CLEARSHADE HIGH-PERFORMANCE HONEYCOMB GLAZING SELECTED BY LBNL
- ClearShade™ honeycomb technology optimizes both DAYLIGHTING and SOLAR HEAT GAIN CONTROL in a single product, by transmitting and diffusing valuable visible light while reflecting unwanted solar heat.
- Reduced lighting and HVAC loads result in significant energy and cost savings.
- ClearShade™ glazing units offer DYNAMIC PERFORMANCE to provide the most solar heat control at peak hours, but their luminous appearance stays consistent, WITHOUT DARK TINTS or shading devices.
- ClearShade™ was selected by Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL, a division of the Department of Energy) as a promising technology to enable the owners, designers and engineers of retro-fit or new construction projects to meet increasingly stringent energy-efficiency targets.
- LBNL has integrated ClearShade into their suite of software tools for energy- and daylighting-analysis. They are the first entity to integrate angular selective performance data into such analysis tools, greatly expanding the opportunities for energy-savings thanks to the dynamic nature of the technology.
WHAT IS ANGULAR SELECTIVE GLAZING?
ClearShade™ is an angular selective technology whose honeycomb structure performs like a series of very small louvers, but in cellular rather than linear form. This structure combined with a proprietary polymer composition provides the unique advantage of dynamic performance – increased solar heat protection at peak hours – without the dramatic reduction in visible light that occurs with other dynamic technologies such as switchable glass.
ANGULAR SELECTIVE GLAZING vs. LOW-E ONLY vs. DYNAMIC GLAZING
- Angular selective glazings are designed to attenuate direct solar radiation, the main source of solar heat gains and glare, while transmitting a significant amount of diffuse skylight.
- Glazings that use low-e films to achieve solar heat control often do so at the expense of visible light, and this performance is static throughout the day, blocking daylight even when the sun is not at its peak.
- Dynamic glazings vary over the course of the day to reduce solar heat at peak hours. Technologies such as electro-chromic glass do this by darkening to nearly opaque, blocking both visible light and solar heat.
- ClearShadeTM is an angular selective technology whose patented honeycomb structure and polymer composition ensure consistent, diffuse daylight throughout the day and the highest level of solar heat control at peak hours.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF WINDOW 7 INTEGRATION?
- Analysis of angular selective glazing materials is complex because Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC), Visible Light Transmission (VLT) and other key performance factors change according to the sun’s angle.
- Before now analysis software such as Energy Plus and Radiance did not account for data that vary with the angle of the sun, but this variance powerfully impacts performance, especially when optimum solar heat control occurs during peak solar and energy-usage times, as is the case with ClearShadeTM.
- LBNL’s Window 7 software is the first to integrate angular selective options to enable analysis and optimization of building envelope solutions for energy savings, user comfort and productivity.
- Window 7 generates a BSDF (Bi-directional Scattering Distribution Function) angular performance data file which is executable in Energy Plus and Radiance for more precise energy and daylighting models.
- This enables curtain-wall, MEP and daylighting engineers to run PROJECT-SPECIFIC ENERGY and DAYLIGHTING ANALYSIS for the ClearShadeTM unit types specified on their project.
- Window 7 provides LBNL-verified performance data for ClearShadeTM units using any ClearShadeTM honeycomb insert specification and any glass type included in the International Glazing Database
MORE LIGHT. BETTER LIGHT. LESS HEAT.
Panelite ClearShadeTM glazing has been successfully installed in the field for more than 10 years, optimizing daylight and solar heat control in applications such as skylights, facades and clerestories.
LEFT: ClearShade clerestories diffuse light at Harriton High School / KCBA Architects + photos / RIGHT: ClearShadeTM facade units illuminate Champaign Library / Ross Barney Architects + photos
ENERGY-ANALYSIS AND USER IMPACT FIELD STUDY BY LIGHTING RESEARCH CENTER AT PARRISH ART MUSEUM
Panelite ClearShade skylight glazing was specified by architects Herzog & de Meuron and daylighting engineers ARUP to achieve their goal of providing a naturally daylight environment, similar to that of artists’ studios, for viewing the collection at the Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill, New York.
NYSERDA (NY State Energy and Research Development Authority) funded a research project to evaluate the potential energy savings for New York State of ClearShade honeycomb glazing technology. Under the grant, Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute conducted a field study of ClearShade skylights at the Parrish Art Museum by Herzog & de Meuron Architects.
- 81% of the time the museum was open in spring, electric lights were not needed. The remainder of the time electric lights were dimmed from full output. Compared to the museum’s allowable power density, the skylights and use of lighting controls saved 89% in lighting energy.
- Energy savings also resulted in reduced air pollution: 4.6 lbs of SO2, 5.2 lbs of NOx, and 6,219 lbs of CO2.
- 73% of visitors considered the illumination of the Parrish galleries to be better than other museums.
View the field study overview here and the complete LRC findings PDF here.
DESIGN IT YOUR WAY, PERFORMANCE CERTIFIED FOR PROJECTS WORLDWIDE
- Double-glazed, Triple-glazed and low profile Triple-glazed units available
- Curtain wall, clerestory, skylight, hurricane and security glazing configurations
- Extensive glass and coating specifications available to meet design and performance goals, including colors, ceramic frit patterns and low-e coatings from PPG, Guardian, Pilkington, Cardinal and St. Gobain.
- ClearShade™ performance is backed by Panelite’s “ClearShade™ IGU Performance Certification”. Data is certified by independent testing labs and by the Windows 7 glazing analysis software which is developed solely by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, a division of the US Department of Energy.
- IGCC certified manufacturing in USA and in Dubai UAE for high quality, cost-effective local supply to US, EU and Middle East projects.
- 10 year warranty.
LEARN MORE/ LINKS
Daylighting – The Whole Building Design Guide / National Institute of Building Sciences
Optimize Energy Use – Minimize Consumption – The Whole Building Design Guide / National Institute of Building Sciences
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab Windows and Daylighting Group
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab WINDOW 7 software information and download
U.S. Department of Energy site on Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
R. Sullivan L. Beltran E.S. Lee M. Rubin, Ph.D. S. E. Selkowitz. “ENERGY AND DAYLIGHT PERFORMANCE OF ANGULAR SELECTIVE GLAZINGS,” Building Technology & Urban Systems Department, Berkeley Lab, (November 1998)
CLEARSHADE CASE STUDY: Fuller Library by William McDonough and Associates
REQUEST A PRESENTATION, OR A CLEARSHADE CONSULTATION Panelite can assist with analyzing the daylighting and energy performance for your exact unit specifications, or a variety of possible unit specifications, to determine which will best meet your project’s aesthetic, daylighting- and energy-performance goals.