At Sage Builders LLC, we pursue green alternatives in home remodeling that include construction methods and materials purpose-built for energy efficiency. High-performance windows are one example.

While these windows allow for beautiful, expansive views, they also ensure that conditioned air stays within your home’s construction.

Standard, single-pane windows are energy transfer portals. In the summer, sunlight streaming in carries heat energy that competes with your air conditioner, driving up cooling costs. During the winter months, heat is readily transmitted back out through the glass, causing your furnace to run longer to meet thermostat settings. The year-round total adds up to as much as 50 percent of household energy gain and loss through windows alone.

High-performance windows address the problem of heat transmission with two technologies:

• Dual pane windows feature two panes of glazing with a space sandwiched between. This space, filled with air or an inert gas like argon, acts as insulation that inhibits the natural property of glass to transfer energy. In addition to blocking energy gain and loss, dual pane windows also soundproof the home for a quieter interior environment.
• E-coated glass, also known as low-E (for low emissivity), includes a coating that blocks the transmission of infrared and ultraviolet energy. It’s infrared energy that carries heat indoors during summer and takes it out in winter. Ultraviolet energy causes fading of drapes, carpets and furniture.

Choosing a design that incorporates a low solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) and low U-factor — the non-solar energy lost through windows during winter — pays off in energy savings over the lifetime of the home.

Sage Builders LLC provides energy-efficient additions and renovations for homeowners in west Boston. Contact us to discuss more benefits of including high-performance windows in your project.