Other than LEED® credits related to natural ventilation, what are the benefits of operable windows?
Many operable window units are designed so that maintenance personnel can clean the outside glass surface from the interior. These include: • side-hinged, in-swing windows; • vertically pivoted windows; • top-hinged, in-swing windows; • and tilt-sash, double-hung windows. Ease of maintenance not only improves building appearance and staff safety, but also represents a life cycle cost savings. In hospitals, where evacuation may be slow and cumbersome, operable windows are primarily intended for emergency ventilation use in the case of fire. They also avoid the need to “break out” exterior glazing in the case of fire, for firefighter access or rescue. If of sufficient size, operable windows can be used to shorten egress pathways in schools and residential occupancies. In addition, nasty spills or smells may need to be quickly “aired out,” a power failure or equipment failure may temporarily disable fans, or a breath of fresh air on a pleasant day may simply be “just what the doctor order
