Vitro Architectural Glass has unveiled a new digital tool called the Vitro Emissions Carbon & Energy Calculator, which models energy consumption and embodied and operational carbon emissions in various standard buildings.
How it works
The calculator uses the DOE-2 building energy analysis program to simulate a full year of typical operations data for five common building types: convention centers, offices, educational facilities, hospitals and healthcare, and multi-family residences.
In addition to selecting a building type, users may choose environmental data from 268 locations in North America, 236 in the United States and 32 in Mexico, as well as building orientation, window-to-wall ratio, and shading and curtain wall performance preferences. Users may choose up to two Vitro glasses for comparison, and the tool will calculate the selections' energy efficiency and carbon impact.
What Vitro says
“This new and innovative tool helps architects, building owners, fabricators and glaziers understand the impact that different glazing will have on annual operational carbon emissions and building energy use,” says Fernando Diez, vice president of marketing, Vitro Architectural Glass. “Our calculator can also determine a figure that shows embodied carbon payback. We strongly believe in transparency, and providing this essential information will guide users throughout the planning and construction processes and support them to meet energy code requirements and achieve sustainable design goals.”
