Fenestration

Course Overview

Designers choose windows partly on appearance and cost factors. But an understanding of how windows function allows a designer to select combinations of windows that save school districts energy and dollars, while also taking appearance and cost into consideration. Basic functional issues include providing daylight, glare control, thermal comfort, and ventilation. High-performance windows can be an important means of energy conservation in modern construction to reduce both thermal losses and solar gains while maintaining light transmittance.

This course presents basic information on window glazing and heat transfer mechanisms, as well as eight guidelines for specific side lighting and top lighting schemes. The course is worth one hour of continuing education credit in the area of Health, Safety, Welfare.

Companion Course: Daylighting Principles