However, Pardue emphasizes it remains the responsibility of the manufacturer to have highly trained and knowledgeable staff to help stakeholders determine how certified products will perform in specific environments.
“It is our hope that the standardization of testing creates a rating based on performance, rather than specific technology, which will aid in the adoption of products other than low-e secondary glazing into incentive programs allowing utilities and utility partners to meet their energy-reduction and -conservation goals,” Pardue adds.
The AERC Commercial Secondary Window Program not only benefits the manufacturers who participate and the industry at large, but also helps end-users and consumers. AERC has established a trusted and objective method for assessing and improving window attachments. Its commitment to extending and enhancing that method will guide the organization and its partners in years to come.
AERC-certified Secondary Window Systems
The following are the certified products in AERC’s Commercial Secondary Windows program:
Acoustic Grade Window Insert
Standard Grade Window Insert
Indow Windows’ inserts are used by commercial customers to block drafts completely and reduce noise by up to 70 percent. The secondary windows ultimately lead to a 20 percent reduction in heating and cooling bills.
1200E, ComfortSEAL Low-E Interior Single Hung Window
1500E, ComfortSEAL Low-E Interior Picture Window
1600E, ComfortSEAL Low-E Interior Slider Window
1900C, Commercial Insider Interior Glazing Panel (low-e glass)
Larson Manufacturing’s certified low-e storm windows are used as an additional layer of glass on the interior of existing windows to provide more comfortable spaces for occupants. The secondary glazing systems not only provide thermal benefits, but the added layer dampens outside noise.
QUANTA TECHNOLOGIES INC.:
Interior Panels: QUANTAPANEL 602-PW IGS and QUANTAPANEL 605-DH IGS
Exterior Panels: QUANTAPANEL 703-FP IGS and QUANTAPANEL 704-DH IGS
QUANTAPANEL Insulating Glass Systems (IGS) are used in single-family homes, as well as commercial and multifamily buildings. These products are suitable for buildings in which the owner seeks to retain the original windows for architectural or historic purposes but also wants performance in terms of energy efficiency, noise reduction and occupant comfort.
Learn more about each certified window system.
Secondary Windows Reduce Outside Noise in a Marriott Hotel
Prior to the product’s certification, the Sea-Tac Marriott Hotel in Seattle installed 450 I900C, Commercial Insider Interior Glazing Panels, with 3/16- inch tempered glass. Some windows have two vertical mullions and others have one, depending on window size and location. The lead contractor on the project didn’t want to replace every window in the hotel but needed a way to reduce outside noise from the nearby Seattle-Tacoma Airport, as well as increase energy efficiency and eliminate the ability for hotel guests to operate the primary windows. Larson’s secondary window solution fit the existing windows seamlessly, reduced noise and increased energy efficiency without affecting the guests’ views.
Window Inserts Save a County Money while Assisting the Homeless Population
The local government in Arlington County, Va., used Indow Windows commercial secondary windows when converting an office building with fixed windows into a homeless shelter. Replacing the windows would have cost more than $1 million and require exterior scaffolding. For less than 20 percent of that cost, the county installed 304 Standard Grade Window Inserts, replacing a potentially dangerous makeshift solution of plastic sheeting and expensive space heaters. The 50-year-old single-pane windows perform like new double-pane windows, delivering improved results as shown in the graph.
Historic Windows Meet Energy-efficiency Requirement with Secondary Windows
Prior to certification, QUANTA Technologies Inc.’s products were used in several commercial projects by Tom Carnevale of Carnevale Eustis Architects Inc., Phoenixville, Pa. Carnevale utilized QUANTAPANELS during the Phoenixville Public Library project, a renovation and systems update to the original historic 1901 Carnegie Library. The renovations were undertaken to bring the interior functions up to the needs of current library users. System upgrades integrate modern updates into the historic fabric of the original building.
“The exterior QUANTAPANELS with a custom color were not only used to upgrade the energy efficiency of the historic windows, but also to protect the exterior of the restored window unit,” Carnevale explains. “Custom sizes and shapes were easily and cost-effectively provided by QUANTA.”
Similarly, Carnevale’s team used QUANTAPANELS during the Colonial Theatre expansion project in downtown Phoenixville. The project repurposed the former 1924 National Bank building into two new theaters and a lobby. The large steel windows, which overlook the historic downtown, were restored. The existing second-floor windows became a feature element of the new lobby mezzanine. The exterior window profiles and shadow lines were an important feature of the exterior façade. Therefore, custom-color interior 602-PW IGS QUANTAPANELS were utilized to upgrade the energy efficiency of these window units. The team also used 702PW exterior secondary windows on the project.
“We incorporated QUANTA products into these projects before they were officially AERC certified but, had they been certified, it would have been very helpful in selecting the correct units and also in assuring the clients that the products had been tested according to high industry standards,” Carnevale adds.