GLASS

Windows and glass doors play an extremely important part of the project:

From an energy perspective, one design imperative from the start has been no lights on during daylight hours meaning we needed a lot of windows. The flip side is windows historically have been an energy challenge as usually less "insulating" than a solid wall.
To serve both themes of "Environmentally Regenerative" and "Outside In" simultaneously meant not only lots of glass but also big glass built to allow solar heat gain in the winter and limit that same heat gain in the summer (while not limiting light).
Aesthetic goal is to bust the myth that green building is ugly (think concrete box, no windows), so windows also had to be beautiful.

Serious Windows, serious glass from serious energy

"Top 10 Green Building Product"—Building Green—USGBC Greenbuild Award—Chicago, November 2007. Twenty-seven-year history of international "super window" leadership.
Super-insulating—to R-20 at center of glass.
"Tuned" N-S-E-W sensitivity for morning passive solar gain & afternoon heat rejection.
99.5 percent ultraviolet blockage for longevity of furnishings and health concerns.
Radiant comfort—cool summer and warm winter glass temperatures.
Crystal clarity—Serious Windows met National Gallery of Art Standards with a Color Rendering Index of 92.
To increase both daylight transmission and "color rendering accuracy" when looking through the Holland—Yates windows, the inner pane is “low-iron” glass. Standard glass appears green when viewed through thick panes. Low-iron is crystal clear, with virtually no coloration.
- The HM88 Suspended Coated Film at the heart of SeriousGlass combines with the low-e glass coating to provide 99.9% ultraviolet blockage to enhance furnishing color-life and enhance human health.
- Although perhaps not a factor in the Holland–Yates residential setting, a significant benefit of wider "triple" SeriousGlass is sound control. Our second ½ “interspace” provides an estimated 3 STC (Sound Transmission Points) of quietness.