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Energy Efficient Windows Can Melt Vinyl Siding

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The Effect of Reflected Sunlight from Low-e and other Double Paned Window Glass on Vinyl Siding:

OVERVIEW

Glass in double paned windows may on occasion slightly warp or deflect due to a difference in barometric pressure between the interior of the glass panes and the outside air pressure. This can create a concavity in the glass. Such a concavity is a normal response to pressure differences, does not affect the performance of the window, and does not constitute a defective window condition. However,the concavity may focus sunlight reflected from the window in a fashion similar to the effect seen when light passes through a magnifying glass. The heat generated by the focused reflected sunlight has proven sufficient to visibly damage and distort vinyl siding on nearby houses. Any double paned window may cause this effect, but double paned low-e windows have a higher reflectivity quotient which can exacerbate the reflected light/vinyl distortion phenomenon.

VINYL SIDING 

The Vinyl Siding Institute (VSI) states that temperature ranges beginning at 160-165 degrees Fahrenheit can soften normal grades of vinyl siding. Darker colors absorb more heat, and will soften before lighter colors of siding. Heat generated from double paned low-e window reflected sunlight has been measured in excess of 200 degrees Fahrenheit, more than sufficient to soften and distort any normal grade or color of vinyl siding. There have been some reports of reflected sunlight damage to materials other than vinyl siding. Occasional wood discoloration and charring, and damage to paint and other plastics (e.g.,decking, window lineals, trim), have all been reported.

REFLECTED SUNLIGHT EFFECT 

The use of double paned low-e windows will not necessarily result in any damaging reflected sunlight incident. A combination of contributing factors must be present before the effect occurs or causes damage to any nearby materials, including vinyl siding. The presence of the concavity in the double  glass panes (resulting in the magnifying glass effect with a focused light beam) appears to be the primary cause of the heat generation, more so than the mere increased reflectivity of the low-e window. The angle of the sun is also a factor. A low angle of sunlight (such as might occur in late fall, winter, or early spring) is more likely to produce the effect. Other factors, such as proximity to the adjoining house, wind speed, air temperature, and the presence of buffering foliage are all said to have an impact on whether a damaging reflected sunlight effect does in fact occur.

Vinyl siding and insulating windows both have very large market penetration. Vinyl siding has been the most used siding product on new single-family homes in the U.S. every year since 1994. It was applied to 35% of all new homes built during that time frame. The majority of new vinylsided homes are in the south (40%), midwest (35%), and northeast (19%) (U.S. Census Bureau 2009). Based on sales data and projections from 1999 to 2019, approximately 45% of residential vinyl siding is, or will be, used in the new construction market; the remainder will be used for retrofits and repairs (Freedonia Group, Inc. 2009).

The U.S. Department of Energy and model energy codes have made improved residential energy efficiency a national priority. Therefore, standards have called for increasingly stringent energy efficiency requirements for windows. The performance levels achieved by insulating windows are mandated by nearly all local building energy codes for both new construction and replacement in existing buildings. Windows are typically designed to meet the requirements of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), the most commonly adopted model energy code in the U.S. for residential buildings. To meet IECC’s U-factor and solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) requirements insulating double-pane windows with low-emissivity (low-e) coatings are often used.

Videos:


Additional Links:

http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/musings/window-reflections-can-melt-vinyl-siding

http://www.nachi.org/low-e-windows.htm

http://blog.archpaper.com/wordpress/archives/8386

Reports:

E windows LBNL-5022E

E windows 020410-NAHB+Study

If you have had and fires or incidents involving Low - E Windows and Vinyl Siding? I would love to hear from you. Please email me @greenmaltese@gmail.com

A special thanks to Chief Kevin A. Gallagher for bringing this issue to my attention.

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

Posted by on May 22, 2013 • Filed under: Building Construction, Modern Construction, News and Events, Solar • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Expect more Foam Sheathing Insulation

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (November 6, 2012) – The Foam Sheathing Committee (FSC) of the American Chemistry Council (ACC), through an industry effort, achieved an important change in gaining broad acceptance of a performance-based standard for the use of foam insulation products in all code complying commercial applications during the recent International Building Code (IBC) Final Action Hearings in Portland, Oregon. The International Code Council (ICC) approved for inclusion in the 2015 International Building Codes the Structural Building Components Association’s (SBCA) FS 100-2012: Standard Requirements for Wind Pressure Resistance and Foam Plastic Insulating Sheathing Used in Exterior Wall Covering Assemblies.

