Improving Thermal Performance of Dwelling Single Glass Windows Using Secondary Glazing in the UK

Abstract

In the globe, 40% of heat losses in domestic buildings were caused by single glazing windows usage and around 20% were due to air infiltration. Therefore, an improvement for the single glazed windows and reducing the air infiltration must be considered to lower the energy consumption. This study aims to investigate the thermal performance of the secondary glazing sheet on the ordinary windows in the low-income dwellers. The PVC sheets were used as the secondary glazing which easies to tailor and fit into the windows frame in the living room. Besides, a commercial foam insulation tape was used to seal the air leakage of the windows. The indoor and outdoor temperatures of a living room, pre-and post-retrofitting, were measured and the U-values were compared based on ISO 9869:2014 standard. It is found that the respective temperature differences between indoor and outdoor at pre-and post-retrofitting were 5.6 °C and 8.6 °C. The post-retrofitting indoor temperature was more stable, with fewer fluctuations compared to the pre-treatment. Furthermore, the U-values were improved by 57% where the number before and after retrofitting found to be 5.71±0.01 W/m 2 K and 3.23±0.01 W/m 2 K, respectively. The utilization of the proposed glazing and diminishing the air infiltration on a single glazing window play the key role in improving the thermal comfort, cheaper than commercial double glazing, eco-friendly, and easy to install.

Perceived benefits of retrofitted residential secondary glazing: an exploratory Australian study

“…In line with the findings of the studies on the thermal insulation properties of secondary glazed windows, open-ended answers provided by some respondents in our study suggest better indoor thermal stability and a reduced demand for heating and cooling (Kim and Felkner, 2018; Fitton et al , 2017; Harjunowibowo et al , 2019; Smith et al , 2012). One of the respondents commented on this with the following:Both heating and cooling times have been reduced.…”

“…Reporting on simulations for different secondary glazed windows in four different locations in New Zealand, Smith et al,, (2012) and Smith & Isaacs, (2009) found that secondary glazing can improve, compared to single glazing, the R-value of a window from 130% through to 290%, depending on the glazing and materials used. An experimental study from the United Kingdom (UK), showed that an eco-friendly PVC sheet could reduce the thermal transmittance of old single glazing windows by up to 57% and provide a higher and more stable indoor air temperature (Harjunowibowo et al 2019).…”

Pembiakan Sirih Hitam pada Petani Plasma di Sukoharjo

“…Bahkan penggunaan material polikarbonat pada dinding dan atap mampu menghemat hingga 60% (Harjunowibowo et al, 2017). Hal ini sejalan dengan penelitian Harjunowibowo et al (Harjunowibowo et al, 2019) bahwa hilang panas pada bangunan disebabkan oleh penggunaan kaca seperti di rumah kaca sebesar 40%. Lebih jauh, dalam penelitian tersebut dikatakan bahwa penggantian kaca tunggal menjadi kaca ganda dengan plastic polyvinyl chloride (PVC) mampu meningkatkan nilai thermal resistant-nya (u-value) hingga hampir 60%.…”

A low-cost spectrometer to analyse the purity of honey

“…The measurements were repeated ten times to calculate the statistics of the results. The wavelength was measured by calculating the mean value λ and the uncertainty ∆λ used Standard Error followed the equations ( 4) and ( 5) [21,22]…”