Solar Energy Control- Wire Mesh Systems

Untangling Daylighting and Mesh
by J. David Carduff
May 1, 2010

Escale mesh forms the Rotunda structure on the Dayton Convention Center in Ohio. The Rotunda provides an abundance of reflective surface area and plenty of open area as well, allowing visuals to vary greatly depending on time of day. Photo Courtesy of GKD-USA

"Light every building using the sky." That's the vision of the Daylight Collaborative, a program created by the Energy Center of Wisconsin to provide information on daylighting. It sounds implausible, perhaps. But then again, many of the most successful trends and inventions sounded far-fetched at one point. Think flying. Telephones. Cars. The Internet. As with these other endeavors, those who seek to mainstream daylighting need to "find the light," so to speak. Which is exactly what some architects, designers and product manufacturers are trying to do through the use of innovative products and technologies. One such product is woven metal mesh fabric, which when used for daylighting purposes has proven to save energy by reducing the use of artificial lighting and heat gain. For this reason, woven metal mesh fabrics have been on the cutting edge of daylighting technology throughout the world. That's forward thinking.

Let's take a look at the concept of daylighting. It seems simple enough: As buildings are illuminated by the sunlight, they are less dependent on electric lighting. And because sunlight produces less heat per unit of light than electric lights, buildings lit by sunlight have smaller cooling loads and don't require as much energy from HVAC systems. 

In addition to providing Piper High School, Kansas City, Kans., with daylighting and sunshading, the stainless-steel mesh provides durability, longevity and is virtually maintenance-free. Photo © Alistair Tutton  Photography

While the concept of daylighting is straightforward, successful implementation of the practice is more challenging. Daylighting requires creativity and expertise. "Good daylighting creates beautiful, appropriately lit spaces while saving energy. A successfully daylit building is the result of a combination of art and science, of architecture and engineering. It is the result of an integrated design process," according to www.daylighting.org. Daylighting is more than simply installing windows; it involves foresight, innovation and ingenuity. Not to mention planning -- planning is key.

During the planning process, consider all of the available materials that can help in successfully daylighting a building. As daylighting becomes an increasingly significant component of a building and a successful means of energy efficiency, more architects are integrating it into their designs. In a 2009 survey performed by GKD-USA, architects throughout the United States were asked how big a role daylighting played in the design of their buildings. Seventy-two percent of respondents said they always try to incorporate daylighting into their design, while 22 percent responded that the incorporation of daylighting was dependent upon the type of building. Because of this, building product manufacturers are developing a variety of new products to help the process, including woven metal mesh fabric. 

Lamelle mesh provides classic daylighting for this University of California, San Francisco building. Photo Courtesy of GKD-USA

Aside from enhancing the aesthetics of a building, woven metal mesh offers a unique way to control solar heat gain and extreme daylight and is commonly used as a sunshade. Depending on the location of the building and type of heat and light a window is exposed to, different patterns and sizes of mesh can be utilized. When used for sunshading, mesh can help contribute to Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design (LEED) certification points.

The first to place flexible mesh on buildings, GKD recently began to explore ways in which their products could be further utilized. Through commissioning several studies and experiments, GKD found that woven metal mesh could indeed by used for daylighting purposes. While mesh can be used to block glare, GKD has also collaborated with ag4, a mediatecture company, to create Illumesh and Mediamesh -- high-grade architectural woven stainless steel mesh fabric with interwoven LED profiles. This unique product has been used to replace solid LED boards on buildings, allowing daylight to enter a building without obstructing interior views or exterior architecture. 

216 panels of Lamelle mesh were used to cover 32,100 square feet of this University of California, San Francisco building.  Photo Courtesy of GKD-USA

Using woven metal mesh for daylighting purposes saves energy by reducing the use of artificial lighting as well as heat gain. At the request of GKD, a study of several metal mesh products from GKD was conducted by ift Rosenheim, an independent party research team. The purpose of the study was to determine the solar characteristics of metal meshes and to calculate solar heat gain of glazing in combination with solar shading devices. The materials tested were each of different thickness and design. Results showed that GKD woven metal fabric exhibits improved sun protection, which leads to reduction of required cooling loads and allows for smaller cooling generators and HVAC systems.

