FENESTRATION DESIGN

Introduction: Fenestration refers to the openings in the building envelope, including the installation of
windows, doors, and skylights. The process of including these openings in the building envelope is
known as fenestration.

Fenestrations are products classified as either vertical fenestration or skylights and sloped glazing,
installed in such a manner as to preserve the weather resistant barrier of the wall or roof in which they
are installed. Fenestration includes products with glass or other transparent or translucent materials.

Vertical Fenestration: Windows that are fixed or movable, opaque doors, glazed doors, glazed block,
and combination opaque and glazed doors installed in a wall at less than 15 degrees from vertical.

Skylights and Sloped Glazing: Glass or other transparent or translucent glazing material installed at a
slope of 15 degrees or more from vertical. Unit skylights, tubular day lighting devices and glazing
materials in solariums, sunrooms, roofs and sloped walls are included in this definition.

These definitions clarify that fenestration consists of vertical glazing, as well as skylights and sloped
glazing, and preserves the weather-resistant barrier of the building envelope component it is placed in.

TYPES OF FENESTRATION:

Slit Windows: These are one of the smallest openings or voids that serve as fenestrations. They provide
intake of direct as well as diffused light and create a light and shadow pattern play in the interiors.

Jalis or Perforated Windows: These are similar to slits but a patterned pre-casted or metal jail is present
which have larger voids and variety of pattern designs can be achieved. They serve as a transparent
façade yet creating the required bifurcation between two spaces or with the external environment.

Glazed Open-able Windows: These are the simplest and most efficient type of windows which can be
designed in various shapes along with a variety of custom designed chajjas as these require weather
protection due to larger voids. These are glazed and fixed with a variety of framing like wooden and
metal.

French Windows: These are generally through and through windows from floor to floor level with entire
glazing supported with wooden or metal frames. They provide almost 90% transparency with the
outdoors and give the perfect lighting glare required lighting up the entire space or a particular room.

TYPES OF GLAZING:

There are a lot many options for covering the voids formed for or by various fenestrations. The most
commonly used method is glazing. Glazing is used as it mainly provides permeability for the light to
enter and is also covered with a Protective Skin. The glazing used are mainly based on the impact of it on
the environment. They maintain the thermal comfort along with the heat gain on site or inside the
structure.
Double Glazed Glass: Double glazed glass is two glass sealed around the edges with an air space
between the two to form a single unit. The insulating air / gas between the two layers of glass improve
the thermal performance along with reducing the heat gain or the heat entering through the glass inside
the structure.
These are generally used in green rated or energy efficient buildings. They can also be used where there
is direct contact of sun that is along the southern façade to reflect back the harsh light.

Triple Glazed Glass: Triple glazed glass is three glass sealed around the edges with an air space between
the two to form a single unit. The insulating air / gas between the three layers of glass improve the
thermal performance along with protection against very harsh sunlight.
These are a step ahead then the double glazed glass with a more surplus due to the triple layering of the
glass. Here the glass thickness can be reduced and these are more effective when there is seamless
exposure to the sun and its harsh light.

Low – E Glass: Low-E glass has a microscopically thin, transparent coating—it is much thinner than a
human hair—that reflects long-wave infrared energy (or heat). Some low it also reflects significant
amounts of short-wave solar infrared energy to protect the interior spaces from the harmful rays.
There is mainly a thin coating which helps to reflect the particles and various wavelengths. This Low – e
glass can be used double or triple glazed as per the requirement according to the surrounding climatic
conditions.
This technique is the most effective for glazed buildings to maintain the thermal comfort as well as for
huge glass curtain walls.

Use of Un-Plasticized Polyvinyl Chloride Windows (UPVC) doors and windows can reduce your energy
consumption drastically. Being a poor conductor of heat, UPVC doesn’t allow transfer of heat from
outside to inside through its surface. When used with double or triple glazing, and air-tight seals, it
further insulates against the outside heat. As a result, the internal temperature of the room is
maintained and air-conditioner/heater runs less frequently, ensuring lower energy bills.

UPVC doors can be used in commercial spaces and residences alike to build environment-friendly
structures. A fully recyclable material, UPVC consumes far less energy in its production compared to
Aluminum. UPVC also reduces the dependence on wood thereby helping conserve forests.

U value in Windows
The U-Factor measures how well the window insulates. While the U-Factor can take any value, in
general for windows it ranges from 0.20 to 1.20. The lower the U-Factor, the better the window
insulates. The Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) measures how much of the sun's heat comes through
the window. It can range in value from 0 to 1.