With today’s emphasis on “green” and the high cost of heating fuels, windows represent an important factor in building construction. From the “top floor, corner office,” to the popular Apple store on Fifth Avenue in New York, to the proposed 3-story all-glass lobby for a Boston office building, we all love to have ample outdoor light shining in — but be properly protected from the elements. The following are some recent innovations when it comes to windows.

Going Green with Low E
Low emissivity (E factor) is a major design consideration for both residential and commercial window specifications. Low-E coatings applied to glass let in the natural light while blocking the sun’s heat — thereby cutting cooling costs. Reflective color is even an option. Also, if the glass is damaged in shipping or on the site, there’s no need to ship it back to the manufacturer. We can now apply the portable field-friendly G Force scratch removal system.

Dealing with Condensation
We’ve all experienced the aggravation of condensation between the sheets of float glass, such as on sliders on our sun porch. A new technology using a flexible warm edge system for sealing the edge between the two sheets of float glass reduces both the condensation and the heat loss.

High-Tech Strength
What other features can we specify for windows? In my small town, we had a pickup truck drive right through the glass front window of our local branch bank in broad daylight and rob the ATM. The glass window and the door have been replaced with impact resistant, shatterproof, fire-rated, bulletproof glass with a high-tech police alarm system. They have also added a surveillance system. The robbers were captured. To prevent this type of robbery today:

• Installed cost for bullet-resistant door & frame: $5,100 to $6,600

Cost Comparison of Windows
If we want to get technical, we can talk about “translucent wall and roof assemblies.” This includes everything from a sky-roof, to a visitor cubicle window in a detention center. An interesting comparison of window cost is aluminum windows compared to vinyl-clad and vinyl windows.

The installed cost for:

• Sliding aluminum windows, 3' x 5' opening, insulating glass: $505 ea.

The installed cost for:

• Double-hung vinyl-clad windows, 3' x 5' insulating glass: $395 ea.
• Double-hung vinyl windows, the same size: $260 ea.

When estimating the cost of these windows, be sure to add the cost of material and installation for the interior trim.

A Word about Recycling….
Over 6.6 million domestic windows are replaced each year. In light of this, new guidelines have emerged regarding making the recycling of flat glass easier. Melting down and recycling this glass results in considerable savings in raw materials as well as contributing to our “green” environment. Along with the replacement of these windows, the aluminum frames can be recycled. (The wood frames from vinyl-clad windows are products of sustainable forests, too.)

Member Comments