Fenestration
Fenestration constructions are applied to building sub-surfaces that have one or more glass layers and therefore transmit solar radiation. There are seven types of fenestration constructions:
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Detailed Glazing
This should be the preferred construction for defining glazing. This construction can be used to create interior or exterior windows, glass doors and skylights. The layers can include detailed glass, gas and gas mixtures from the materials library. The existing standard libraries are grouped by type listed in alphabetical order by Single Pane, Double Pane, and Triple Pane. Custom groups can be added as necessary.
The glazing library member detail screen will display the layers that have been added to the construction type in order from outside to inside. It will also display the glazing constructions calculated values.
When editing a custom glazing library member, users can add layers by hitting the + Add layer button. This will bring up a list of the Glazing Components library members. Hitting the + button next to a material library member will add it to the glazing construction as a layer. In order to comply with the EnergyPlus™ rules for glazing, a detailed glass material layer will be added whenever a gas or gas mixture layer is added. This will ensure that detailed glass is always the inner and outermost layer in the construction and that two gas or gas mixture layers are never next to each other. Between glass internal shading options will be available to be added when the detailed glazing is selected as part of a window construction.
You can switch the library member of an existing layer by selecting the replace layer button. Layers can be moved up or down with the buttons or you can delete a layer by hitting the trash can button.
The glazing constructions calculated values will be updated every time there is a change in one of the material layers.
Exterior Windows and Exterior Glass Doors
These are sub-surfaces that will be attached to exterior walls in the building drawing process. Exterior glass doors and windows must have a glazing layer. They can also have frame & divider, interior shading, and exterior shading added to them as well as storm window and between glass airflow options.
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It is important to note that there are no dimensions defined for windows or doors in the library. You are simply defining the constructions and options that these surfaces have. Their dimensions will be defined when they are drawn in the building drawing. Also, when a frame and/or divider are added to a window or glass door, the area of the glass will be reduced to fit the frame and divider.
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You must first select the desired glazing material to be used in the window or door. In the Default Glazing Layer Tab, select the simple or detailed glazing material you would like. If simple glazing is used, only the External Shading tab will be available, since it is assumed that the glazing properties define the complete structure (including frames and internal shading devices).
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For windows and doors, that use a detailed glazing library member as their default glazing layer, all option tabs will be available.To add a frame and divider, simply move to that tab and select the desired library member. The properties of the selected library member will be displayed on the screen but cannot be edited.
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To add an internal shading option, move to the internal shading tab, select the internal shading library member to use and add the required internal shading control options. To add an external shading device, simply move to the corresponding tab and select the desired library member. The properties of the selected library member will be displayed on the screen but cannot be edited.
A storm window adds a glass layer to an exterior door or window to reduce heat loss during the winter. It is assumed that:
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When the storm glass is in place it is the outermost layer of the window, it covers only the glazed part of the window and not the frame, and it forms a tight seal.
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When storm glass is not in place it is completely removed and has no effect on window heat transfer.
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The gap between the storm glass and rest of the glazing is filled with air.
Between glass airflow is used to specify the control mechanism for windows in which forced air flows in the gap between adjacent layers of glass. The airflow can be defined as being from the inside, in which case zone air will be used or from the outside in which case outside air will be used. To add between glass airflow, move to the corresponding tab and add the required between glass airflow properties.
Both storm window and between glass airflow cannot be added to the same window or door, only one or the other.
Interior Windows and Interior Glass Doors
These are sub-surfaces that will be attached to interior walls in the building drawing process. Interior glass doors and windows must have a glazing layer. They can also have internal shading as an option.
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It is important to note that there are no dimensions defined for windows or doors in the library. You are simply defining the constructions and options that these surfaces have. Their dimensions will be defined when they are drawn in the building drawing.
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You must first select the desired glazing material to be used in the window or door. In the Default Glazing Layer Tab, select the simple or detailed glazing material you would like. If simple glazing is used, the internal shading option tab will be disabled, since it is assumed that the properties of the simple glazing include the effects of all of its components. For windows and doors that use a detailed glazing as their default glazing layer an internal shading device can be added. To do so, move to the internal shading tab, select the internal shading library member to use and add the required internal shading control options.
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Please note that all Interior surfaces in TRACE® 3D Plus need to be symmetrical. For this reason, when adding glazing materials for interior windows and glass doors, only symmetrical materials will be displayed for addition.
Simple Glazing
Note that there are important considerations to using the simple glazing construction. It should be used to describe an entire glazing system and only when very limited information is available. It is also acceptable to use when specific performance levels are being targeted as in the case of standard requirements.
This construction type will only be able to have a simple glass material as a layer. It cannot be used with the detailed glazing or gas material layers. There will be important differences in the construction performance because the simple glazing system model includes its own special model for angular dependence when incident beam solar is not normal to the plane of the window.
If the simple glazing construction has a between-the-glass shade or blind, then the U-value and SHGC of the simple glass material should include the impacts of that layer. This option will not be allowed when the glazing is applied to windows, glass doors and skylights. Only inside or outside shades or blinds will be allowed to be added to windows, glass doors and skylights that have a simple glazing construction library member applied.
Skylights
These are sub-surfaces that will be attached to roofs in the building drawing process. Skylights must have a glazing layer. They can also have frame & divider, internal shading, and external shading added to them.
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You must first select the desired glazing material to be used in the skylight. In the Default Glazing Layer Tab, select the simple or detailed glazing material you would like. Note that if simple glazing is used only the External Shading tab will be available since it is assumed that the glazing properties define the complete structure (including frames and internal shading devices).
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For skylights that use a detailed glazing as their default glazing layer all of the option tabs will be available. To add a frame and divider, simply move to that tab and select the desired library member. The properties of the selected library member will be displayed on the screen but will not be able to be edited.
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To add an internal shading option, move to the internal shading tab, select the internal shading library member to use and add the required internal shading control options. To add an external shading device, simply move to the corresponding tab and select the desired library member. The properties of the selected library member will be displayed on the screen but will not be able to be edited.
