Proven energy savings using LoĒ²
glass and Cardinal’s next generation product - LoĒ³ 

Cardinal’s LoĒ² and LoĒ³ glass products reduce energy usage by 20% and improve comfort wherever you live.  Results were delivered after finishing three carefully controlled studies on glass performance.  The studies were conducted in three locations in the United States:  Roseville, California; Windrose, Texas; and Fort Wayne, Indiana.  Because temperatures vary from hot, dry summers to extremely cold winters in these areas, Cardinal was able to prove the superior performance of LoĒ² and LoĒ³ glass. 

All results prove that Cardinal’s LoĒ² glass improves year-round comfort and provides higher energy savings.  The studies also confirm that Cardinal’s LoĒ³-366, the newest generation of energy efficient glass, keeps the ideal balance between temperature control and clarity.

Therefore, homeowners who use energy efficient glass products save money by keeping electric bills down while maintaining their homes at a comfortable temperature. 

All studies were conducted in new, identical, and unoccupied houses. They were fully commissioned to ensure equivalence. Monitoring occurred year-round, 24 hours a day. It consisted of on-site weather stations, solar radiation, room-by-room temperature control, and checking HVAC performance and energy consumption. Additionally, the homes had occupant simulation, internal heat gain, moisture generation and ventilation.

In the Southwest, air conditioning units need to run nonstop in order to keep houses cool and comfortable.  Under such conditions, the right kind of glass can make a big difference.  A case study conducted in Roseville, California, proved that Cardinal’s LoĒ² glass maintains comfortable homes while saving energy.

Two identical houses were compared.  One was equipped with regular low-e and another using LoĒ² glass.  The results concluded that the house equipped with LoĒ² glass showed a 25% reduction in cooling energy and 10% savings in heating energy.   Also, the air conditioning unit used ran 1/3 fewer hours compared to the one used in the test house using regular low-e glass.   

In the South, homeowners face high temperatures and uncomfortable levels of humidity. These subtropical areas create special requirements in cooling. If the building's air conditioner is oversized to compensate for excessive heat gain, it is difficult to get comfortable humidity control. Glass such as LoĒ² glass from Cardinal can slash excessive heat gains while it maintains rooms comfortable.

Cardinal's study conducted in Windrose, Texas, proved that LoĒ² glass significantly reduced heat gains when compared to double-pane tinted glass.

LoĒ² brings energy performance without coloring the view. When compared to tinted or double-pane glass, LoĒ² cuts heat gain by half and has a higher visible light transmission.

Between the three test sites, high solar gain low-e, tinted and clear glass were compared to Cardinal's LoĒ² and LoĒ³ glazings. The results showed total annual savings, in both heating and cooling, ranging from 15% to 20% for LoĒ². For LoĒ³, our next generation product, the savings were greater.

The energy savings aspect of LoĒ² glass is only part of the story. Tests also proved that LoĒ² glass improves year-round comfort. This translates to warmer homes during the winter, cooler rooms during the "swing" season and definitely more comfortable rooms during the unbearable summer heat.

What's more, test results showed significant reduction of cooling loads. Solar control window glass, such as Cardinal's LoĒ² and LoĒ³, can cut air-conditioning peak loads in all climates and in all house sizes. In all case studies, tinted or clear glass was responsible for 50-60% of the cooling load. But because LoĒ² glass cuts solar heat gain in half, project houses were able to utilize smaller air conditioning units to maintain comfortable temperatures.

The graph below illustrates that a larger house (4000 sq ft) using LoĒ² glass can reduce the cooling load by nearly 2.5 tons when compared with clear glass. Beyond this graph, our next generation product LoĒ³ can save nearly 1 additional ton.