Full Original Press Release:

Why  is Foam Sheathing Insulation being used more than ever before?

Residential housing design continues to move towards the development of high performance sustainable building systems. To be sustainable, a building must not only be efficient and durable but also economically viable. From this, new methods of enclosure design have been examined that provide high thermal performance and long-term durability but also take opportunities to reduce material use (including waste), simplify or integrate systems and details, and potentially reduce overall initial costs of construction.

One concept relating to enclosure design is to incorporate the use exterior foam insulating sheathing into the construction of the wall assembly. As with any building enclosure system, appropriate detailing for the management of water, vapor, and energy transfer are necessary.

Foam Material Properties:

There are three main types of insulating sheathing currently being used in the industry: Expanded

Polystyrene (EPS), Extruded Polystyrene (XPS), and Polyisocyanurate (Polyiso).

Each of these products all has a different set of physical properties that will affect the dynamic of the wall assemblies in regards to the transmission and management of heat and moisture.

Types of Foam

Insulating foam sheathings are split into two basic categories: 1) thermoplastics, 2) thermosets. Both EPS and XPS foams are thermoplastic foams, while Polyisocyanurate is a thermoset foam.

Thermoplastics

Thermoplastics are based on linear or slightly branched (non-cross linked) polymers. These foams have a definite melting range and will soften and melt at elevated temperatures. They are also more prone to react and degrade when in contact with some organic solvents as found in some paints, adhesives, and fuels.

 Therefore it is important to only use manufacturer approved compatible materials when using thermoplastic foams.

Of the thermoplastic foams, EPS and XPS are the most common used in the industry. Both products are based on polystyrene resin and are considered to be closed cell.

The manufacturing of EPS involves the expanding of polystyrene beads to fill a mold. The densities of EPS foam can be varied if desired. Increased density results in increased thermal resistance and compressive strength. The density of the product also affects the vapor transmission. While EPS is a closed cell foam (slow water vapor and air transmission through the cell walls), the gaps between the cells will still allow for moisture to pass through the matrix. With increased density, these spaces are reduced and the ability of the foam to allow water transmission is reduced.

XPS foams are formed by mixing molten polystyrene with a blowing agent at the correct time, at an elevated temperature, and at an elevated pressure and then extruding the foam through a die to the atmosphere. This creates a more regular cell structure providing for better strength properties and higher water resistance that EPS foams. The density of XPS foams can also be varied, allowing for increased compressive strength, however due to the more regular cell structure, this has little to no effect on the vapor transmission properties.

Thermosets

Thermoset plastics are based on cross linked polymers. This will allow thermoset plastics to be used for higher temperature applications as they do not usually exhibit a melting range and will instead char and burn. Thermoset foams are also generally more resistant to solvents and chemicals.

The most common thermoset foam on the market is polyisocyanurate. While traditional polyurethane foams were created by reacting isocyanate with polyol (and other blowing agents, catalysts, and surfactants) polyisocyanurate foams can theoretically be created with no polyol, using only isocyanate reacting with itself (and other blowing agents, catalysts, and surfactants). In general though, commercial polyisocyanurate foam used in the market is really polyurethane foam modified with polyisocyanurate or a “blend” of the two foams. The use of the blend increases the fire resistance while maintaining the thermal resistance and strength of the material.

Polyisocyanurate Burn Video:

Additional Information:

Foam Plastic Insulating Sheathing Comparison of Fire Performance Link:

http://fsc.americanchemistry.com/Exterior-Walls/Continuous-Insulation-Educational-Presentation.pdf

ANSI/SBCA FS 100 – 2012

 

Many spectacular fires have occurred in foam systems applied to buildings, including the 2009

Monte Carlo fire in Las Vegas, the Borgata Water Club fire in Atlantic City in 2007, and the

Mandarin Oriental Hotel fire in Beijing in 2009.

 

With this recent code change with can only expect more fires invovling foam insulation. Please pass this information on and Stay Safe!

