactive Windows?: A state-of-the-art, multiple-low-e-coating Serious Window with xenon gas ... [link]