glazing - pointsbuild · glazing has a very important role in determining thermal performance of a...

GLAZING

Course Review .

For further information please contact:

Kim Shoard, Training Manager

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Phone: +61 (02) 6382 3174

Fax: +61 (02) 6382 7901

Glazing - Version 2 was reviewed and updated in February 2014 using the Pointsbuild Pty Ltd quality assurance process.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHORS ............................................................................................................................. 2

INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 3

GLAZING PROPERTIES .............................................................................................................................. 4

GLASS ...................................................................................................................................................... 8

FRAMES ................................................................................................................................................... 9

WINDOW COVERINGS (CURTAINS/BLINDS) ........................................................................................... 10

GLAZING - REDUCING SOLAR HEAT GAIN .............................................................................................. 11

WINDOWS FOR AUSTRALIAN CLIMATES ............................................................................................... 15

OPTIONAL QUIZ – GLAZING ................................................................................................................... 17

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................................... 18

A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR ........................................................................................................ 20

©Pointsbuild Pty Ltd Glazing Page | 2

About the Authors

Has experienced solid growth in the emerging field of thermal

performance assessment. They provide a range of cost effective solutions for small, medium and large builders on their client's projects, to ensure they meet the energy efficiency requirements of the Building Code of Australia. These services extend to Owner Builders and for the renovation of existing homes. Established in 2007, SmartRate continues to set new standards in the delivery of innovative solutions and building on our reputation of excellent customer service. The management team is committed to working closely with you and your clients to achieve results that are not only cost effective but exceed your expectations. For new residential construction, SmartRate performs energy ratings using BERSPro or Accurate software and provides a full compliance service including the preliminary assessment of projects during the initial design phases. For commercial projects, SmartRate provides a comprehensive report, based on Section J. of the Building Code of Australia. Our assessors are accredited with the Association of Building Sustainability Assessors (ABSA) and SmartRate's compliance Certification is acceptable to local Councils and Building Certifiers. The team at SmartRate is headed by Michael Plunkett.

Michael Plunkett

Michael has formal qualifications in Design and Architecture and over 30 years’ experience in the home building industry. Michael is the North Australia Director of ABSA, and is an active member of the Housing Industry Association sitting on the Northern Australia Technical Services Committee. Michael is a respected trainer with the Housing Industry Authority (HIA) and ABSA and delivers training in BERSPro and Accurate around Australia each year.


Introduction

Glazing has a very important role in determining thermal performance of a building. Glazing allows sunlight into the building which is valuable for daylight and winter heating but can be a problem if there is too much in summer. In winter, passive heating from the sun that is gained through the glazing must be greater than the heat lost from the house to the cold outside air to be worthwhile. Glazing in a building can be a major source of heat loss in winter and a source of heat gain in summer when the temperature difference between inside and outside the building is high. Heat flow through glazing is determined by the combined effect of glass, frame and seals. There are 3 ways heat flows through glazing:

Conduction - heat flow due to temperature difference from the outside to the inside of the glass.

Convection - movement of heat energy by air that passes over the surface of the glazing.

Radiation - heat absorbed by glazing that is re-radiated as infrared heat. The thermal performance of glazing is determined by two main properties - the Solar Heat gain Co-Efficient (SHGC) and the U value. Some manufacturer’s data refers to the Shading Co-Efficient (SC) of glazing that compares the glass to 3mm clear glass. This property is not often referred to and has been superseded by glazing’s SHGC. Other properties quoted for glazing that do not impact directly on thermal performance - visible light transmittance and air infiltration.


Glazing Properties

Solar Heat Gain Co-Efficient (SHGC)

Sunlight and heat (solar radiation) from the sun passes through a standard clear glass window very easily. The amount of heat that is transmitted through the window depends on the angle of the sun to the surface of the window. As the angle increases the amount of reflected heat increases and the amount transmitted decreases. The amount of heat transmitted through a window is also affected by shading from the eaves and other shading devices. The transmission of solar radiation from the sun through standard window glass is illustrated below. Figure 1 Heat transmission through a window

The amount of heat absorbed by the glass is dependent on the thickness of the glass and its absorption coefficient. The absorbed radiation is converted to heat, which increases the temperature of the glass. Often the glass temperature will be greater than either the indoor or outdoor temperature. Some of the heat absorbed by the glass will therefore, be re-radiated and convected into the building. The diagram shows the total energy gain due to direct solar transmission through clear window glass.

