MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 25, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- "Using high-performance glass to bring more natural daylight into buildings, an important strategy for green building, dramatically reduces energy usage and provides a better work environment," said Russell Huffer, chairman and chief executive officer of Apogee Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq:APOG), in a keynote speech to the Building Envelope Contractors Conference February 17 in Las Vegas. The event was hosted by the Glass Association of North America, the association serving flat glass manufacturers, fabricators and glazing contractors.
Huffer, whose company provides distinctive value-added glass solutions for the commercial construction industry, went on to say, "Today's architects, building owners and developers value the look of the glass incorporated in a building's facade, as well as the view and daylighting provided by floor to ceiling glass. Using high-performance glass provides these benefits while lowering ongoing energy costs, which is why it has become an important design strategy for many green buildings." He noted that recent studies have documented that green buildings have higher occupancy rates, higher lease rates and higher resale values -- adding to the already compelling energy savings.
"Daylight is approximately half heat and half light," said Huffer, who added, "Today's highly energy-efficient glass and windows control both the heat and the light. Proper window selection and design will reduce up-front heating and air conditioning system costs, cut ongoing peak electricity and cooling loads (thereby avoiding costly peak demand charges), and ease the need for new power plants." He was citing the book, "Window Systems for High Performance Buildings," authored by principals from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of Minnesota Center for Sustainable Building Research.
"Making greater use of energy-efficient glass and windows in commercial buildings is especially critical since these buildings consume almost 20 percent of the country's energy and over 35 percent of its electricity. Artificial lighting and air conditioning alone consume nearly 40 percent of the power used in these buildings," said Huffer. "In addition, over half of existing commercial buildings have single-pane glass (rather than two pieces in an insulating unit) and over 65 percent is clear, uncoated glass (which does not manage heat and light), according to Department of Energy statistics.
"Using coated, insulating glass that manages both the light and heat has a big impact on reducing energy consumption," he said.