Lt. John Shafer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by on November 7, 2012 • Filed under: Building Construction, News and Events • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Green Construction & Building a Brighter Future

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Before I share a special guest article.I would like to invite everyone to join me this Friday at Firehouse Expo  @Baltimore Convention Center Baltimore, MD

I am very excited and honored to be teaching this year.

Green Building Construction For The Fire Service

7/20/2012 12:00:00 PM  Room 343

Description:

This presentation will examine various green buildings and methods and exotic materials that are used to achieve green standards and the potential hazards that they present to fire service personnel. Many of these materials are not common knowledge to most fire service personnel due to past and current teaching practices that only address traditional building construction for the fire service. This ground-breaking and informative program will utilize extensive multimedia materials to reinforce course content and subject areas.

Here a slide from the program that we will discuss and also use it to think about as you read the wonderful article below.

I would like to thank Noelle Hirsch for contacting me and asking me if I would share this wonderful article. Please enjoy and all credit is due to Noelle on this one.

LEED Construction: Building a Brighter Future

Introduction

When many people think about carbon emissions, they assume that cars and other motorized vehicles are the main culprits. However, building construction uses 30 percent of all raw materials consumed in this country and 12 percent of all available potable water – 15 trillion gallons each year.  This level of water consumption is ultimately unsustainable, given that the United Nations World Water Development Report 3, issued in 2009, states that one-third of the world’s population already lacks access to clean water. The report projects that at the present rate of consumption, two-thirds of the world’s population will live in water-stressed conditions by 2025.

Buildings continue to be environmentally demanding after construction has been completed. Buildings and the built environment account for 30 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States and 30  percent of all waste products – some 136 million tons annually. As a major contributing factor to climate change, greenhouse gases have had a detrimental effect on the health of the planet, including rapid and perhaps irreversible melting of Arctic polar sea ice.

 

Green Building Benefits

Green construction can reverse much of the detrimental environmental impact of conventional construction methods. Along with environmental gains, eco-conscious construction can enhance the bottom line of individual companies and of the overall American and world economies. The USGBC reports that increased efficiency in construction and building maintenance  would eliminate 1.1 gigatons of greenhouse gas emissions each year – while saving the U.S. economy $130 billion.

Providing aesthetic benefit for observers of nearby taller buildings as well as natural habitat enclaves, green roofs and rooftop gardens can mitigate air temperature inside the building, reducing the need for artificial heating and cooling. Their presence also helps to reverse the heat island effect caused by massive amounts of concrete present in a typical urban area. The soil in a rooftop garden also absorbs a significant portion of rainfall, thereby diverting rainwater from storm sewers.  At the same time, a dry green roof adds only 17 pounds per square foot to a roof’s load; a wet green roof adds 30 pounds per square foot.  Rooftop gardens are more demanding, adding up to 100 pounds per square foot to a roof’s load.

Green construction also improves the health of individuals who live and work inside buildings.  LEED standards for green construction call for the elimination of formaldehyde and other building materials that emit volatile organic compounds, also called VOCs, which contribute to “sick building syndrome.”  Employing green building construction and maintenance standards for natural light and temperature control also improve worker efficiency and reaction times.

Many municipalities and states, as well as the United States federal government have provided financial incentives to encourage green construction and retrofits, including expedited permit approvals, tax abatements and technical assistance.  These financial incentives apply to new construction and to retrofits, and not only reduce upfront construction costs, but present a selling point for would-be developers, buyers and tenants.

 

LEED and Green Construction

In the United States, the dominant standard for measuring environmental features is LEED, an acronym that stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.  LEED standards, developed by the United States Green Building Council, can be applied to new construction, and to buildings that are already standing. LEED standards are designed to measure and evaluate the environmental consciousness of construction, general maintenance, landscaping and climate control. Different LEED standards apply to commercial buildings, residential buildings, even entire neighborhoods.

Buildings that meet LEED standards for green construction apply sustainability methods to several phases of construction, including the building shell, climate control inside the building, water usage, landscaping, sourcing of building materials and disposal of construction wastes. There are presently five levels of LEED certification for green construction: certified, bronze, silver, gold and platinum.  As of 2012, LEED Platinum structures exist in 25 countries worldwide. The United States has 950 LEED Platinum projects; India is second with 35 LEED Platinum projects.

