Advances in Window Technology: 1973-1993

Until the 1970s, the thermal performance of windows and other fenestration technologies was rarely of interest to manufacturers, designers, and scientists. Since then, however, a significant research and industry effort has focused on better understanding window thermal and optical behavior, how windows influence building energy patterns, and on the development of advanced products. This chapter explains how fenestration technologies can make a positive impact on building energy flows, what physical phenomena govern window heat and light transfer, what new products have been developed, and what new products are currently the subject of international research efforts.