Windows Insulate Like Walls

Eastman’s Heat Mirror Insulating Glass

Eastman’s Heat Mirror Insulating Glass (IG) insulates like walls. By suspending from one to three clear films in the airspace of insulating glass, Heat Mirror technology creates multiple insulating spaces—without adding weight—that buffer against heat loss or heat gain. The result is center-of-glass thermal performance, or R-value, of up to R-20 (U-value down to 0.05)—insulation that equates to a typical wall. Such performance can significantly lower energy bills and give architects, builders and homeowners the freedom to use glass however and wherever desired while still meeting aggressive energy-efficiency goals.

Because of its insulating capabilities, Heat Mirror IG has been specified for some of the highest performance net-zero energy and LEED-certified buildings, such as the retrofit of the 6,514 windows in the landmark Empire State Building.

Current ENERGY STAR-rated windows that use dual-pane IG with low-emissivity (“low-E”) coatings have reached fundamental performance limits. This is driving a shift from “coatings to cavities” in which “multi-cavity” IG technologies, such as triple-pane that uses three layers of glass to create two airspaces, are required to achieve the next level of performance. However, triple-pane technology is heavy, typically limited to smaller sizes, and requires costly reinforcement to window frames and sashes to handle the added weight.

Unlike glass, suspended film is practically weightless, making Heat Mirror IG an ideal drop-in performance upgrade for windows without the size and weight limitations of triple-pane. And state-of-the-art manufacturing now makes this performance more accessible to consumers who want to enjoy large, beautiful views without sacrificing energy efficiency. Heat Mirror IG also blocks +99.5 percent of ultraviolet radiation to prevent premature fading of drapes, carpet, furniture, floors, and photographs, and can reduce outside noise up to five decibels better than standard dual-pane IG.

Backed by automated manufacturing and a 20-year warranty, next-generation Heat Mirror IG enables the next generation of energy-efficient windows.