Why do buildings have green windows?
By casita
@casita (237)
United States
June 20, 2007 6:04am CST
There are a few schools in my area that have recently put in new windows and they are all green. Why is that? Does the green have UV protection or something? Are they energy efficient? They really look depressing.
1 response
@w1z111 (985)
• United States
20 Jun 07
Your topic piqued my interest, so I did a little research...mostly to find out if there's something "new & exciting" regarding green tinted windows. Although there's not really much that jumps out as 'new & exciting', it appears the green tints (and blues) do have some benefits. According to http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/windows_doors_skylights/index.cfm/mytopic=13410 (sorry for the long link!), these tint colors reduce some solar heat-gain (though not as much as some other colors), but allow more "visible light" than some other tint colors (bronze, etc.).
It would appear that the architects and engineers who designed the building(s) were attempting to keep the 'visible light' to a maximum, while still getting some benefit of reduced heat-gain.
Hope this helps!
@w1z111 (985)
• United States
20 Jun 07
You're welcome...don't know if it answers your question about the 'depression' though. That's another story, and you're right about colors having an effect on humans...in many ways! I once wrote a paper for college English class entitled "Color Psychology", and I recall researching the various things people feel from different colors. For example, red colors tend to "excite" and "warm" people; blues and greens are supposed to "calm" and "cool" people; yellows are "sunny" and "cheerful"...etc. There's a lot to it, and more can be learned here: http://www.infoplease.com/spot/colors1.html (interestingly, this site tells that green color can actually relax people as well as help to improve vision!).
Good topic!