Daylighting is also valued for its benefits to building occupants. According towww.daylighting.org, recent studies show that daylighting creates a stimulating environment -- much better for occupants than the environment created by any type of artificial light. Natural light contributes to increased concentration among occupants and positively affects their emotional well-being and overall mood. Studies reveal that students in rooms lit by an increased amount of daylight consistently progress 20 percent faster in math and 26 percent faster in reading.

Time magazine discussed the way unlikely inventions became reality: "[Flight] did not come about by luck or accident. It was vision, quiet resolve and the application of scientific methodology that enabled Orville and Wilbur to carry the human race skyward." Likewise, a combination of vision, education and application will allow daylighting to become commonplace so that maybe one day, every building will be lit using the sky.  

J. David Carduff
J. David Carduff is the product manager for GKD-USA. Having spent the past 28 years in the technical metal weaving and forming business, Carduff is an expert in the benefits of woven metal mesh. 


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350.org- I'm going to the White House.

Build Green Scotty, Scotts Contracting www.stlouisrenewableenergy.com www.stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com --- On Wed, 9/8/10, Bill McKibben - 350.org <organizers@350.org> wrote: From: Bill McKibben - 350.org <organizers@350.org> 350.org is taking solar back to the White House. Literally. We're hauling solar panels to Washington DC and inviting President Obama to join the world on 10/10/10. But President Obama needs to know that he won't be alone on 10/10/10, so start or join an event: www.350.org/start www.350.org/join Dear Friends-   Well, I'm getting to work a few weeks ahead of 10-10-10, and wanted to send along the story to get you fired up for the big day.   I'm trying to type this as the biodiesel van I'm sitting in bumps down the highway in rural Maine. We left tiny Unity College yesterday morning, bound for the White House with stops in Boston and New York -- and we're carrying a piece of history with us.   It's one of the solar panels that President Jimmy Carter installed on the roof of the White House in 1979, 31 long years ago. Here's what Carter said that day: "A generation from now this solar heater can either be a curiosity, a museum piece, an example of a road not taken, or it can be just a small part of one of the greatest and most exciting adventures ever undertaken by the American people."   Sadly, the panels were taken down a few years later in the Reagan administration. Not because they stopped working -- but because we stopped thinking carefully about the future. The folks at Unity College salvaged them from a government warehouse and put them on the roof of the cafeteria, where they still work fine.   But now they've agreed to donate one back to the White House, in the hope that it will spur Obama to pick up where Carter left off.   Our great hope, of course, is that on 10-10-10 President Obama will be up there on the roof, helping to put the panels in place. Our friends at the solar company Sungevity have even offered to donate a massive, brand new solar array for free. (Mohamed Nasheed, president of the Maldives, has already taken them up on the offer -- he'll be up on his roof on 10-10-10 hammering in a new set of panels).   But so far, there's no definitive answer from the White House. They say they're "interested," but that it's "complicated."   Here's how you can tip the balance: in the next 24 hours, we're going to get back on the phone with the White House and work to convince them to commit to taking action on 10-10-10. It would greatly strengthen our hand to say that hundreds of people have registered new work parties since we last called. Can you help by registering an event in your community or forwarding this email to friends encouraging them to Get to Work on 10/10/10? We'll keep you updated on our Solar Road Trip blog on how negotiations with the White House go and how many actions get signed up over the next 24 hours. Together, we can send President Obama and all politicians a clear message: we're getting to work, now it's time for you to do your part.   In the end, we can't completely control what the White House, or any other political leader does. We can control what happens in our communities, and we can use our own efforts to put more political pressure on our leaders.   With events already scheduled in over 140 countries, 10/10/10 is shaping up to be huge -- but it needs to be massive to create enough pressure to really count. Please help lead this movement, and get involved in 10/10/10 today. Onwards, Bill McKibben for The 350.org Team P.S. As you know, we're focused on 10/10/10 for the moment, but we're also thinking long-term about how to change the dynamics in the USA. We're thinking about lots of strategies, including direct action -- but we need your help and ideas. Please take a moment to read this piece I just co-wrote at Grist.org: http://www.grist.org/article/2010-09-05-call-for-direct-action-in-climate-movement-we-need-your-ideas P.P.S Can you take a moment to inspire your friends to join you on 10/10/10, with a few clicks on Twitter & Facebook? You should join 350.org on Facebook by becoming a fan of our page at facebook.com/350org and follow us on twitter by visiting twitter.com/350 To join our list (maybe a friend forwarded you this e-mail) visit www.350.org/signup 350.org needs your help! To support our work, donate securely online at 350.org/donate 350.org is an international grassroots campaign that aims to mobilize a global climate movement united by a common call to action. By spreading an understanding of the science and a shared vision for a fair policy, we will ensure that the world creates bold and equitable solutions to the climate crisis. 350.org is an independent and not-for-profit project. What is 350? 350 is the number that leading scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. Scientists measure carbon dioxide in "parts per million" (ppm), so 350ppm is the number humanity needs to get below as soon as possible to avoid runaway climate change. To get there, we need a different kind of PPM-a "people powered movement" that is made of people like you in every corner of the planet.

