Green Windows

Want to keep some green and make your home more “green?” Find out how to use Low E glass windows in your home and why you should.


Whether you are building a new home or considering energy efficient remodeling, Low E glass windows can green your home by reducing energy needs and energy waste.
What is Low E Glass?
The E in Low E glass stands for “emissivity,” which is a surfaces ability to absorb or reflect heat. Low E windows, which were first introduced in 1979, are an eco-friendly window solution that really works to reduce energy waste, needs and costs.
How do Low E glass windows work?
Sunlight delivers visible light, ultraviolet or UV light and infrared or IR light. Ultraviolet light can damage skin and also cause fabric colors to fade. Infrared light is heat. Low E glass allows the visible light to pass through while blocking some of the UV light and IR light.
The powerful infrared light in sunlight actually heats up objects such as floors and furniture inside and sidewalks and patio furniture outside. As objects cool they emit a low powered form of infrared lights. Low E glass can reflect this form of energy.
In summer this keeps your house cooler as the warmer outside heat is kept outside. In winter, heat from objects that are heated by sunlight or other inside sources is bounced back into your home to keep your home warmer. With Low E glass, cooler indoor temperatures in the summer and warmer indoor temperatures in winter can reduce energy use and lower energy bills.
There are different types of Low E glass. Most Low E glass is divided into two types, hard coat and soft coat. Hard coat Low E glass is created as tin is applied directly to molten glass, making it hard to scratch off. It may also be called “pyrolytic” glass, which refers to the production process.
Low E glass is created when a thin layer of silver is applied while the glass in a vacuum. This coating is more delicate and therefore Low E glass is sandwiched with another piece of glass. Soft coat Low E may also be called “sputtered” glass, which again refers to the production process.
Some glass manufacturers are taking the technology a step further by suspending thin, low E transparent films in between pieces of glass. This system has resulted in excellent energy saving performance. Some of these Low E windows can block 99.5 percent of UV light, providing double the insulating value of even soft coat Low E glass.
Low E glass also helps to reduce condensation on glass. The inside surface temperature of the glass is warmer. For example, if outside temperatures were 26 degrees, a regular double paned glass would be around 35 degrees. A hard coat Low E glass could be up to 49 degrees and a soft coat Low E may well reach 62 degrees. That’s a dramatic difference with a green impact on the environment as well as your family budget.
Eco-friendly Low E Glass can:
-Keep your home cooler in summer
-Keep your home warmer in winter
-Reduce escaped or wasted energy
-Reduce energy use
-Reduce energy bills
-Protect skin from damaging rays
-Protect furniture, fabrics and window treatments from fading
Is Low E glass worth it?
Yes. Did you know that houses lose 25 % of their heat through windows? It recommended that you purchase the highest quality Low E glass you can afford, therefore lowering your energy use and energy bills up to 25 %.
Low E glass windows are a rewarding way to go green, keep your home comfortable and save money at the same time.

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