What could be so special about a window, that I can't hold back my excitement? These are no ordinary windows. You could call it a solar heating and cooling system along with a view. It really and truly is a system, not just a window. The window has the capacity to capture and store the thermal energy created by the sun on even the coldest days of winter. I have seen it work on our previous project, for more information on that project go to http://tompittsley.blogspot.com/ where I have many posts and videos of that project and window system.
 |
| Ethan & Elisabeth Melad Dan Fogarty, Solar window project engineer |
These windows are even better than the last, they now have an integrated external shade the retracts into the head of the window, that can almost completely shut off the suns energy while still providing lite and a view. They can be completely controlled by a digital thermostat and/or remote control. The thermal mass is now a gel and does not have the problems the water window had and the cost will be less. We still have no idea of how much these will cost once, Hunter-Douglas puts them into production we will know. Our windows are a prototype and only the 3rd installation in the country, three are in a home at the solar village in Colorado and few more in a low income housing in here in MA.( I'm not sure where Sudbury/Weston maybe?) This home will feature 21 of these windows along the South side and should be able to provide 65-75% of the total heating needed for this house. It will definitely be the first of it's kind, with hopefully more to come.
Stay tuned,
Tom Pittsley
No comments:
Post a Comment