Amanda Jacob

Composite window frames reduce heating bills

News
This thermographic image reveals that the highest heat loss (red) takes place through the window frames. It is estimated that more than one third of the energy used to heat buildings is lost through windows and doors.
This thermographic image reveals that the highest heat loss (red) takes place through the window frames. It is estimated that more than one third of the energy used to heat buildings is lost through windows and doors.

The project is a partnership between Fiberline Composites, which already produces high-insulation composite profiles, and the Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering departments of Aalborg University, all based in Denmark.

“Our goal is to achieve a technology shift by substantially enhancing the insulation performance of window frames and sills, while at the same time creating ultra-slim, high-strength windows, doors and facades that require no maintenance,” says Peter Thorning, Chief Innovation Officer at Fiberline Composites.

Fiberline states that the high strength and rigidity of composite relative to its weight enables the production of lightweight, attractive and elegant windows, doors and facades that provide the architect with considerable design freedom and also insulate effectively.

“The new technology will be made available to European manufacturers of windows, doors and facades who will be able to use it to produce windows that make it cheaper to insulate both new and existing buildings,” says Thorning. "They will also be able to create their very own design solutions."

The Danish National Advanced Technology Foundation (HTF) is providing funding of DKK 5.8 million to the research project over three years.

Heat loss from buildings
  • Home heating – not electricity as is widely believed – is the biggest item on the domestic energy budget.
  • Approximately 40% of Danish energy consumption is used to heat buildings.
  • Despite intensive research into developing window glass with improved insulating characteristics, heat loss through window frames and sills remains high even with modern windows.
  • Windows account for more than one third of domestic heat loss.
  • This heat loss can be more than halved by using modern windows made of composite.
  • Composite also makes it possible to design ultra-slim frame/sill structures that are elegant in appearance and also permit the entry of more daylight, thereby increasing the contribution from passive solar energy.
  • Across the EU, tough new standards for sustainable building are in the pipeline.
  • The new composite windows will conform to the future standards.