Figure 2 Percentage of energy heating a room through a window

The ratio of this transmitted energy to the total incident energy is known as the solar heat gain coefficient, (SHGC). Although these diagrams show the incident radiation coming from the sky and making a glancing angle with the glass, the SHGC is actually measured with the incident sunlight perpendicular or at right angles to the glass. The value quoted for the SHGC is often reduced by 10% to take into account transmission loss due to dirt build up. The information referred to in these notes is for clean glass. The solar heat gain factor (SHGF) is the solar heat gain coefficient of "standard" 3 mm clear glass. For sunlight at normal incidence this is taken to be 0.88. Other types of glass can be compared to the standard 3 mm glass by using the concept of a shading coefficient (SC). This coefficient can be expressed as a ratio of the SHGC of the new glazing system compared to the SHGC of the standard clear 3 mm glass (SHGF) i.e. SC = SHGC

SHGF


The Solar Heat Gain Coefficients for a number of generic glazing types are listed in the table below. Note that these figures apply to light incident at right angles to the glass.

Glazing Type SHGC

Single glazed, clear 0.88

Single glazed, tinted 0.62

Single glazed, reflective 0.46

Double glazed, clear 0.77

Double glazed, low E, high transmittance 0.71

Double glazed, low E, low transmittance 0.40

Table 1 Typical SHGC values

Reflection, Absorption and Angle of Incidence

When sunlight strikes a sheet of glass, some of the solar radiation is transmitted straight through, some is reflected and some is absorbed by the glass. The heat energy absorbed by the glass is then radiated to both the inside and outside as infrared radiation.

The sum of reflected, absorbed and transmitted heat always equals 100%. At normal incidence (sun is perpendicular to the glass), about 4% of the light is reflected back out from each glass to air interface. Clear single glass reflects about 7.5% of the sun’s light while clear double glazing reflects back about 14.5%. The proportion of incident heat that is reflected slowly increases as the angle of incidence increases. Beyond 50°, reflection increases dramatically. The proportion of incident heat

that is absorbed decreases with increasing angle of incidence since the transmitted component decreases. This occurs even though the path length within the glass increases. The next page shows a number of graphs to demonstrate how the transmitted, reflected, and absorbed components of radiation vary with the angle of incidence for different generic glazing types.


Figure 3 Transmitted, reflected, and absorbed solar energy by different glazing types


U Value - Heat Transfer through Windows

The other main property of glazing is the U-Value. Heat energy will be conducted through the glass and frame due to the temperature difference from one side to the other. The greater the difference in temperatures – the greater the heat flow. Different frame and glass materials have different abilities to conduct heat, specified by the U-value. The lower the U-value – the less heat is transmitted. U-values are described individually for the frame or the glass but industry uses the U-Value of combined glass and frame unit which is referred to as the system U-value. The system U-value depends on the U-values of the frame and glass and the proportions of the area of the glazing unit occupied by each, which are referred to as the frame fraction and vision fraction respectively. The heat transfer through a double glazed window is illustrated below.

Figure 4 Heat transfer through a double glazed window

Windows in Australia are certified for their energy performance by rating organisations who conform to Australian Fenestration Rating Council (AFRC) standards. In the AFRC system, performance is always certified for the whole system – glazing and frame combined – never the glass or the frame alone. The Australian Windows Association maintains a website Window Energy Rating Scheme that lists the properties of glazing units of its members. The U-value is important in both hot and cold climates. Conducted heat flow is relative to the difference between indoor and outdoor temperature. In hot climates it may regularly be 10 or 15 degrees hotter outside than inside, so halving the U-value will halve the conducted heat gain.


