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AUGUST 2016 | 47 Residential Windows Residential windows benefit from high-performance materials and smart new designs by STACEY MCLACHLAN "A rchitects are looking for window systems that meet code, perform well and look good – in that order," says Ryan Lund, president of Rutland Glass. "They're constantly looking to energy efficiency and want to keep it cost-effective and affordable." Well, good news, because innovative windows designed with energy-efficiency in mind are rocking the market right now, allowing on-trend looks and performance to go hand-in-hand. Blending indoor and outdoor living spaces continues to be a common concept in today's modern residential builds. "Allowing indoor living to expand and blend to outdoor space is becoming very popular in urban applications in an effort to opti- mize space and feel," says Darwin Ortis, sales director for Westeck Windows and Doors. The trick is to offer windows that let the outdoors in visually, without sacri- ficing energy performance or structural integrity. In higher end homes, that might mean multi-floor curtainwall spans, sliding doors or bifolds that disappear into walls, whatever it takes to get a tight sightline. "If they're paying that pretty penny per square foot, they want the most glass, and for it to be esthetically pleasing," adds Lund. "What we're seeing right now is maximizing glass and thin profiles," notes Chad Martinez, product manager for Milgard Windows & Doors. "It's a look that's been big for the last few years, and it's not going anywhere." Aluminum is a great material for minimizing the frame that's particularly popular with architects. "Window man- ufacturers have been making big windows for years, so all that's happening year after year is people are trying to take material out of the window," says Martinez. Michael Bousfield, operations manager and technical director for Cascadia Windows, has been seeing black frames pop up everywhere, in styles that are thin as possible to maximize sightlines. But unfortunately, the thinner the frame, the weaker and lower performance they become. "The co-existing desire is to have bet- ter performance and to be stronger is an interesting challenge," says Bousfield. "We're seeing an increased interest in more modern, clean lines in product design with more demand for larger windows," agrees Michele Funk, director at EuroLine Windows. But though homeowners don't want to sacrifice performance in the name of style, often, architects have to compromise. "With occupants want- ing as much vision glass as possible while energy considerations drive the need for more spandrel or soft wall areas, architects and developers are having to find the ideal balance that also makes the project feasible in terms of construction costs," says Mike Harrison, architectural representative for Starline Windows. Too often, glass and frameless design trends can stumble on energy require- ments, so architects and designers continue to push engineers to develop larger doors that still perform well. "Both modern and contemporary design call for large glass surfaces, minimal frame lines and floor-to-ceiling glazing," says Ortis. "But as provincial and federal energy requirements increase, so must the performance and energy values of products produced." Commercial spaces are similar in requirements. Driven by lower U-values to meet energy models, residential or commercial projects are both leaning towards the same trend of natural light and energy efficiency. When it comes to windows, says Jim Lebedovich, general manager of Phoenix Glass, "glass is good, and metal is bad." Glass adds to your thermal and U-value, while metal takes away, so in order to see higher performance, projects are utilizing larger lites of glass with fewer mullions. Westeck's GrandView multi-slide door, for example, spans over entire sections of the wall to provide large glass surfaces and minimal material sightlines; the panels slide right into a structural pocket to create a large opening. Vinyl is the material of choice for these oversized designs, notes Ortis. "Vinyl provides the thermal perfor- mance and the engineering capacity to manufacture these large units," he explains. "Combine that technological capacity with the 26 colour options for exterior and interior surfaces, and you have a key component to any feature room." "High-performance windows and doors are a critical component of energy effi- cient and sustainable practices including Passive House, LEED and Net Zero build- ing," says Funk. The company's double-glaze option (with two coatings of LoE) makes it possible to meet the City of Vancouver's new stringent energy-efficiency requirements – and the consumer interest in sustainable homes – without going to a heavier triple-glazed window. "This results in higher energy efficiency, better-cost efficiency and easier installation due to a lighter unit compared to triple-glazed." "Commercially, we're seeing a lot of triple-glazed products up in Northern B.C.," says Lund. For places seeing frequent inclement weather, windows with increased thermal insulation are essential for any project. And with the addition of an inner- surface Low-E coating, a triple-glazed unit can have maximum impact. And what about the colour? Ortis notes that consumer demand for paint and colour options is at an all-time industry high. "Simply put, a white vinyl window no longer achieves the esthetics to separate your home from your neighbours," he explains. Homeowners want curb appeal and a distinctive look that will allow them to stand out. That being said, though bold hardware was hot last year, the trend is beginning to fade. "Now, there's a lot being said with very little," says Martinez. Along with sim- pler design features, metallic colour finishes are a must-have look too. Even weather- resistant acrylic frames feature new foil finish options like brushed metal and metallic powder-coat looks. "These contemporary new hues complement our exist- ing array of finishes to give our customers the widest choice possible," says Funk. When it comes to motorized window coverings, they are more accessible than ever, both in terms of pricing and residential function. Sun Glow Window Covering Products of Canada has introduced a rechargeable motor hidden in the tube of the blind that lasts up to five months on a single charge. "You can plug it in like an iPhone or purchase a solar panel to keep it charged," explains Vivian Kanargelidis, presi- dent and CEO of Sun Glow Window Covering. It makes automaton affordable for any- one. These automated blinds can be operated by smart phone or remote; choose a single channel or multi-channel option to control individual blinds, groups of blinds or entire rooms in the combo of your choice. And there are new strides in terms of materials for high-tech window treat- ments. Trevira is an inherently fire-retardant material that's not chemically treated, making for a safe window covering option. "It's been very popular for condos," says Kanargelidis. "They look great in floor-to-ceiling windows." The Interlude line is a blind with two layers of striped fabric that can be adjusted to be partially sheer or solid. Glass Act Motorized window blinds from Sun Glow Window Covering Products of Canada.

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