Make the Switch to Energy Efficient Windows

As the temperature goes down and the heat in your hotel rooms gets turned up, bills may increase as well. If the windows in your hotel are not yet energy efficient you may be missing out on potential savings.

Want to know how Amerail Systems can make your hotel more energy efficient? Click the Contact Us button below.

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What effect do your hotel's windows have on HVAC?

Energy efficient windows have been proven to save hotels money because of their innovative designs. Most hotel brands are including energy efficient windows into their new PIP standards to save money and as an added bonus, improve the environment. Here we will detail the effects that windows have on your hotels HVAC and even the interiors of your rooms.

Let’s talk about solar heat gain…

A solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) is the fraction of incident solar radiation admitted through a window, both directly transmitted and absorbed and subsequently released inward. The lower a window's solar heat gain coefficient, the less solar heat it transmits.

An average job Amerail completes will be able to reduce the SHGC from .82 to .28 meaning a reduction of 54% in solar heat gain. This means that your energy efficient windows will prevent your rooms from becoming too hot in the summer which would cause your guests to use more air conditioning.

Now let’s move on to the U-factor…

U-Factor: The rate of heat loss is indicated in terms of the U-factor (U-value) of a window assembly and tells you how well it insulates. The lower the U-factor, the greater a window's resistance to heat flow and the better its insulating properties.

With a typical project at Amerail we are able to reduce the U-Factor between 67% and 75% depending on the time of year and current weather conditions. Reducing the U-Factor ensures that in the winter months your guests will not need to increase the heat in their hotel rooms because the energy efficient windows will be better insulated preventing the cold air from getting through.

Finally there’s relative heat gain…

Relative heat gain (RHG) is the amount of heat gain through a glass product taking into consideration the effects of solar heat gain (SHGC) and conductive heat gain (U-value) as mentioned above. The lower the RHG, the greater the glass restricts heat gain.

In most jobs Amerail was able to reduce the relative heat gain from 201 to 67 which represents a 66% reduction in relative heat gain.

Check out our window replacement project in Burlingame, CA here.

To summarize...

During the winter months or when it's especially cold outside you want to be sure your hotel lobby, hallways and rooms are warm for your guests.

When windows are non-energy efficient, they will transfer heat by thermal conduction. This will then lead to extra heating being required so your guests can enjoy their stay comfortably.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, when it’s hot outside you want to keep it cool inside. Similar issues can arise as well as air leakage through seals on windows that are cracked.

Benefits of energy efficient windows:

Energy cost savings: Lower HVAC costs
Energy efficient windows cause less window condensation which leads to less frost build up on the windows. Frost on windows can cause rooms to feel colder which would require more heating.
Eliminating drafts - windows will no longer be cold & cause drafts
Less damage to the interior of your hotel. Energy efficient windows reduce ultraviolet (UV) rays by up to 75 percent. These harmful rays from the sun can fade artwork, fabric, carpet, and wood. This means a longer life for you hotel interiors.
Help the environment - Improving energy efficiency reduces greenhouse gases, which contribute to climate change.

So why switch?

When you switch to energy efficient windows you will see an improvement in energy efficiency throughout your property through a reduction in the solar heat gain coefficient, summer u-factor and the relative heat gain.