Glass

There is a wide range of glass available to the builder that can be used to maximise or minimise heat energy gain into the building as required. Some common glass types are listed below: Toned or tinted glass - has colouring additives included in the glass during manufacture. A range of colours is available with tinted grey being a common choice of builders seeking to reduce solar heat gain

into the house. The different colours and tints provide different SHGC and some variation in visible light transmittance. Glass tinting does not change the U-value of the glass because glass conductivity and emissivity are unaffected by the presence of a pigment in the glass. Supertoned or heavily tinted glass - has higher levels of additives in the glass to filter out the solar near-infrared heat energy whilst preserving a reasonable level of visible light transmittance. Reflective glass - has either a vacuum-deposited thin-film metal coating or a pyrolytic reflective coating added during manufacture. They must be kept clean to work effectively. Local councils may impose restrictions on the use of reflective glass as it often causes glare that annoys neighbours. High transmission Low emissivity (low-e) glass - has a thin coating added during manufacture that allows daylight from the sun to pass into the house but reduces the amount of the longer wavelength infrared heat (radiated by heated objects within the house) that can escape through the window. Low transmission low-e glass - has a coating added during manufacture which reduces the amount of solar heat gain while still maintaining good levels of visible light transmittance and may provide an improvement in both U-value and SHGC of glazing units. The thickness of glass has little impact on its U-value and SHGC. It does though, have a significant impact on noise transmission and the strength and safety of the glazing. Glass may be provided as a single sheet, or as two sheets with a polymer laminate between the glass. The performance of laminated glass is determined by the type of glass in each layer. It is often wrongly assumed that double glazing is only for cold climates, in fact, the best performance levels in both U-value and SHGC can only be achieved by double-glazing, particularly in conditioned homes. Multiple layers of glass can be assembled with sealed cavities between each sheet. This is commonly called double or triple glazing but is now increasingly referred to as an Insulating Glazing Unit (IGU). Insulating Glazing Unit - the insulating value of an extra air space to increase the resistance to heat flow. Improvements in winter performance is due to this decrease in conductance, while the increase in summer performance is due to a combination of decreased conductance, and decreased transmittance of solar radiation through the second pane.


Hermetically sealed units usually have a desiccant in the edge spacer between the glass panels to stop internal condensation. The gap between the two panes can be filled with a gas that is less conducting than air such as argon or krypton. Glass has an emittance of about 0.9 that leads to a significant amount of heat being radiated across the gap in double glazed systems. Thin low emittance films can be deposited onto the internal surfaces of double-glazing. These films reduce the radiated component of conductance across the air gap. Windows incorporating these films are referred to as being "low E". Commercially available gas filled double glazed windows with one low emittance transparent metallic coating have a claimed conductance of one quarter that of single glazing, while still maintaining a high light transmittance. Window films can be a cost effective option for significantly reducing solar heat gain through existing windows. Applied to existing glass, some window films can halve the overall SHGC of the window by means of absorption and/or reflection of solar radiation. They may also cause an equal reduction in visible light transmittance which must be considered when choosing a film. Window films do not generally have significant impact on the glazing U-value because they do not add thermal resistance nor reduce the emissivity of the glass.

Frames

Aluminium frames are common in many windows used in Australia but conduct the largest amount of heat per unit area. To improve the performance of the window, use frames with a low conductance such as timber, PVC, or aluminium incorporating a thermal break to reduce heat loss through the windows in winter and heat gains in summer.

Even though the frame is a small fraction of the total window area, nominally 10%, the impact on the conducted heat flow through window as a whole may be large and varies with type, size and material of the frame. However, it is the high transmittance of heat through glass that is of more concern. Six times more heat is conducted through glass than an equivalent area of wall with resistance R 1.0. Commonly available frames in Australia include:

Aluminium window frames - are light, strong, durable and easily extruded into complex shapes, but aluminium is a good conductor of heat and can decrease the insulating value of a glazing unit by 20 to 30 percent. Aluminium frames, especially dark coloured ones in full sun, absorb a lot of solar heat and conduct it inside. A thermal break is often used to reduce the heat conducted through aluminium frames. It separates the exterior and interior pieces of the frame using a low- conductivity component (typically urethane or other low-conductivity polymer).


