SUPER WINDOWS - LiteZone R22 glass units a game-changer for green homes - Full Story

FULL STORY - Net-Zero and passive houses can have 16 thick walls that reach up to R50 insulation value. Windows, even efficient triple-paned are typically R7 or R8 are by far the weakest link. Greg Clarahan set out to solve this dilemma and his company LiteZone Glass is now producing windows with insulation values as high as R22, the equivalent of a 2x6 wall stuffed with insulation.
These windows are game-changers that could change the way we think about building super efficient net-zero or passive homes.
Also see Green Energy Futures Blog: www.greenenergyfutures.ca/epi...
#passivehouse #windows #netzero #energyefficiency #greenhomes

[@bevisprince4404]

I’ve been in the window door business for at least 30 years and this product has caught my interest!!

[@jonathanburr9798]

I read into these windows a little while ago and they do great work. One other benefit I didn't think was mentioned was the weight and advantage they could have for large windows. @Mattrisinger had an install with them for a massive sliding door, which with triple pane would have been impossible, but cutting down 1 pane of glass, so 1 third of the weight, with an increased R-value for door is incredible.

[@Oneminde]

@Will Swift PET (Polyethylene terephthalate). www.litezone.ca/uploads/2/6/8/0/26809845/1818870.jpg?487

[@SumFugaziSalt]

I’ve been searching years for a window that has this performance ( and price point) For decades passive solar homes ( and later the streamlined Passive Home modeling software) has all been designed around r-3-7 windows , solar orientation, insulation , Air transfer and thermal mass . To have a home designed, certified and rated can cost up to 15,000$ . Most of those costs go into modeling and designing around r-5-r-7 windows, using passive solar heat gain and interior thermal mass storage to compensate for poor window performance . These open up a lot of design options without such an involved technical process. Insulation, airtight, ERV , a few strategically placed solar gain windows and maybe a backup furnace to meet insurance requirements and I’d imagine that would bring you very close to a net zero home.

[@status101-danielho6]

There's always cheap hacks if solar gain is a problem. I have west facing double pane window walls with a light transmissibility of ~82% (and why I'm not in a hurry to replace them). Even with central AC, it was unbearably hot in the late afternoon without drawing curtains. I found a better solution by changing out the original room darkening curtains with plain white linen light filtering curtains (IKEA Dytag). Their light transmissibility is around 30% according to my light meter, but their infrared transmissibility is closer to around 10-15%, effectively solving my summertime solar gain issue while gaining soft diffuse light. Hope this helps someone.

[@FreekHoekstra]

Yep the little awning would’ve worked even better

[@l0I0I0I0]

Yes it does help! Ty! Great idea!

[@mourlyvold64]

Thank you, very interesting. I would (as someone else mentioned) advise to apply those curtains on the exterior. Be well.

[@StuartMatthewson]

You should try Vacuum Insulating Glass, which is approved by Passive House Institute, a lot more lightweight

[@briana6181]

I am glad people are working on more efficient windows, but I question the longevity of those thin films baking in the sun. Does anyone do 2 windows in a passive house? If you have a 12-16” wall put one window towards the outside, and the other towards the inside. You could have the inside window opened when you want the solar gain, and use the space in between as a space for plants if desired. On a side note, growing up we had a product called “Window Quilts” on our windows. During the winter months, in unused rooms mostly, you could pull this thick quilted material down from a rolled up box above the window. It would form a seal around the window frame and not allow cold (or light) into the room.

[@drzavahercegbosnaponosna5974]

60 years longevity!

[@CElton-mi3il]

There is a KZbin channel called arkopia, he does double pane windows on each side of the wall- he calls it double-double windows. They seem to work very well and are cheaper than triple pane.

[@briana6181]

@@CElton-mi3il thanks!

[@davidcooper3871]

Hmmm, heat mirror. Been around for a long time.

[@fredygump5578]

I've been planning a design with tall and narrow panels instead of traditional windows...and these are perfect! I will be buying some.

