A View for "Zero Energy Buildings" from the Perspective of Legal Regulations in Glazing Systems
The need for energy is increasing day by day in today’s world. In building industry, it is possible to provide healthy, comfortable and minimum energy consumption living areas with the studies in accordance with the energy efficient design criterias. Increasing environmental awareness during recent years gave a lead to environmental-friendly and energy-efficient designs and the concept of zero-energy buildings have emerged.
In general, “Nearly Zero Energy Building”;
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consumes minimum energy due to well insulated building envelope,
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allows the design for comfortable and spacious living areas, while providing maximum benefit from daylight,
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has coated glass in its window systems that provides energy efficiency,
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has solar collectors and photovoltaic panels that are used for hot water and electricity production
The target in “Zero Energy Building” is to reach almost zero annual energy consumption.
In our country, as in many countries around the world, regulations for zero energy buildings stand out as a very powerful political tool to reduce energy consumption in buildings. In this sense, a guide document was published by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization on the "Nearly Zero Energy Building" standard on 17 November 2020.
The amount of net energy reduction specified in document were examined over different Uwindow value scenarios for 4 different provinces in Turkey. As a result of the studies, it was considered that it would be more appropriate to use the scenario with a Uwindow value of 1.0 W/m2K and a Uglass value of 0.7W/m2K in buildings in NSEB standard. To reach these values, triple insulating glass units with two panes of coated glasses will be used in the buildings in the upcoming period in NSEB standards.
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Our country is a unique country that experiences four climate zones in the same year. In this sense, the glass used in windows for “Nearly Zero Energy Building” depends on the climate zone where the project is located, its facade and its installed infrastructure for heating and cooling systems.
In a "Nearly Zero Energy Building" constructed in a cold climate zone, triple insulating glass units with U value 0.7 W/m2K that incorporates two Low-E coated glass panes can be used. This type of application will provide approximately four times better thermal insulation than ordinary double-glazing and will be a much more effective solution in reducing heat losses from windows.
In a "Nearly Zero Energy Building" built in a warm climate zone, again a triple insulating glass unit with U value 0.7 W/m2K can be used. But this time one of glass panes should be a Solar Low-E (heat and solar control) coated glass to control the solar heat gains through windows. This kind of glazing system reduces the heat losses through the window again four times compared to ordinary double glazing , decreases the total solar heat gains through windows up to 40% and reduces the cooling costs of the building.
Şişecam Flat Glass's current wide product range for coated glass, the high-tech infrastructures of glass processors that produces triple insulating glazing units and the window systems produced and installed by frame producers in our country have the ability, capacity and experience to give service in NESB standards for both our country and the rest of the world.