Published by Consulting-Specifying Engineer: The electrification of new buildings is a practical and impactful solution to address carbon emissions in the building sector. Predicated on the “greening of the grid,” all-electric building design yields the promise of a carbon-neutral operation. The electric utility grid is changing from carbon emissions and heavy fossil fuel power production to increased production of power by wind and solar (eGRID). Driven by market demand, utilities across the country now offer customers the opportunity to buy carbon-free electricity. Designing for a truly all-electric facility leverages utility-scale investment in renewable energy production to accomplish building energy decarbonization goals. Hat Tip: New Building Institute
The article suggests different heating methods but missing is Radiant Heated Glass. I am compelled to help educate on the benefits of heating glass.
The Basic Tenet is that transfer of heat is normally from a high temperature object to a lower temperature object. We use this law of physics to our advantage. Here is how:
Conventional windows become cold in the winter because heat travels through the glass to the colder outside
Radiant glass window systems change that
The control system warms the glass by a flow of an electric current through the interior surface of a thin invisible metal coating on the glass
The electrical resistance warms the glass and reverses the heat flow
When the temperature of glass exceeds inside air temp by 3-5°F, the windows become opaque to further heat loss
The effective R-values of energized windows increase and can exceed the R-value of the walls
The Conventional Solution common to cold window zones in most older buildings is the tired, tried and true:
This common feature and forced hot air are the two most common methods of overcoming the cold glow. Distribution losses in older buildings are usually higher using the radiator system.
2008 Kansas State University Study modeled forced hot air:
Using the 2007 information and other data, (all just as relevant today) KSU’s 2008 study used a computer simulation of a multistory Chicago office building to compare a natural gas heating system and a Radiant Glass system.
2008 Kansas State University Study Results:
The Radiant Glass Heating System;
Substantially reduces the need for other heating systems
Produce more consistent and comfortable room conditions than natural gas forced air heating
Direct 85% of their power to heat the interior - regardless of outside temperatures
Stop virtually all building heat loss through the heated glass
Create heated zones that complement other heating systems by reducing a building’s heat load.
KSU’s 2008 study calculated the thermal comfort profile, energy consumption and temperature distribution of the occupied office space and found that:
Radiant Glass Heating System maintains comfortable and consistent temperatures
Radiant Glass Heating System (above) used only 1.4 kWh to heat the space comfortably
The natural gas system (below) required 2.4 kWh to heat the space and made much of the area uncomfortable (red)
Natural gas heat systems are not able to match the consistent comfort of Radiant Glass Heating Systems
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These test results were using second generation radiant heating glass. All IQ Radiant Glass in now Fourth Generation Heating Glass, resulting in greater efficiencies and additional savings.