[@KJSvitko]

It would be interesting to see these windows installed in more homes and businesses. Will the films last without deteriorating ? How have they tested the life expectancy ?

[@kino_cinante]

Got a quote from the manufacturer directly and are rated to last at least 60 years for a 4 film frameless window.

[@cynthiaarmstrong7972]

If the company is around for 60 years…

[@Jamaicandoctor]

@@cynthiaarmstrong7972yeah but you can say that about anything. 60 yrs is good enough… better than everything we buy at home depot

[@TEchGurus2]

@@kino_cinante even Andersen won't give more than 20 year warranty. Don't know any product that lasts more than 40 years or so.

[@guiltfreehotwater4354]

This Invention is way over due as the Windows were the only thing that was not upgraded untill now! This would work well with Solar Hot Water!

[@buzzholtvluwer1887]

Thin film is a great way to grow.

[@goranpet6801]

Great

[@quicksilver2446]

What about hurricane impact glass, can that be manufactured as well ? I sure could use these windows here in south Florida, where temperatures easily reach 100 F degrees !!

[@l0I0I0I0]

Excellent product! I would love to see a cost effective version for large greenhouses?

[@mourlyvold64]

Wouldn't you agree 30% light transmittance seems awfully low for greenhouse applications (assuming one would use said greenhouse to grow plants, that is)?

[@l0I0I0I0]

Ideally depending on where you live and what you are growing, it would be more than nice to turn it up in the winter and down in the middle of the summer. Not sure if there is glass capable of such a thing?

[@Sondan1988]

I have been looking for pricing for these and NOTHING !! That is very telling to me.

[@TheoSmith249]

Think they are bankrupt

[@squeekhobby4571]

Awesome technique. Thanks for bringing it. On cost side how can we compare with triple pane windows

[@kino_cinante]

I asked for a quote and for a frameless 4 film window (8.5 R) it costs around $70.8 CAD per sqft not including install labour.

[@scottwebber652]

I was wondering if they r stationary as never heard about operating them. My remedy for the solar gain was to buy a $20 roll of Mylar n made my own. Cut 20 degrees or more.

[@TheOrganicCookingTwins]

Are you in the USA yet? Seems exciting, but is it affordable?

[@brandona6711]

Very interesting product, but I don't think there was any reference to the cost? Or even the estimated payback ROI period?

[@Jamaicandoctor]

It should be cheaper especially with no frame😮

[@maciejfassa4394]

Few years ago I bought Dako windows and I am still happy. You guys should check them out.

[@fairyfarm238]

how to get your windows in Australia？ It is perfect for our state!

[@Scott-cu4ol]

do they come in double hung? we just finished designing. Our new home was planning on using Marvin Infiniti windows in some portions of the home. We are in the STATE OF MAINE. is there a dealer in Maine?

[@lastcall8286]

Does theses windows open?

[@garrygballard8914]

👍👍👍

[@fixithvac9360]

How can you buy them in US? Sales reps?

[@TheOrganicCookingTwins]

Is there something to do with SLIDING GLASS DOORS?

[@TEchGurus2]

Wondering what is the film spec used inside the IGU. anyone using the product? durability may be an issue because of the film (I dont know any film that can take sun exposure for more than a few years). And often the IGU is expected to last for the life of the home. (Cardina or Andersen @ 20 year warranty)

[@JuneHarriseco]

How do you open them?

[@brent...]

They sell a standard sounding tilt-turn version.

[@ubacow7109]

Can't you get more efficient and thinner windows with vacuum insulation.

[@nebucadneza1914]

insulation got so good that we start heating our homes in summer...

[@JohnLee-db9zt]

What’s the warranty?

[@mycool8980]

That huge window n only n r 22. You could use two sets of vacuum insulated glass n get n r30 with way thinner windows.

[@kino_cinante]

From my research it seems their specific benefit is that the windows are 30% or more lighter than any alternative for the same R value and have double the expected lifetime.

[@jerrymcintire7902]

And vacuum insulated panels of glass are even more expensive.

