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AUGUST 2017 | 35 PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY CASCADIA WINDOWS & DOORS Residential Windows Today's top window designs maximize eciency without sacrificing style by STACEY MCLACHLAN T he trend towards modernist design means windows are more than just a func- tional feature – they're the star of the show. And with an incredible array of customization options, increased efficiency and cutting-edge materials avail- able on the market today, these residential window designs are more than deserving of all the attention. "Homeowners continue to want their views enhanced as much as possible and their homes brighter with natural light," says Mike Harrison, architectural repre- sentative, Western Canada for Starline Windows. The more expansive the glass surface, the better, agrees Florian Speier, head of product development for Zola Windows. "The trend to more modern glass assemblies is definitely accelerating. Consumers are looking less for divided lines and windows broken up into small panes, but instead enjoy the large, open feeling and uninter- rupted expanses that glass can provide." He points to the increasingly popular usage of eight-foot and 10-foot high pieces of glass for both fixed and sliding door panels. All the top industry players are increasing their sizing options to accommodate this demand. Milgard's moving glass wall systems are now available in custom sizes for retrofit and replacement patio doors, for example. "These large glass panels offer sweeping outdoor views, flooding the room with natural light and fresh air," explains Karen Bills, regional marketing manager for Milgard Windows & Doors. "It's about bringing the outdoors in right now." These sleek and modern moving glass wall panels are available in stacking, pocket or bi-fold styles and in a variety of designer colours to suit all tastes. Westeck Windows's GrandView MultiSlide sliding door line, meanwhile, is con- structed of a paintable PVC product, designed with large openings in mind. "These products offer a chance to connect with nature and enjoy true indoor/outdoor liv- ing," says Darwin Ortis, sales director for Westeck Windows. That being said, increasingly stringent energy requirements are reducing the ratio of vision glass to opaque wall areas. "It's creating challenges for architects and the window industry to satisfy these two key factors desired by homeowners and buyers," says Harrison. E F F I C I E N T A N D E F F E C T I V E For those high-performance projects, large panes of glass are the products of choice to achieve required value, says Jim Lebedovich, GM for Phoenix Glass, while sources at Rutland Glass report an increase of aluminum frames for commercial projects. But for both residential and commercial work, the trend is energy efficiency all the way. Afterall, homeowners and developers always want to be saving money, though that's a lot more difficult on a larger scale. It's likely why Passive House construction is more popular than ever, says Michael Bousfield, technical director and operations manager for Cascadia Windows & Doors, and why energy efficient windows are at the top of many construction wish lists. Luckily, keeping both energy consumption and costs down has never been easier."There have been so many advancements in energy efficiency for windows," says Lebedovich. "Triple glazing, multiple layers of Low-E surfaces, increased ther- mal breaks in the extrusions, and U-Value requirements continue to keep lowering." As performance requirements reach an all-time high, the window and glass indus- try continues to step up to the plate, pushing the capacity of R&D departments to the limit. "Architects and designers demand more glass and larger windows, but don't want to sacrifice thermal performance or structural integrity," says Ortis. Though consumers are drawn to the beauty of expansive windows, ultimately, comfort is a key consideration. "Homeowners want a quieter home and energy efficiency," explains Bills. Increasingly, they're choosing products like Milgard's 4th Surface glass, which is a double-pane design that performs like a triple-pane, offering more light transmittance and less reflectance than triple glazing. Low-E coatings (like Milgard's SunCoat and SunCoatMax) also are popular for improving efficiency, using a solar control coating for a better thermal performance. Starline Windows redesigned its flush-glazed 9100 Series Window Wall – now called the 9100-R – with a larger, 32-millimetre wide polyamide thermal break and a smaller sealed unit airspace. "These changes contribute to making it a more energy efficient window wall option for customers," says Harrison. But efficiency can some- times still come at a cost. "Glass suppliers like Guardian and Vitro continue to offer higher efficiency Low-E coatings in the marketplace, but those do carry a premium and not all projects can justify the increased cost if not factored in ahead of pre- sales," Harrison notes. His company, Starline, is constantly exploring new design options and materials to try to stay ahead of the curve. S E A L T H E D E A L It's not just glass technology that has advanced over the last few years. "New and further advanced spacers – these are the strips at the edge of the glass between the panes – have become available this year, and they promise both increased durabil- ity as well as better insulation," says Speier. For the consumer, this means less or no more condensation at the glass edges. "Especially in the dry areas of the Rocky Mountains this means consumers can set their humidifier to a healthier, higher humidity setting without excess condensation," he explains. Rehau Construction's new Aspekt windows feature fusion welded corners, integral water drainage and triple-seal technology – all which reduce leakage potential by a fac- tor of 10 and increase energy performance by 45 percent. The company's Geneo Tilt- Turn windows are built with a six-chambered frame to surpass the U.S. Department of Energy standards. Both styles are designed not just to meet regulatory require- ments, but to meet increasing consumer demand for efficient products. "Generally, end customers and homeowners are getting more educated when it comes to energy and sound efficiency," says Corrie Neukirchner, marketing manager at Rehau Construction. Room With A View

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