The Opportunity of Windows

Windows are an immensely important part of every building, both residential and commercial, shaping our experience of daylight and ventilation. Unfortunately, they can also be the source of huge leaks in the building envelope’s air sealing, which means more energy than necessary is required to maintain comfortable temperatures through heating and cooling systems. State programs for energy-efficiency upgrades of all buildings should include provisions for window improvements. Better windows—triple-paned instead of double-paned, the current industry standard—can provide a series of other benefits, including thermal comfort, noise reduction, and resilience to extreme weather. In this brief, NEEP explores the benefits that triple-panes can provide, new innovations in the market to lower their costs and make installing them more accessible, and example program designs for states.