IEA Introduces Roadmap to Energy-Efficient Building Envelope Technology

Officials from the International Energy Agency (IEA) commended advanced nations such as the U.S., Canada, Russia and others for their efforts to date, but says that more can be done still in the building of energy-efficient building envelopes, including the increased use of insulating glass, low-E coatings and triple-glazed windows. Wednesday’s release of the Energy Efficient Building Envelope Technology Roadmap marked the official unveiling of the international agency’s plan to make all new buildings more environmentally-friendly while lowering energy costs by 2050.

IEA officials said that windows account for the largest single source of energy loss in buildings, so naturally the roadmap addressed that issue in great detail. While lauding countries like the U.S., Canada and Russia for their efforts in recent years to move towards more energy-efficient buildings with stricter building codes and technical improvements such as low-E double-glazed windows, high levels of insulation and low air leakage, the IEA says in its roadmap that it would like to see the additional upgrades necessary in the future for zero-energy buildings.

The use of specific, highly-insulating windows with very stringent U-values and triple-glazed windows, complete with double low-E and a low-conducting frame, are among the roadmap’s chief choices for improved energy efficiency.

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