ENERGY AND MATERIAL USE IN THE PRODUCTION OF INSULATING GLASS WINDOWS

Waste heat, waste material, and waste water are estimated for the prod uction of glass sheets and aluminum frames for architectural window sy stems. The purpose is to compare the wasted energy and matter in the p roduction process and the heat loss through the window systems. Raw ma terials, fossil fuels, and fresh water are inputs, while waste heat, w aste material, and waste water in addition to the products are outputs . Waste heat of 16.9 MJ versus 502.5 MJ, waste materials of 0.7 kg ver sus 5.4 kg, and waste water of 0.05 m(3) versus 0.37 m(3) are given of f in the production of a glass sheet of 1 kg versus an aluminum frame of 1 kg. A comparison of a single glazed window and a double glazed wi ndow was made in terms of the waste heat at the production stage and t he heat loss through the windows. It was found that the sum of the was te heat and the heat loss in the case of a double glazed window become s smaller than in the case of a single grazed window within the first winter season in Tokyo. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.