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Energy Efficiency
Energy-efficient windows and doors can help reduce the energy costs in your home and build a more efficient living space. At Kolbe, our culture of innovation and our commitment to finding an intersection between beauty and functionality have helped us stay ahead of other manufacturers. Energy efficiency is built into the standard model of our windows and doors. In fact, we offer more than 20,000 products that meet or exceed ENERGY STAR® qualifications in both the United States and Canada.
Most Kolbe products feature double pane, insulating LoE glass filled with argon gas and a stainless steel spacer bar system. This glass system provides exceptional thermal performance and excellent UV protection. We can build our products to exceed national energy requirements or to meet the specifications of local energy codes.
Understanding Energy Efficiency
ENERGY STAR® is a government-regulated program that helps consumers easily identify energy-saving products. The program divides the United States into four separate climate zones to determine the ideal energy performance in each area. Then, it evaluates the energy performance of each door or window based on the total product – both glass and frame.
U-Factor is a measure of heat loss. It calculates the flow of air through a window or door barrier, from inside to outside. A lower U-Factor indicates that less heat escapes during winter weather. This gives your windows and doors greater insulating capabilities and helps reduce heating costs. At Kolbe, our commitment to innovation ensures our products consistently meet ever-changing energy codes.
Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) is a measure of the solar energy that passes through a window or door unit’s glass. The lower the SHGC, the less solar heat is transmitted into a room, which lowers air-conditioning costs in hot climates. Northern climates can use solar heat to their advantage by looking for a unit with a higher SHGC to take advantage of the sun's heat.
LoE Glass is low-emissivity glass. The lower the emissivity, the higher the percentage of solar radiation blocked by the glass. Kolbe makes most products with LoE2 Glass for higher performance. This glass provides efficient U-factors in cold climates and reduces solar heat gain.
Argon is an inert gas that is used to fill the airspaces between the panes of glass. Argon is denser than air and provides superior insulating performance, further preventing solar heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter.