The worldwide financial crisis has slowed or halted construction to all-time low levels. Nonetheless, green construction of non-residential structures has maintained, or even gained, in market share. In fact, green construction presently accounts for one-third of all non-residential design and construction projects and will account for more than half of all non-residential construction within five years. Green construction is expected to generate 8 million construction-related jobs by 2013.

Growth in green construction is not limited to new projects. In fact, as of December 2011, existing LEED-certified building space exceeded new LEED-certified construction by 15 million square feet.  A significant number of green retrofits are devoted to architectural icons such as the Empire State Building, which recently gained LEED Gold status through its retrofit project. The renovation is projected to cut energy use by nearly 40 percent, which translates to annual savings of $4.4 million per year – and a payback of renovation costs in only three years.

Another green retrofit is in progress for the Sears Tower, recently renamed the Willis Tower. Once the tallest building in the world, this Modernist icon still stands as the tallest building on the North American continent.  Beginning in 2009, the process of “greening” the tower has focused on retrofitting various features of the structure, with impressive results. For example, installing low-flow toilets and faucets conserves more than 10,000,000 gallons of water each year. Shading the building’s windows significantly reduces heating and cooling requirements.

Eventual plans include a complete overhaul of the electrical system to reduce energy consumption by 80 percent. Replacing 16,000 single-paned windows and constructing a thermal bank would save 50 percent on heating energy. A proposed 500-room “green” luxury hotel would be powered entirely by the tower’s energy system and would pursue LEED Gold status. Besides the projected sustainability gains and energy savings, the five-year project would create as many as 3,600 jobs, according to developers.

 

Green Construction Resources:

 

LEED Certification in America and Worldwide

Twenty-one countries participate in the LEED International program: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Columbia, Finland, South Korea, India, Italy, Jordan, Mexico, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, France and the United Arab Emirates.  The United Kingdom launched an equivalent to LEED, known as the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEM), in 1990.

An even more stringent standard is the Living Building Challenge, granted by the International Living Future Institute.  As of 2012, four construction projects had earned this certification: the Tyson Living Learning Center in Eureka, Missouri; the Omega Center for Sustainable Living in Rhinebeck, New York (also LEED Platinum); the      Eco-Sense home in Victoria, British Columbia and is the Hawaii Preparatory Academy Energy Lab in Kamuela, Hawaii (also LEED Platinum).

In March 2012, the International Code Council released the 2012 International Green Construction Code (IgCC), a cooperative effort between the American Institute of Architects and ASTM International (formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials), which cosponsored the project with the support of ASHRAE (the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers), the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Illuminating Engineering Society. The IgCC is the first sustainability measurement that addresses the entire life cycle of a building, from design and construction to occupancy – and beyond. The IgCC is intended to provide a compliment rather than a replacement for LEED as an environmental building certification standard.

 

Hope you have enjoyed this article and it has shed some light on the fact that Green Construction is here to stay and isn’t just a fad so firefighters better learn about it now instead of 2am when you have a JOB in one.

See you all in Baltimore!

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

 

Posted by on July 16, 2012 • Filed under: Building Construction, News and Events • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Free Green Building Codes 101 Webinar

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Green Building Codes 101: Navigating the Standards, Codes, and Rating Systems.

This webinar addresses many of the questions about the relationships between green standards, codes, and rating systems. This webinar was developed collaboratively by ICC, USGBC, ASHRAE and AIA.

Link:

http://media.iccsafe.org/IGCC/GreenBuildingCodes101-flash/Green%20Building%20Codes%20101/player.html

 

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

Posted by on January 25, 2012 • Filed under: Building Construction • Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

First National Green Building Code Approved!

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For the first time, the US has a national green building code.

The International Green Construction Code (IgCC), approved last week after two years of development, applies to all new and renovated commercial buildings and residential buildings over three stories high.

The historic code sets mandatory baseline standards for all aspects of building design and construction, including energy and water efficiency, site impacts, building waste, and materials.

Although the final code won’t be published until March 2012, many local and state governments have begun to officially adopt it.

“It represents a change in the standard of construction,” says Jessyca Henderson Director of Sustainability Advocacy at the American Institute of Architects. “It will effect everyone that touches buildings…it will be a big leap.”

