PPG enhances environmental performance of solar decathlon house
Environmentally responsible glass and paint add to energy efficiency
PITTSBURGH, Dec. 6, 2007 – Carnegie Mellon University’s entry in the 2007 Solar Decathlon featured the latest in solar power technology, but that was not the project’s only environmental highlight.
Students also enhanced the environmental profile of their home by using low-emissivity, solar-control glass from PPG and environmentally responsible paints and stains from
Pittsburgh Paints.
Windows made with
Solarban 70XL glass by PPG not only gave the home a bright, sunlit interior, they also helped reduce the cooling load on the sun-powered air conditioning system. Engineered with a proprietary coating,
Solarban 70XL glass represents the highest-performing solar-control residential glass. It blocks more than 70 percent of the sun’s heat energy while transmitting 64 percent of its natural light. That improved the eco-effectiveness of Carnegie Mellon’s home in two ways: first, by reducing the amount of energy needed to cool the home, and second, by limiting its reliance on artificial lighting.
The home also featured environmentally advanced paints and stains. Interior walls were coated with
Pure Performance paint from
Pittsburgh Paints, which emits zero volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It was the first high-quality interior latex paint to receive Class A certification from
Green Seal, a rigorous standard-setting organization for environmentally responsible products.
The
Green Seal certification means that, in addition to eliminating VOCs,
Pure Performance paint meets strict environmental requirements for energy use, chemical composition, package design and other life-cycle considerations. It also complies with painter-friendly performance criteria for scrubbability, hiding power and washability.
Outside the home, low-VOC
Sun-Proof exterior stains and sealers from
Pittsburgh Paints were used to finish its distinctive wood deck and siding.
The Solar Decathlon, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, is a biennial event that joins 20 college and university teams in a competition to design, build and operate the most attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered house. The 2007 event took place Oct. 12-20 on the National Mall.
For more information about
Solarban 70XL glass, visit
www.ppgglass.com, or for more information about environmentally friendly paints and stains from
Pittsburgh Paints, visit
www.pittsburghpaints.com.
About PPGPittsburgh-based PPG is a global supplier of paints, coatings, chemicals, optical products, specialty materials, glass and fiber glass. The company employs more than 34,000 people and has 125 manufacturing facilities and equity affiliates in more than 25 countries. PPG shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol: PPG). For more information, visit
www.ppg.com.
Pittsburgh, Pure Performance, Solarban and Sun-Proof are trademarks of PPG Industries.
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Contact:Robert J. Struble
PPG Performance Glazings
412-820-8138
rstruble@ppg.comwww.ppgglass.com