low solar gain windows
pakrat1
| Posted in General Questions on
Houston TX CL Z 2
If my windows are well shaded from any direct sun (deep south west facing porch) till late afternoon, would I be better off with higher solar heat gain windows that let more light in for better interior brightness? Large house next to me will be white, wondering how much indirect light from their white wall will impact heat gain through my windows, how about gain from general landscaping, trees, wooden fence
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Replies
Hi Michael,
Generally, designers and builders in your neck of the woods specify low-solar heat gain windows. However, I recently published an interview with Austin-based architect Peter Pfeiffer who said he doesn't care so much about this if the windows are properly shaded. Of course, he doesn't do anything by chance. They do sun-angle calculations to locate and size overhangs and energy modeling for the whole house before they spec anything. You can read the interview here: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/article/designing-homes-for-a-hot-humid-city