Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1408886
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 1 | 23 Curtain Wall & Window Wall P H OTO G R A P H Y CO U RT E SY L I T EZO N E G L A SS Aynsley Dueck, marketing manager, says that the impacts from the BC Energy Step Code are starting to be felt in other provinces and as a result of that and more aggressive energy targets they are seeing increasing interest in Passive House and window wall systems that can meet those requirements. As fibreglass doesn't conduct like a metallic frame it performs better thermally, putting Duxton's products one step ahead. Other changes she is seeing include a greater understanding of what is and what isn't combustible. "They've started to loosen the controls around non-combustible buildings, so we've been able to put in what was previously classified a combustible product into a big strip window that spans up the side of a building. We broke it up with non combustible breaks, but the code still required aluminum at the slab. Going forward I expect there will be a reclas- sification of the code in that regard," says Dueck. Looking ahead, she is excited about the innovations currently on the market that are gaining more traction. One company that is gaining worldwide recogni- tion is LiteZone Glass based out of Edmonton, which manufactures LiteZone, a next generation, award-winning, ultra energy efficient insulating glass unit that has a minimum 60-year lifespan and an R-17.2 (centre of glass) on its 4.38- inch thick L0679 product group. "LiteZone has been designed with two goals in mind: the first was to allow it to achieve previously unheard of insulating values; and the second was to have an insulating glass unit that would have an extremely long life. It doesn't do you much good if you have an innovative product if you have to replace it every 15 years," says Greg Clarahan, president and CEO, LiteZone Glass Inc. Clarahan says the LiteZone L0679 glass units can surpass any R-value product currently available in the world. He explains that Europe is currently looking at quad-pane, which comes with its challenges as it is heavy, has a short life expectancy as it is under stress, and leaks inert gas. LiteZone in comparison uses a thicker assembly to achieve better insulating values (which also includes the edge of glass and the frame), is lightweight (weighing less than triple pane), does not rely on entrapping an inert gas, and has a patented technology to allow for pressure equalization, while preventing moisture from entering the unit, which ensures its long life. "The weak link in achieving sustainable, energy efficient buildings has always been the window system," Clarahan explains. "With our technology, designers can use large expanses of glass while achieving a highly energy efficient and comfortable building that satisfies increasingly stringent building energy codes. We have embraced a new paradigm in how to improve the insulat- ing value of glass units working in harmony with the laws of physics. If you want to improve the insulating value of any assembly, you need to make it thicker to accommodate more insulative materials. We do it everywhere else; why does the window industry get a pass?" Expect to see an R-22 system from LiteZone in the not-to-distant future! A LiteZone L0679 glass unit. 11:57 AM