How it Differs From LEED

The new code creates a mandatory “floor” – enforceable minimum standards on every aspect of building design and construction that now must be reached.

LEED certification, on the other hand, is voluntary. Although many buildings now strive for it, there are more that don’t. The new code will thus raise the standards for ALL buildings.

Also to qualify for LEED, designers choose from a menu of options. They may choose to address certain aspects of energy efficiency, such as lighting, for example, while leaving others out.

Setting a “floor” through the code, creates the opportunity for LEED-certifications to push toward higher “ceilings,” where buildings are awarded for truly reaching greater levels of performance, rather than receiving awards for what are increasingly expected standards.

Mandatory Requirements:

Site Development, Land Use: it pretty much eliminates development on greenfields (undeveloped land), although there are exceptions based on existing infrastructure. It includes clear guidelines for site disturbance, irrigation, erosion control, transportation, heat island mitigation, graywater systems, habitat protection, and site restoration.

Materials: A minimum of 50% of construction waste must be diverted from landfills, and at least 55% of building materials must be salvaged, recycled-content, recyclable, biobased, or indigenous. Buildings must be designed for at least 60 years of life, and must have a service plan that justifies that.

Energy Efficiency: total efficiency must be “51% of the energy allowable in the 2000 International Energy Conservation Code” (IECC), and building envelope performance must exceed that by 10%. It sets minimum standards for lighting and mechanical systems, and requires certain levels of submetering and demand-response automation.

Water Efficiency: it establishes maximum consumption of fixtures and appliances and sets standards for rainwater storage and graywater systems.

Indoor Air Quality: It addresses radon, asbestos, VOCs, sound transmission, and daylighting.

Commissioning, Operations: it requires extensive pre- and post-occupancy commissioning and education of building owners and maintenance employees.

Every project is also required to choose an additional “elective,” which pushes the envelope for the developer further. Once they choose it, it’s enforceable. There’s a long menu of elective choices, including whole-building life-cycle assessment to more stringent recycled-content.

Local governments and states have the choice of adopting the code, but once they do, it’s enforceable. They can add their own requirements on top of the code that address local concerns such as stormwater management or lighting pollution control.

To help implement the code, IgCC includes a “cookbook” approach for smaller buildings to follow and a more flexible approach for large buildings.

To develop the code, the International Code Council worked with many stakeholders, with the American Institute of Architects, US Green Building Council, and the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), foremost among them.

Original article link:

http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/23142

 

Green Buildings are not just a fad. I believe this national code will help make green buildings the norm and not just a option.

Firefighters need to start learning about green buildings and green concepts more than ever before.  Green Maltese hopes that fire service will use this as a place  to learn about how the buildings are changing.

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

 

Posted by on November 27, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Maryland 1st State to Adopt International Green Construction Code

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Maryland became the first state to pass the International Green Construction Code and apply the same across the board to all construction projects. As previously posted on my facebook page Green Building Construction for the Fire Service, Rhode Island adopted version one of the IGCC but only applied the code to public buildings.

The new law will go into effect on March 1, 2012. The IGCC bill (House Bill 972) passed through the state’s legislature with rampant success. The Senate approved the bill unanimously and the House passed it with a 121 to 18 vote.

The IGCC will serve as a supplement to the minimum building code applied in each jurisdiction (for the most part, the IBC). State and local building authorities will be authorized to implement the IGCC for all private and public construction.

The IGCC is the result of combined efforts from the International Code Council, the American Institute of Architects, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), American Standard for Testing and Materials (ASTM International), the US Green Building Council and the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES).

Maryland a pioneer state for Green Codes & Green Buildings:

  • The first certified LEED Platinum building was in Maryland
  • Maryland was one of the first states to offer a green building tax credit in 2001
  • Today, 14 local governments in Maryland have enacted a LEED based green building initiative, including several that have mandatory green building laws imposed on private building.
  •  Relative to its population, Maryland has more LEED® projects than any other state. 

 

Sources:

http://sustainablecitiescollective.com/reiserlegal/23644/maryland-adopts-international-green-construction-code

http://construction.about.com/b/2011/04/13/first-state-to-adopt-international-green-construction-code.htm

http://www.sbcmag.info/kb/KB_SBC_NewsDetails.php?KBID=17423&

Posted by on April 19, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction, News and Events • Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,