Glazing in Commercial Buildings—The Balance between Cost and Energy Consumption

This paper explores the balance between reducing energy use and intial costs over the life cycle of glazing options. More specifically, this paper discusses the results of parametric analysis on a calibrated building energy model of a single-story office building with multiple glazing options, including: double or triple glazed insulated glazing units (IGU), low-emissivity (low-e) coatings, window-to-wall ratios (WWR), and gas fillers. The model was used to predict energy consumption; Skanska performed detailed cost estimates to provide upfront costs; and the model’s results were combined with typical energy costs to estimate long- term costs.