A large amount of energy is used to make aluminium but it can be recycled at the end of its use. Some manufacturers may be able to provide aluminium frames made from recycled material which uses far less energy to produce. Powder-coated aluminium never needs painting, which significantly reduces its resource impact. Timber frames - are a good insulator but requires more maintenance than aluminium. Timber frames may require larger tolerances in openings, which can result in gaps that allow air infiltration, unless good draught sealing (weather stripping) is provided. Timber absorbs carbon dioxide as it grows and retains that carbon until the wood is burnt or decays. Timber species must have naturally high durability or be treated to prevent decay and deformation. It is important to check that the timber is sourced from a sustainably managed forest. There are currently Australian hardwood window frame manufacturers that use timber certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC). Plantation-grown hoop or radiata pine can be treated with LOSP (light organic solvent preservative) and painted which provides another option apart from FSC-certified durable hardwood. Composite - frames use thin aluminium profiles on the outer sections with either a timber or uPVC (unplasticised polyvinyl chloride) inner section. These pro uPVC frames - are petroleum derived products which are relatively new in Australia but common in Europe and North America. Their insulating properties are similar to timber and they can be moulded into complex profiles that provide excellent air seals. The colour range is more limited than powder coated aluminium. Fibre-reinforced polyester (FRP) frames - are used overseas and are generally the most thermally efficient high-strength framing materials available. Your Home Technical Manual - Fourth Edition as amended - 2010)

Window Coverings (Curtains/Blinds)

The conductance of most window types is quite high so window coverings (curtains/blinds) may be used to reduce this heat flow. The best results are achieved by using drapes and pelmets that do not allow air to escape out of the cavity formed between the glass and drapes. Window coverings are also used to restrict the amount of sunlight entering the room if it starts to overheat.

Figure 5 Curtains can reduce heat flow


Glazing - Reducing Solar Heat Gain

In regions around Australia (generally the warmer and hotter climates), where no winter heating is required, the heat gained through glazing in all orientations should be minimised. In all other regions, windows facing north should have glass with a high SHGC to allow for heat gain in winter, whereas, the east and west facing windows should have glass with lower SHGC values to minimise overheating in summer. In sub tropical regions, south facing windows only receive diffuse and reflected radiation (except for short periods at the beginning of the end of the day in summer), so they don’t contribute to overheating to the same extent as east and west facing glazing. The easiest way of reducing solar heat gain is to reduce the area of glazing in the wall. If this is not possible or desirable then windows can be shaded. Alternatively, tinted or reflective glass can be used to cut down on the solar heat gain.

Solar Radiation on Vertical Surfaces

The width of the arrows in the diagram below shows the relative amounts of average daily solar radiation incident on walls and windows facing each of the four cardinal orientations in summer and in winter.

Figure 6 Example of average daily solar radiation on vertical walls

North facing vertical windows receive considerably more solar radiation from the sun in winter than in summer. East and west facing windows receive more radiation in summer than in winter. South facing windows also receive more radiation in summer than in winter, but much less so than for windows having east and west orientations. This means that only north facing windows behave in a way that compliments the seasonal heating and cooling requirements of a building. Window placement can be optimised by putting as much of the glazing in the north wall as possible but this is obviously undesirable from a day lighting perspective so non-north glazing area should be kept to a minimum required for light and views. South facing windows will receive less winter sun but also less summer sun than east or west oriented windows. Although east and west facing windows receive about equal amounts of solar radiation, it is better to have windows facing east rather than west. The sun enters the east windows in the morning when the house has cooled off during the night, whereas it enters the west windows in the afternoon when the building will be reaching its maximum temperature.


Shading of Windows

Although sunlight penetration through windows is desirable in winter in non-tropical locations, it is to be avoided in summer. Simply selecting a window that reduces solar transmittance by absorbing or reflecting much of the solar radiation will enhance summer performance but the trade-off is reduced winter performance. Well-designed shading devices that are appropriate for the glazing orientation can reduce summer gain and still maintain useful sun penetration in winter. A shading device is most effective when it blocks the direct sunlight before it reaches the outside of the building. In this way the solar energy that is absorbed by the device will be converted to heat away from the building without heating it. The device may even shade some of the ground in front of the house, reducing the amount of sunlight reflected in through the windows.