Illinois Solar Power Law-Enacted Aug 2010

Illinois Laws Boost Solar Power Use for Utilities, Individuals

August 30, 2010

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn on August 17 signed legislation that boosts the use of solar power by individuals and by state utilities. One law requires the two state utilities, Commonwealth Edison and Ameren, begin purchasing solar power as part of their renewable energy portfolios starting in 2012, three years earlier than previously required by state statute. Specifically, the utilities will now be required to purchase 0.5% of their power from solar sources by June 1, 2012; 1.5% by June 1, 2013; 3% by June 1, 2014; and 6% by June 1, 2015.

A second measure signed into law creates the Homeowners' Solar Energy Act to ensure individual homeowners have the right to construct solar energy panels on their homes, provided the individual homeowners follow certain guidelines. Under the new law, homeowner's associations cannot prohibit homeowners from installing solar panels on their property. The goal of both laws is to reduce dependence on foreign oil while cutting greenhouse gas emissions. See the governor's press release Copied below.

CHICAGO – August 17, 2010. Governor Pat Quinn today signed legislation that promotes energy independence by furthering the use of solar power by individuals and by industry. The new laws establish strengthened targets for utilities that will be purchasing more solar energy and help homeowners who want to increase their solar energy usage.

"Solar energy is the wave of the future, and it is important that our public utilities and homeowners are able to more easily increase their use of solar energy," said Governor Quinn. "We must do everything we can to increase our use of solar energy, which will help us protect natural resources and reduce our reliance on traditional energy sources, such as foreign oil."

House Bill 6202, sponsored by Rep. William Burns (D-Chicago) and Sen. Don Harmon (D-Oak Park), amends both the Illinois Power Agency Act and the Public Utilities Act to change the date by which Commonwealth Edison and Ameren must begin purchasing solar energy as part of the renewable energy portfolio requirement. The new law changes the date to 2012, which is three years earlier than the previous 2015 deadline.

Specifically, the power industry will now be required to purchase .5 percent of its power from solar sources by June 1, 2012; 1.5 percent by June 1, 2013; 3 percent by June 1, 2014; and 6 percent by June 1, 2015, and each year thereafter.

House Bill 5429, sponsored by Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) and Sen. Michael Noland (D-Elgin), creates the Homeowners' Solar Energy Act to ensure the right of individual homeowners to construct solar energy panels on their homes, provided the individual homeowners follow certain guidelines. Under the new law, homeowner's associations cannot prohibit homeowners from installing solar panels on their property.

Governor Quinn signed both pieces of legislation at the University of Illinois at Chicago. House Bill 6202 takes effect immediately and House Bill 5429 will take effect Jan. 1, 2011.

Solar power uses the energy from sunlight to generate electricity. Solar energy can be used in smaller, residential settings, and in recent years, multi-megawatt plants have been built.