[@Jamaicandoctor]

This reply is why we are not moving forwards,… too many engineers who want every single incremental improvement incorporated without concern for cost.

[@chocol8milkman750]

Interesting idea, but misses some key principles in physics. Windows intentionally have narrow space between panes to reduce/eliminate convection currents. With a small gap you get dead air space, which is thermally efficient. A vacuum space between panes would be even better. The next issue of windows is the framing does not have proper thermal breaking. I wish companies understood both of these issues better.

[@whymindsetmatters]

I'm sure they've already thought about this and have done the necessary research. Just contact them.

[@arjunabernard8192]

At the distance we’re talking about here, radiation between glass/films are the same so it comes down to convection and conduction. Convection is going to happen at any of these distances and depends on the temperature difference between films. The more films the lower the difference. What people are usually unaware of is that gases also conduct thermal energy. I believe the designers are trying to get a distance where the combination of conduction and convection can be kept the lowest. The farther away the films, the lower conduction plays a role and at some point convection becomes too much. So they settled on around 2cm as a sweet spot.

[@SlyNine]

@@whymindsetmatters Yea, some companies have, which is why some companies offer vacuum sealed windows that are less than a half inch thick with R-16 performance.

[@drzavahercegbosnaponosna5974]

​@@SlyNine and how long can it really stay vacuum sealed?

[@BillyJ10]

👍

[@billionaire33]

I need a 16 to 20-foot slider door floor-to-ceiling 10 feet in height. Can you all do it? What's the price?

[@eurovisie2010]

If this windows as is said in the video,. keeps heat outside in the summer.. Then, I conclude that it won't give heat from the wintersun in winter ! When you would want it to heat up the house for free during daytime ! Am I right ?

[@jhornett]

Since they're frameless does that mean they are all fixed? Casements?

[@allenwinston9225]

Yes, There is a company called Duratherm they have custom heavy hardware that could possibly make an operable slider window. They are made from teak

[@peterxyz3541]

How much?

[@boedillard8807]

6:14 - are those frameless windows? They look like they have frames.

[@sparksmcgee6641]

its just the typical wood trim around the window

[@georgeosprey3786]

I wonder how it would work for greenhouses.

[@SumFugaziSalt]

I was wondering the same thing , 35% of visible light transfer may not be ideal for a greenhouse depending on what crops you are growing , however I would be curious to see that tested because it’s far beyond even the most insular Polycarbonate glazing.

[@NdxtremePro]

Greenhouses depend on the solar heat to keep them warm in the winter, so these would be a bad usecase during that time frame.

[@schentler]

what is the ROI of this product?

[@kino_cinante]

Wow this is amazing. What is the cost per sqft on the 4 film version?

[@inevahdie]

Everything

[@richardmccombs617]

Any specs on sound transmission?

[@richardmccombs617]

@@greenenergyfutures no that’s good.

[@superspeeder]

@@greenenergyfutures considering the light weight of these window assemblies, I would be extremely surprised if they could come anywhere close to the STC of even a regular wall, let alone that of a solid concrete wall that weighs likely 100x more. That sounds like very wishful thinking on someone's part, or misinformation. EDIT: Their site claims STC similar to an 8" thick concrete BLOCK wall, which is hollow concrete. Still a bold claim, but much more believable than a solid concrete wall!

[@superspeeder]

@@greenenergyfutures, I hope that wasn’t it, because 8” Concrete Masonry Units (CMUs) have an r-value of about 1.1 😊

[@bloodcarver913]

Condensation issues?

[@cliffordbradford8910]

I would imagine the air inside is desiccated

[@troycarpenter3675]

And I thought my utility bill was ugly...

[@SlyNine]

Vacuum seals would perform better, be lighter, and cheaper.

