|
contents | news | |||||||||
| Sustainable school selects products for energy conservation Expected to open in 2007, Twin Lakes Elementary School in Elk River, Minn., will feature electronically tintable SageGlass windows installed in the building's science center. At the push of a button, the glass will switch from a clear to highly tinted state, actively controlling daylight, heat gain and glare, while maintaining the view outdoors. These benefits along with other sustainable design strategies aid the school district's pursuit of U.S. Green Building Council's Gold Certification under the LEED Rating System . The SageGlass product application will be the focus of a "learning lab" in which Twin Lakes' students will conduct energy- and temperature-related comparisons between their SageGlass-equipped science center and their classrooms with conventional windows and shading. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that electronically tintable window systems are capable of providing up to 40% savings on energy bills, 20% savings on operating costs, 24% reduction in peak demand, and a 25% decrease in the size of HVAC systems. write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Construction News :: home page |