Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Advanced fenestration systems for improved daylight performance

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6398

The use of daylight to replace or supplement electric lighting in commercial buildings can result in significant energy and demand savings. High performance fenestration systems area necessary, but not sufficient, element of any successful daylighting design that reduces lighting energy use. However, these savings may be reduced if the fenestration systems impose adverse thermal loads. In this paper, we review the state of the art of several advanced fenestration systems which are designed to maximize the energy-saving potential of daylighting, while improving comfort and visual performance at an "affordable" cost. We first review the key performance issues that successful fenestration systems must address, and then review several classes of fenestration systems intended to meet those performance needs. The systems are reviewed in two categories: static and dynamic. Static systems include not only glazings, such as spectrally-selective and holographic glazings, but specialized designs of light-shelves and light-pipes, while dynamic systems cover automatically-operated Venetian blinds and electrochromic glazings. We include a discussion of the research directions in this area, and how these efforts might lead to static and dynamic hardware and system solutions that fulfill the multiple roles that these systems must play in terms of energy efficiency, comfort, visual performance, health, and amenity in future buildings.

Research Organization:
Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (US)
Sponsoring Organization:
CIEE; USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
DOE Contract Number:
AC03-76SF00098
OSTI ID:
6398
Report Number(s):
LBNL--41461; DA-385; ON: DE00006398
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English