Eaves

Eaves are only effective in blocking direct sunlight, do little to reduce diffuse radiation and are ineffective at blocking reflected radiation. However, it is the direct component of radiation that carries the most energy and contributes most to summer overheating. The judicious use of eaves can be a cost effective way of controlling unwanted solar gains.

Figure 7 Use of eaves to exclude the sun

Eaves are more effective above north facing windows than windows in other orientations. East and west facing windows need much wider eaves to achieve the same degree of shading as north facing windows and additional vertical devices may need to be considered on these elevations.

As the latitude of the location increases, the altitude of the sun decreases, so wider eaves are required to produce effective shading. Low latitude tropical locations will require wider eaves above south facing windows, because the sun spends more time in the southern part of the sky.


External Shading Devices other than Eaves

Some examples of common shading devices are illustrated below: Horizontal shading devices - are best used above north facing windows.

Figure 8 Shading devices for North facing windows

Vertical shading devices - are best used on westerly and easterly orientations where the sun is too low to be effectively blocked by a horizontal projection. Vertical devices will tend to obscure the view from the window if they are mounted directly in front. Vertical fins at the sides of the window will restrict the view to that side.

Figure 9 Shading devices for East and West facing windows

Retractable or Adjustable Shading - offers a better solution. If a building is designed with oversized north facing windows in order to enhance solar gain in winter then the summer performance will suffer. Using a shading device that can be closed to reduce solar gain through windows when overheating would otherwise occur can overcome this. The main problem with these devices is ensuring that they are adjusted correctly; otherwise both summer and winter performance can suffer.


Clerestory Windows and Skylights

Highlight, or clerestory windows, located with eaves of a reasonable width, can be used to allow daylight into rooms if required. A significant amount of heat can be lost through these highlight windows in winter, so well fitting curtains should be considered. Double glazing will reduce heat loss, and should be also considered as an option. North facing highlight windows may contribute to solar heat gain in winter but may produce glare. South facing glazing will admit light without producing glare in locations south of the tropics. Skylights are not easily shaded and so usually permit considerable solar gain that can make the room too hot in summer. Some inbuilt control to minimise this heat gain is desirable in warmer climates.

Figure 10 Highlight windows can enhance solar access

Skylights can be a source of heat loss in winter when the warm air inside the room rises to the glazing where heat is transferred to the outside. Units that are ventilated to avoid fogging may contribute to draughts. Double glazed units can reduce this heat transmission while avoiding condensation. Small tubular skylights such as Solatube present less of a potential problem. Often a reflective well is used to direct the sunlight downward. Diffusers should be fitted to these skylights to reduce glare.

Area and Orientation of Glazing

Whilst glazing is important for allowing light into a building for views and to provide a feeling of being connected to what is outside, it is a potential source of discomfort in both summer and winter. Conventional windows have the highest solar transmittance and the highest heat conductance of all window systems and building elements. Good building design needs to take advantage of the transmission of light through glass, while minimising heat loss in cold conditions and controlling heat gains during the summer months. Ensuring the area of glazing and the orientation of the glazing, is the most effective way of limiting too much heat gain or loss through windows. Shading of glazing using low U-Value and SHGC glazing and frame materials enable a larger area of glazing to be used and may be possible without impacting on the comfort inside the building or increasing the need to run a heater or air conditioner.


Interaction with Mass and Insulation

Houses with significant thermal mass are able to store much of the excess heat produced by solar radiation entering through windows and to release it later when room temperatures drop. Lightweight buildings tend to respond to solar gain by producing a more rapid rise in air temperature, which can quickly produce uncomfortably hot conditions. Consequently, heavyweight buildings are able to take advantage of larger window areas, which would cause overheating in lightweight structures. The use of low conductance windows is only warranted if the rest of the building is well insulated. Comfort conditions are easier to maintain when all the elements that make up the envelope of the building have similar thermal conductance, rather than having some very well insulated elements while others have poor resistance to heat flow.

Windows for Australian Climates

Window selection should be based on the climate of the location, the area and orientation of the glazing, the mass of the building, the insulation in the building and any shading either deliberate or due to trees or structures.

