Different aspects of windows in buildings

Windows are an important part of the building envelope. They are important for the energy performance of a building, since they enable passive solar gains, reduce the need for artificial lighting and enable natural ventilation. Passive design strategies are important to enhance the performance of buildings without active systems. The passive solar gains of buildings depend on the orientation of the glazing, the glazing type, the micro location and the form of the building. A study of a single family house with different deviations from the main glazing façade, that differ from the main cardinal orientation, is presented. For each case, the optimal glazing point and the optimal glazing area were examined. A southern orientation remains the most optimal for the chosen climate of Ljubljana. Buildings create an artificial environment with restricted access to daylight. To compensate natural light, artificial lighting sources are installed in the building. To illustrate the influence of windows on the energy performance in an office, the needs for artificial lighting were observed. The energy demand caused by the electricity consumption of artificial lighting is substantial, so the positioning of windows and the visual transmittance are of great importance. Beside the size of the window, its form and height plays an important role. Windows also affect the well-being of the occupants. Most of these effects are connected with providing light, natural ventilation and communication with the outside world. These aspects are also present in sustainable building certification schemes. An overview of the health-related topics presented in different certification schemes connected to windows has been made. We have compared different certification schemes in how they deal with issues of light.