Energy Savings in Commercial Construction, Part One

Today, we will be discussing fenestration. Fenestration is the design and placement of windows in the building. In the early 60s and 70s buildings were constructed with a lot of glass. The focus was more on human comfort rather than energy conservation. During the energy crisis of the 80s, the focus shifted away from human comfort to energy conservation. School design went from total window walls to solid structures with small openings. This achieved the gold of energy conservation however, the children felt more isolated from nature and less conducive to learning. Codes became more stringent on energy use and worried about solar heat gain. Today, with the advances in technology, we are able to accomplish both of these goals.


In fact, with the development of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) the USA has brought energy conservation and human comfort to the forefront of discussion. Leed recognizes the importance of both energy conservation and human comfort. The use of daylight is encouraged through credits toward Leed certification. By using insulated windows, shading devices and indirect natural lighting, building managers can now cut power consumption, while offering a more natural light and a stimulating environment.

As we start evaluating fenestration, coupled with other energy-saving techniques such as solar panels and vegetative roofs, we see a significant reduction in power usage, which translates into energy independence in the long run. And today with the many tax incentives, there are little reasons remaining not to consider energy conservation on every development

This discussion is also running on Facebook at HRH Architects, Inc. under discussions