Conventional windows facing directions other than north will reduce the level of thermal comfort in buildings located anywhere within Australia. These windows include single and double glazed as well as tinted and reflective types. This loss of comfort increases as the area of non-north facing glass increases. In warmer climates even north facing windows contribute towards discomfort in summer, although not as much as windows in other orientations. In cold climates north facing glazing is valuable if the heat gain from solar radiation exceeds the heat losses through the glass. This means that standard single glazed windows will always produce a net loss. Low conductance windows such as sealed double glazing in PVC frames, or even double glazing incorporating low E surfaces, and perhaps low conductance gases, must be used before there will be a net thermal benefit from the solar gain through north facing glazing. In the milder climates experienced by most of Australia’s population, standard single glazing to the north will be beneficial in winter, although it may contribute to overheating in summer. The following sections present information on the performance of glazing in a range of climates. Performance is measured here in terms of heating and cooling energy required to maintain thermal comfort in a building.

Temperate Climate

The use of low conductance windows with a lower U-value with frames such as timber or uPVC instead of aluminium can reduce heating and air conditioning energy requirements by about 7%.

North facing windows may require a higher SHGC with a lower SHGC to the east and west facing

windows.

The use of double glazing in low conductance frames can reduce energy consumption by about 17%.

Significant areas of glazing in any orientation other than to the north decreases performance.


North window areas below 12 m² can decrease energy consumption of the standard building by up to 10%.

High mass houses are able to achieve greater gains in performance through the use of areas of

north facing glazing than lower mass buildings.

West facing glazing, and to a slightly lesser extent, east glazing, decreases thermal performance.

An eaves width between 450 mm and 900 mm will suffice above tall north windows. The performance of south windows is not affected by eaves width. Wide eaves should be used above east and west windows.

Fitting retractable external blinds or other adjustable shading devices to north facing windows

can enhance thermal performance, particularly if there is no other shading of the windows. Houses with adjustable shading devices fitted above 12 m² of north window area require about 20% less energy than if fixed eaves have been provided.

Coastal Sub Tropical Climate

With the exception of north windows in a high mass house, increasing the window size in any orientation reduces performance. Tinted and reflective glazing in non-north facing walls can reduce the impact of summer overheating.

The best summer performance is from north, and to a lesser extent, south facing windows, rather

than from windows facing east or west. Good cross ventilation, which is important for comfort, requires openings on opposite sides of the building, so it is better to have most of the glazing openable and facing in the north and south, rather than east and west.

Winter performance of non-north glazing is almost independent of glass area and eaves width.

This indicates that solar gains through these windows in winter are balanced by heat losses. Lower conductance clear windows can enhance performance.

South window performance deteriorates with an increase in glazing area.

The deterioration in performance due to increases in glazing areas in both east and west windows

is at a minimum when eaves are very large, as is effectively the case with a verandah.

Low mass buildings suffer the most loss of performance from an increase in window areas, particularly if the eaves are narrow.

Hot Climate

If there is no need for passive heating in winter, then any heat gain at other times can lead to overheating.

Window areas should be kept to the minimum required for day lighting and views.

External shading of all glazing by eaves, verandas, etc is necessary.

Slightly larger glazing areas can be considered if tinted or reflective glass is used.


Optional Quiz – Glazing

1. A window has a SHGC of 0.86. This is most likely to be…

a. Clear b. Double glazed c. Tinted or toned d. UV resistant

2. A window has a SHGC of 0.65. This is most likely to be…

a. Clear b. Double glazed c. Tinted or toned d. UV resistant

3. At what angle of incidence does the reflectance of glass start to dramatically increase?

a. 0° b. 30° c. 50° d. 90°

4. Select the most correct statement for temperate locations…

a. Horizontal shading devices work best above north facing windows. b. Horizontal shading devices work best above east and west facing windows. c. Eaves work best above East and West facing windows. d. Adjustable shading devices work best in front of south facing windows.

