An opening made in a wall for the purpose

of providing day light, vision and ventilation.

Similar to door, a window has a frame and one

or more shutters.

The frame consists of two vertical members

called jambs.

Raghu.T , Faculty of civil Dept, DSCE

The flat member connecting the jambs at

the top

is known as head & the one at the bottom of jambs

are known as sill.

The shutters are normally fitted with glass or similar

transparent material, which may be fully or partially
glazed, paneled.

Raghu.T Faculty of DSCE

 For

public buildings like schools, offices, factories,

hospitals etc. the minimum area of windows should

be 20% of the floor area.

In

order to get good natural light, the total area of

glass panes in windows should be at least 8% of

the floor area.

Following are the main points to be considered

in the design of windows.
Size

& number of windows should be sufficient to

provides adequate light & ventilation in the room.

Windows

should be located opposite to each other

as much as possible.
Windows

day light.

towards North side provides maximum

 Window

sill should be placed at 75 to 100cm above

the floor level.

In

bath & W.C., and the other situations where

privacy is desired, windows sill should be kept at

1.75m above the floor level.
The

top of windows & doors should be at the same

height.
The

shutter of windows in external walls should

open outside, which prevents the entry of rain

water inside the room.

Depending on the following windows are

classified in to different types,

Type of material used

Nature of operational movement of shutters.

Location & the manner in which they are fixed.

Windows are broadly classified as:

Paneled windows
Glazed windows.
Bat windows.
Dormer windows.
Louvered & corner windows.

The window shutter consists of two vertical styles,

top rail and a bottom rail.

The panel space b/w styles & rails is suitably

divided by small timber members or bars placed
both horizontally & vertically or only in one
direction.

These bars divide the total panel space of window

shutter in to panels of small size.

Glass panes are fixed in these spaces.

The construction processes is similar to the

glazed windows.

The panel space can be divided in to number of

panels.

In this type of windows the styles of shutters are

grooved to receive a series of louvers which may
be of glass or wood.

The louvers are placed in inclined position normally

45 slope downwards to the outside in order to run
off the rain water.

Louvers obstruct the horizontal vision and

provides privacy.

This type of windows provides ventilation &

light even when they are closed.

The maintenance is difficult, as the dust gets

easily deposited on the louvers.

 As

the name says this type of windows are

essentially located in the corner of a room.

This

type of windows provides light & ventilation

from two directions at right angles.

It

also serves architectural feature for improvement

of elevation of building.

It is a vertical window built in the sloping side of a

pitched roof.

This window is provided to achieve proper

ventilation & lighting of the enclosed space below
the roof.

It also serves architectural feature to the building.

It is a narrow window of small height

provided near roof of a room for providing
additional ventilation to the room.