Skip to content

WINDOW

WINDOW defines a subobject belonging to the current SURFACE that represents one or more identical windows. The azimuth, tilt, and exterior conditions of the window are the same as those of the surface to which it belongs. The total window area (wnHt \(\cdot\) wnWid \(\cdot\) wnMult) is deducted from the gross surface area. A surface may have any number of windows.

Windows may optionally have operable interior shading that reduces the overall shading coefficient when closed.

wnName

Name of window: follows the word "WINDOW" if given.

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
63 characters none No constant

wnHeight

Type: float

Overall height of window (including frame).

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
ft x \(>\) 0 none Yes constant

wnWidth

Type: float

Overall width of window (including frame).

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
ft x \(>\) 0 none Yes constant

wnArea

Type: float

Overall area of window (including frame).

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
ft2 x \(>\) 0 wnHeight * wnWidth No constant

wnMult

Type: float

Area multiplier; can be used to represent multiple identical windows.

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
x \(>\) 0 1 No constant

wnModel

Type: choice

Selects window model

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
SHGC, ASHWAT SHGC No constant

wnGt

Type: choice

GLAZETYPE for window. Provides many defaults for window properties as cited below.

wnU

Type: float

Window conductance (U-factor without surface films, therefore not actually a U-factor but a C-factor).

Preferred Approach: To use accurately with standard winter rated U-factor from ASHRAE or NFRC enter as:

    wnU = (1/((1/U-factor)-0.85)

Where 0.85 is the sum of the interior (0.68) and exterior (0.17) design air film resistances assumed for rating window U-factors. Enter wnInH (usually 1.5=1/0.68) instead of letting it default. Enter the wnExH or let it default. It is important to use this approach if the input includes gnFrad for any gain term. Using approach 2 below will result in an inappropriate internal gain split at the window.

Approach 2. Enter wnU=U-factor and let the wnInH and wnExH default. Tnormally this approach systematically underestimates the window U-factor because it adds the wnExfilm resistance to 1/U-factor thereby double counting the exterior film resistance. This approach will also yield incorrect results for gnFrad internal gain since the high wnInH will put almost all the gain back in the space.

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
Btuh/ft2-oF x \(>\) 0 none Yes constant

wnUNFRC

Type: float

Fenestration system (including frame) U-factor evaluated at NFRC heating conditions.

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
Btuh/ft2-oF x \(>\) 0 gtUNFRC Required when wnModel = ASHWAT constant

wnExEpsLW

Type: float

Window exterior long wave (thermal) emittance.

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
0 \(\le\) x \(\le\) 1 0.84 No constant

wnInEpsLW

Type: float

Window interior long wave (thermal) emittance.

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
0 \(\le\) x \(\le\) 1 0.84 No constant

wnInH

Type: float

Window interior surface (air film) conductance.

Preferred Approach: Enter the appropriate value for each window, normally:

    wnInH = 1.5

    where 1.5 = 1/0.68 the standard ASHRAE value.

The large default value of 10,000 represents a near-0 resistance, for the convenience of those who wish to include the interior surface film in wnU according to approach 2 above.

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
Btuh/ft2-oF x \(>\) 0 10000 No constant

wnExH

Type: float

Window exterior surface (air film) conductance.

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
Btuh/ft2-oF x \(>\) 0 same as owning surface No constant

Several models are available for calculating inside and outside surface convective coefficients. Inside surface faces can be exposed only to zone conditions. Outside faces may be exposed either to ambient conditions or zone conditions, based on wnExCnd. Only UNIFIED and INPUT are typically used. The other models were used during CSE development for comparison. For details, see CSE Engineering Documentation.

Model Exposed to ambient Exposed to zone
UNIFIED default CSE model default CSE model
INPUT hc = wnExHcMult hc = wnxxHcMult
AKBARI Akbari model n/a
WALTON Walton model n/a
WINKELMANN Winkelmann model n/a
MILLS n/a Mills model
ASHRAE n/a ASHRAE handbook values

wnExHcModel

Type: choice

Selects the model used for exterior surface convection when wnModel = Forward_Difference.

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
choices above UNIFIED No constant

wnExHcLChar

Type: float

Characteristic length of surface, used in derivation of forced exterior convection coefficients in some models when outside face is exposed to ambient (i.e. to wind).

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
ft x \(>\) 0 10 No constant

wnExHcMult

Type: float

Exterior convection coefficient adjustment factor. When wnExHcModel=INPUT, hc=wnExHcMult. For other wnExHcModel choices, the model-derived hc is multiplied by wnExHcMult.

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
x \(\ge\) 0 1 No subhourly

wnInHcModel

Type: choice

Selects the model used for the inside (zone) surface convection when wnModel = Forward_Difference.

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
choices above (see wnExHcModel) UNIFIED No constant

wnInHcMult

Type: float

Interior convection coefficient adjustment factor. When wnInHcModel=INPUT, hc=wnInHcMult. For other wnInHcModel choices, the model-derived hc is multiplied by wnInHcMult.

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
x \(\ge\) 0 1 No subhourly

wnSHGC

Type: float

Rated Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) for the window assembly.

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
fraction 0 < x < 1 gtSHGC No constant

wnFMult

Type: float

Frame area multiplier = areaGlaze / areaAssembly

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
fraction 0 < x < 1 gtFMult or 1 No constant

wnSMSO

Type: float

SHGC multiplier with shades open. Overrides gtSMSO.

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
fraction 0 \(\leq\) x \(\leq\) 1 gtSMSO or 1 No Monthly - Hourly

wnSMSC

Type: float

SHGC multiplier with shades closed. Overrides gtSMSC

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
fraction 0 \(\leq\) x \(\leq\) 1 wnSMSO or gtSMSC No Monthly - Hourly

wnNGlz

Type: int

Number of glazings in the window (bare glass only, not including any interior or exterior shades).

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
0 \(<\) x \(\leq\) 4 gtNGLZ Required when wnModel = ASHWAT constant

wnExShd

Type: choice

Exterior shading type (ASHWAT only).

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
NONE, INSCRN gtExShd No constant

wnInShd

Type: choice

Interior shade type (ASHWAT only).

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
NONE, DRAPEMED gtInShd No constant

wnDirtLoss

Type: float

Glazing dirt loss factor.

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
fraction 0 \(\leq\) x \(\leq\) 1 none No constant

wnGrndRefl

Type: float

Ground reflectivity for this window.

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
fraction 0 \(\leq\) x \(\leq\) 1 sfGrndRefl No Monthly - Hourly

wnVfSkyDf

Type: float

View factor from this window to sky for diffuse radiation. For the shading effects of an overhang, a wnVfSkyDf value smaller than the default would be used

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
fraction 0 \(\leq\) x \(\leq\) 1 0.5 - 0.5 cos(tilt) = .5 for vertical surface No Monthly - Hourly

wnVfGrndDf

Type: float

View factor from this window to ground for diffuse radiation. For the shading effects of a fin(s), both wnVfSkyDf and wnVfGrndDf would be used.

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
fraction 0 \(\leq\) x \(\leq\) 1 0.5 + 0.5 .5 for vertical surface No Monthly - Hourly

endWINDOW

Optionally indicates the end of the window definition. Alternatively, the end of the window definition can be indicated by END or the declaration of another object. END or endWindow, if used, should follow any subobjects of the window (SHADEs and/or SGDISTs).

Units Legal Range Default Required Variability
none No constant

Related Probes: