Pultrusion windows

The high structural strength of the polyurethane windows allowed architects to design a nearly continuous wall of windows the previous window structure can be viewed in the image on the left , to provide nearly unobstructed natural lighting.

Source: Graham Architectural Products. Echo-Logic Land Corp. The houses are fitted with argon-filled, triple-pane, low-emission windows. Source: Duxton Windows and Doors. Michael R. A statistical review and forecast produced by the American Architectural Manufacturers Assn. AAMA predicts strong growth for these components in the coming years. The report comes on the heels of a decade-long roller coaster ride with unprecedented ups and downs for manufacturers of windows, doors and other architectural elements.

In , the total number of all types of window units shipped in the U. The good news is that the window market appears to be on the rebound, with Of the Wood windows, including vinyl-clad and metal-clad wood 20 percent , and aluminum 6 percent were the second and third most-shipped windows.

Fiberglass window profiles and frames, by comparison, captured a little more than 3 percent of the total market share, at 1. However, annual shipments of fiberglass windows are forecast to more than double those recorded in , reaching 2. The growth in the use of pultruded fiberglass window components will be driven, in part, by new technology and an increasing demand in the market for windows that are capable of better performance.

Pultruded fiberglass windows offer greater dimensional stability, impact resistance, strength and color fastness than the vinyl and wood windows that still dominate the residential construction market. But the dramatically improved thermal performance of fiberglass windows is promising gains in once out-of-reach commercial building construction, where fiberglass windows are increasingly seen as an attractive and viable alternative to aluminum windows.

The low thermal conductivity of fiberglass permits the design of windows with U values the measure of thermal transmittance two to three times better than those of their aluminum counterparts. One trailblazer in this effort is Serious Energy Sunnyvale, Calif. A little more than two years ago, Serious Energy completed the replacement of steel and wood window frames with fiberglass frames in several buildings on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder, Colo.

At Woodbury Hall, eight large black-frame steel-and-aluminum windows were replaced, and the retrofit at the Bruce Curtis Building involved 84 beige-colored wood-framed windows see photos on opening page. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

The lineals used in the three buildings comprise approximately 60 percent E-glass rovings, polyester resin and other chemical additives.

Glass mat is used as reinforcement in corner and flange areas. Larson Engineering Chicago, Ill. This fact presented a challenge because fiberglass pultruded profiles, in general, have only 25 percent of the strength through the cross-section that they have in the axial orientation.

This makes fiberglass profiles more prone to deflection over long spans than aluminum or steel. The steel reinforcements were designed to be as thin as possible to minimize thermal transfer. The fiberglass replacement windows damped sound better than the aluminum originals in all cases, and in the Bruce Curtis Building, where humidity must be kept relatively high above 40 percent to preserve the museum artifacts, the improved thermal performance of the fiberglass windows eliminated condensation that had formed on the aluminum frames.

Notably, color matching was not an issue. The global leader in consumer insights surveyed 2, customers in three performance areas who purchased windows or patio doors within the previous 12 months. The study was fielded January — May For more information about the J.

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