Do the window walls make it cold in winter?

That is a great question. Windows are typically the least well insulated part of a home, so yes, they can feel a bit colder, but less so with triple pane and other high performance windows.  Windows on the north, east and west windows virtually always lead to higher energy consumption due to additional heating and/ or cooling costs, but south facing windows in cold climates can actually provide more heat than they lose. Is your window wall facing south? Great if it is, you can pick up a lot of free heat that way. Here is the first place I think you should start, our page on passive heating and cooling -

All about passive solar home design

The impact on windows in your home goes beyond energy efficiency as it impacts human comfort. The interior glazed surface of double pane windows are cooler than triple pane windows in winter and hotter in the summer, so there is a noticeable on your body temperature not just from the air temperature in the home, but also the exchange of heat radiating between the windows and your body. Read more here – 

How to design a home for thermal comfort

For cold climates we always recommend triple-pane windows rather than double-pane as the added cost will be recouped by energy savings, but quality of life is arguably more important. You effectively have more room in your home if you have high quality windows as you can get closer to them comfortably in winter and summer, not to mention that they also reduce sound transmission. You may also want to look into suspended film windows for better efficiency and comfort as well.  Look over those links and if you have more questions let us know were always happy to help!

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