[@JohnSmith-ys4nl]

Don't understand why we still use glass when polycarbonate was invented in 1953. It's cheaper, much lighter, MUCH stronger (bullet proof), able to withstand extreme temperatures, and 100% UV resistant. Polycarbonate is a plastic but it is actually greener than glass (takes less energy to make) and polycarbonate is 100% recyclable. Polycarbonate has two downsides: 1) Its Abbe value isn't quite as good as glass but most people will never be able to see a difference. 2) It scratches much easier than glass, but there are coatings now that help with that tremendously. Polycarbonate has been used in eyeglasses lenses since at least the 1980's and most people can tell no difference compared to glass or acrylic. (I am looking through polycarbonate lenses right now). Is there a "big glass" cartel or something? Why hasn't polycarb been adopted more widely for windows?

[@jerrymcintire7902]

Unfortunately, polycarbonate is not as durable. I have had several pair of polycarbonate glasses, and even coated for scratch resistance, they scratch and are unusable after a couple years. Windows need to last 50 years at least. Glass is UV resistant-- or do you mean that polycarbonate reduces UV damage? These window films do the same, with 35% visible light transmission.

[@Jaker788]

Polycarbonate is not UV resistant, eye glasses are one thing, but in real exposure it doesn't hold up long enough. Polycarbonate is not hard enough to hold up for 20-40 years and keep it's clear finish, it will lose microscopic bits off the surface due to a combination of UV and mechanical degradation. Car headlights get less exposure and still fade and yellow in often 20 or less years. The surface finish of the polycarbonate wears away, the UV inhibitors degrade and the plastic degrades. The other issue is in light transmission, it's not really nearly as good as quality glass and it only gets worse with low e coatings. For light transmission and clarity there's nothing yet that beats glass at the same thickness and strength, especially if you go for low iron glass or other high clarity types. 2 layers of glass and thin films inside for the additional layers is a logical choice and in material cost it's cheap. Polycarbonate is expensive in comparison and wouldn't be cheaper than glass and would be heavier than 2 layers of glass and 8 film layers if you tried 10 polycarbonate layers.

[@cliffordbradford8910]

Polycarbonate scratches/gets cloudy in these applications. A lot of catamarans tried it for large hatches or windows and they were failures.

[@taym2720]

So it's all about spacing and films. The glass isn't that special

[@JohnLee-db9zt]

These windows are worthless if it’s too expensive.

[@MatthewBayard]

No tilt n turn option? We would not buy a window we couldn't open.

[@jonathanburr9798]

If you wanted specific styles, they can provide just the glass assembly (Glazing unit is what'd itd be called) then a window manufacturer would construct the frame for that custom.

[@lightning9279]

Most of us don't open windows we have. Many builders are using non opening windows in select places in the house. The non opening windows are less expensive and leaves room for the owners to bump up the efficiency of the window with the costs savings.

[@jimgrimm2874]

Good job. I'm glad for you. Buy a different product.

[@dc-wp8oc]

Great. Another proprietary and super expensive product to drive house costs higher.

[@hirthirthirt1693]

but can UV go through all that layers? If not it is not a good window for a passiv solar, as much UV as any possible must enter the house

[@MyUtubeScott]

Why not just move somewhere like Canary Islands where typical home does not have HVAC system because of mild climate

[@drzavahercegbosnaponosna5974]

too much expensive.

[@sustainablelife1st]

Hate Low E.

[@piatdor]

Anyone talking to you about r values when it comes to windows and not U values doesn’t know what the fuck they are talking about and you should run in the other direction just remember. NO SOLAR GAIN in the winter. these people couldn’t point out a passive solar house if it fell on top of them. This whole video is cringe

[@paulmaxwell8851]

Educate yourself before making a fool of yourself here. R-values are simply U-values inverted to create whole numbers easier for most people to understand. This is nothing new and I'm surprised you didn't know that. As to solar gain, that is up to the designer. I specified windows with significant solar gain for some areas in my new home, and windows with very low solar gain in others. This was to find a balance between some solar assist in winter, and the danger of overheating in summer. It's a delicate balancing act. Some passive solar homes depend heavily on solar gain but experience intolerable heating in summer. Others focus much more on very low U-value windows at the expense of heat gain. Some designers get it right but most do not.