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Green Design

Southwall Energy Saving Solutions Featured at Greenbuild 2007

For almost 30 years Southwall Technologies has been delivering high performance, energy saving solutions to the architectural market. Some of these key innovations include:

• World’s first low-e coatings in 1980
• World’s first spectrally selective low-e coatings in 1983
• World’s first super-windows in 1990
• World’s first solar control laminated glass in 1992

At this year’s Greenbuild show, Southwall showcased a range of architectural products that can dramatically improve glazing energy efficiency:

Heat Mirror® Insulating Glass and Superglass® Quad Insulating Glass

Southwall’s Heat Mirror and Superglass Quad insulating glass products, with U-values as low as 0.08 and SHGC values as low as 0.10, expand design freedom and enable architects to solve the most demanding design challenges.

XIR® laminated Glass

XIR Laminated glass improves monolithic laminated glass solar control performance by almost 50% with minimal impact on view and aesthetics. XIR laminated glass enables designers to create solar control solutions incorporating curved glass and enhances the performance of point fixed applications. 

Hüper Optik® Applied Films

Hüper Optik applied film products incorporate a revolutionary “spectrally-selective” ceramic coating developed by Southwall to create the industry’s first nano-ceramic film that lets maximum light in while keeping destructive heat and UV rays out, enhancing the designed environment.

Project:  Nauru Tower Location: Honolulu, HI Architect: Architects Hawaii, LTD Product: Hüper Optik Ceramic  50 Applied Film

Objectives: 
Maintain the appealing view from the Nauru Tower while helping to balance the internal cost of AC usage during peak demand load hours, protect the Tower's condominiums from heat and high energy bills, and prevent fading of carpets, artwork and other interior items.

"The tower was able to downsize its 500-ton chiller to a 350-ton chiller, thereby reducing costs."
   -Duane Komine, Accredited Residential Manager, Nauru Tower 

Find out more...

• Alpen Fiberglass Windows, incorporating Heat Mirror insulating glass to achieve insulation values up to R20.
• EAG Facades Five-S stainless steel structural facades, which provide point fixed typed solutions without penetrating glass elements.
• Hüper Optik nanoceramic applied films

For additional information please contact us directly at archsales@southwall.com

Why is Green Building Important?

A “green” building is one that has been constructed or renovated to incorporate design techniques, technologies, and materials that lessen its dependence on fossil fuels and minimize its overall negative environmental impact. One of the greatest benefits of green buildings is their decreased electricity and energy usage, which helps reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

According to the U.S. Green Building Council, buildings account for:

• 36% of total energy use and 65% of electricity consumption
• 30% of greenhouse gas emissions
• 30% of raw materials use
• 30% of waste output (136 million tons annually)
• 12% of potable water consumption

An increase in the adoption of green building practices could reduce this energy consumption significantly. In addition, occupants of green buildings enjoy healthier indoor environments and higher productivity levels.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)

The LEED Green Building Rating System™ is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings in the US. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health:

• Sustainable site development
• Water savings
• Energy efficiency
• Materials selection
• Indoor environmental quality

To earn certification, a building must meet certain prerequisites and performance benchmarks ("credits") within each category. Projects are awarded Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum certification depending on the number of credits they achieve.

Leveraging Glass Design to Achieve LEED Gold/Platinum Certification

Over the past 25 years, architects, designers, and mechanical engineers across the globe have used Southwall products to meet the most demanding Sustainable Design requirements. 
Southwall thermal and solar shading performance begins where Low-e ends, enabling “extreme green” glazing solutions that can achieve up to 21 LEED credits, or 54% and 40% of the total required credits for Gold and Platinum certification, respectively.