5. A window suitable for a cold climate requires…

a. High SHGC high U value b. Low SHGC high U value c. High SHGC low U value d. Low SHGC low U value

6. The most important property for a window in a hot climate…

a. High SHGC b. Low SHGC c. High U value d. Low U value


Acknowledgements Figure 1 Your Home Technical Manual - Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency

- Fourth Edition as amended - published 2010

Figure 2 Dr Holger Willrath - The Thermal Performance of Buildings - Short Course Notes









Table 1 Dr Holger Willrath - The Thermal Performance of Buildings - Short Course Notes


Congratulations… You have completed Glazing and earned two points towards your 12 annual CPD points required to renew your builder’s licence annually.

Ensure you file your tax receipt in a secure location so you can provide evidence of your CPD training if audited by the Office of Fair Trading (NSW). Your purchase of online courses from Pointsbuild is retained in a database for your convenience.

If you would like to complete one of our other courses similar to this one consider the following:

Building Energy Efficient Structures (2 CPD points each)

1 Introduction

2 Climate

3 Comfort

4 Thermal Mass

5 What is Thermal Performance

6 Ventilation

7 Orientation

8 Insulation

9 Glazing

10 Codes and Practice

For more information on all our CPD courses visit our website:


A Message from the Director

Pointsbuild Pty Ltd was established in 2007 and is proud to be a leader in providing online training to the building and construction industry throughout Australia. Building professionals including builders, sustainability assessors and architects, can obtain their Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses for the ongoing accreditation and licence renewal. Currently, Pointsbuild delivers over 1,000 online training courses per month.

Pointsbuild has established a credible reputation in delivering online courses and we are honoured to be associated with the following organisations in the building and construction industry.

What experience and expertise does Pointsbuild have?

Since its inception Pointsbuild has delivered over 25,000 training courses to builders, architects, certifiers, sustainability assessors and swimming pool builders in all states and territories of Australia and over 21 countries across the world.

Pointsbuild boasts the highest number of CPD Courses available to of any CPD providers and is the only approved CPD provider to the building and construction industry that offers courses in English, Korean, Arabic and Chinese (Cantonese).

Pointsbuild is the only provider whose courses are approved for builders (via various state

government programs), Building Sustainability Assessors (via ABSA), Architects (Via the AIA /refuel network), Certifiers (via the NSW Building Professionals Board).

In order to keep a building licence many building, planning and property professionals must

demonstrate that they have participated in continuing professional development (CPD) each year. CPD points are mandatory in NSW, ACT, Victoria and Tasmania and are actively encouraged in the other states.


This commitment to CPD is growing in significance, as an increasing number of builders recognise the benefits of adopting a more planned and structured approach to professional development. Not only is it important to keep up-to-date and know “The What” but also to know “The Why” and “The How”.

Pointsbuild specialises in company administration, legal, financial, energy efficiency, business

coaching, technical and work health and safety training for builders, building sustainability assessors and architects.

Pointsbuild CPD courses are recognised by the relevant regulating authority in NSW; (via the Office

of Fair Trading), Victoria (via the Victorian Building Authority) and Tasmania (via the Department for Workplace Standards).

Pointsbuild has strong relationships with several of the leading the peak industry organisations

and is viewed as a critical way for the construction industry professionals to gain continual learning.

The peak industry bodies include:

• The Australian Institute of Building (AIB); • The Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (AIQS); • The Masters Builders Association (MBA); • The Housing Industry Association (HIA); and • The Construction Industry Training Advisory Board (CITAB)

Builders in NSW, Victoria and Tasmania, require 12 CPD points annually to retain their building

licence. • Pointsbuild provide the following online education services to the building industry: • Continuing Professional Development (‘CPD’) Courses - endorsed, but not accredited

• Business Coaching – endorsed and accredited • Energy Efficiency Training Program - accredited Units of Competency • Certificate IV in Building & Construction CPC40110 (by RPL & TAA) • CPD Programs for Certifiers (by the NSW Building Professionals Board)

Pointsbuild is a growing company and in addition to its own experience, we are drawing on the experience of several other organisations to provide current and innovative training material for the building and construction industry.

Thank you for training with Pointsbuild Pty Ltd.

Michael Tomlinson

Managing Director


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