Archive for the ‘Thermal efficiency’ Category

Energy efficiency is a top driver behind sustainable design across all industries. And improving the heating and cooling of buildings with thermally efficient components can save you money in the peak of winter and summer. So for your next project, consider using Special-Lite’s flush doors for their thermally efficient components.

Though your doors make up a small point of surface area on a structure, they play an important part in the energy efficiency of your building. When selecting exterior doors, pay attention to the components that limit the exchange of heat from one side of the door to the other. For example, the Special-Lite SL-17 FRP doors have a poured-in-place urethane core with a minimum five pounds per cubic foot density, which ensures thermal insulation.

Special-Lite has tested its FRP Flush Doors for thermal efficiency. The U-value shows how well a material allows heat to pass and is generally listed between zero and one for doors. The lower the number, the better. The R-value is the reciprocal of the U-value and shows how well a material resists the flow of heat through it. This higher this number, the better.

Other important aspects of thermal doors include:

• Properly sealed construction
• Proper insulation
• Thermally improved framing

Also note that adding lites to doors can significantly reduce the effectiveness of thermal doors because glass provides hot and cold air to pass through easier. Flush doors and insulated side panels are ideal for thermal efficiency.

Check out Special-Lite’s white paper about how to select a green door, which includes information about thermal doors by clicking here.