Undercroft Windows

Windows were replaced in the undercroft last week. The old windows with colored glass have given way to windows with clear glass panes that, according to an announcement, “have a slight tint and are low-E.” The tint must be very slight indeed, as the glass looks perfectly clear. I had to look up low-E glass, which I had never heard of and still do not completely understand. Apparently, low-E glass has better insulating properties than regular glass and filters out some UV rays. (For more information, this Web page may help.)

The windows are certainly more attractive than the old ones and provide more light during the day. One can quibble about the view through the glass and the fact that more light is not always a good thing. A slide show at an Adult Forum will certainly not benefit from more light in the room. And, of course, the shape of the undercroft windows does not facilitate the use of any straightforward shade. I don’t know if there is any plan for how to deal with this occasional need.

Some windows no longer open; others do. I assume that there is some reason for this, but I don’t know what it might be. Anyway, shown below is a window that opens and one that does not. Make of it what you will. Click on an image for a bigger view.

Window that opens

And one that doesn’t