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Insulation-If Walls Could Talk Part 1

If Walls Could Talk

Insulation: A tougher code necessitates more remodeling training

By:Leah Thayer

Roofing & Insulation
Credit Available	30% of cost (product only, no labor) $1,500 maximum for all improvements combined
Timeline	Must be "placed in service" (ready and available for use) Jan. 1, 2009 – Dec. 31, 2010
Requirements
Metal and Asphalt Roofs	Energy Star–qualified
Insulation	Meets 2009 IECC & Amendments Must be expected to last five years or have a two-year warranty Primary purpose must be to insulate. As of May 31, 2009, IRS has not ruled on SIPs or insulated siding, but it is believed that SIPs are eligible
Provided by Scotts Contracting

Dollar for dollar, insulation and weatherization deliver more bang for their energy-efficiency buck than almost any home improvement. Happily for manufacturers and installers, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's $1,500 tax credit can be applied, in theory, to a broad array of materials and methods — batts, spray foam, loose-fill; wraps, sealants, tapes, and flashing; even structural insulated panels — that are primarily designed to reduce the heat loss or gain of the nation's estimated 80 million underinsulated homes.
On its surface, the insulation provision is simple: Homeowners can take a tax credit of 30% of the cost of materials only, to a maximum of $1,500, for insulation work performed this year and next. That's triple the credit available since 2005. The sum of the resulting "insulation material used in layers" must meet the R-values prescribed by the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC).

"We think the recovery bill is a great opportunity to move forward" toward a more energy-efficient housing stock, says Gary Nieman, vice president of government policy initiatives at Owens Corning, feature one of several insulation manufacturers that were interviewed for this article.

Guardian Building Products' "customer base has expressed heavy interest in several areas of the ARRA," says Aaron Hock, national sales manager.
Code of Conduct

More on the Building Envelope

• Glazed and Confused: Window, Door, and Skylight Tax Credits

  The way that door and window products qualify for tax credits has changed. Here's what you need to know.
  

• Roofing: Tax credits can offset upgrades to energy-efficient metal and asphalt roofs

  Tax credits can offset upgrades to energy-efficient metal and asphalt roofs.
  

• Energy Audits Aid in Setting Tax Credit Priorities

  Using energy audits to set priorities for the stimulus tax credit.

Things start to get sticky with the IECC. Published by the International Code Council (ICC) and based on goals set by the U.S. Department of Energy, the 2009 IECC will produce 15% in energy-efficiency gains over the 2006 version, according to the DOE. (To purchase the 2009 IECC, go to www.iccsafe.org.

Regarding insulation, the 2009 IECC is considerably tougher than the previous version, particularly in colder parts of the country, where R-values (thermal resistance) are now as high as 21 for wood frame walls, 38 for floors, and 49 for ceilings and attics. "The new code requirements make it tough for builders to do things as usual and still meet the code," says Bob Burgess, president of Accurate Insulation, in Upper Marlboro, Md., whose 65 installers work all over the mid-Atlantic region. This is especially true in remodeling, when insulation is sometimes compressed into small cavities, potentially compromising R-value.

Numerous products meet the specified R-values, including fiberglass and cotton batt insulation with ratings of R-21 or higher that can be installed in a 2x6-framed wall cavity, plus several loose-fill products using fiberglass, cellulose, or other materials that can be installed behind netting in open framing or used to fill cavities in existing walls.

Such products likely won't be as inexpensive as the old mainstays, however, or necessarily prove as easy to find, at least based on a few calls to building supply retailers.

In some cases, in fact, meeting the prescribed R-values becomes almost cost-prohibitive. Ironically, it may even deter homeowners from choosing what many green remodeling advocates believe are the best (but most expensive) insulating products: water-based spray foams that expand to fill gaps and holes.

"They're speaking batt language," says Laura Calfayan of Calfayan Construction and AirTight SprayFoam of Southeastern PA, in Huntingdon Valley. "If I were to spray R-38, I'm literally forcing people to spend more than they need to," she says, to achieve the same comfort effects that can be achieved with 2 inches of AirTight's water-based, closed-cell foam, whose continuous air barrier reduces energy use beyond its stated R-value of 7 per inch.

Even so, business is up for spray foam companies. An Icynene product, for example, has a 3.7-per-inch R-value, allowing 2x6 walls insulated with it to meet the 2009 IECC in zones that require R-20.
By mid-April, downloads of the Icynene manufacturer's certification statement (needed for tax documentation purposes) had risen by 68% since January, according to Teresa Crosato, the company's marketing communications supervisor.

If homeowners must dig a bit deeper at the point of sale, that's the price of progress, says Darren Meyers, technical director of energy programs with the ICC. "[The 2009 IECC] is a paradigm shift because the nation and the home-building community have not understood how far behind our construction practices are. We've never had a call to action [to be very energy efficient]," he says. The DOE's goals, and the resulting code, are the call to action.

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