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Window Shopping

Outdoor Feel, Energy-Efficiency Top the List

And in California, windows have taken on even greater importance as builders rethink which window products to use in order to comply with the state's new, tougher energy-efficiency standards that go into full effect on January 1.

That's partly because while the windows in today's new homes are more unique and artistic than ever, there are also more of them. The U.S. Department of Energy says that the percentage of glass area in a typical house has increased by 25 percent in the past 20 years.

"Nobody wants a room that's dark," said Joe Digrado, senior associate with Danielian Associates Architecture and Planning in Irvine. "Builders understand people want light."

The Window & Door Manufacturers Association echoes that sentiment.

"Growing evidence suggests that daylight is essential to health, well being and productivity. By carefully designing window specifications for commercial or residential buildings, architects can contribute to increased productivity and psychological health," said architect Gregory Franta, on behalf of the association.

Digrado said interesting shapes, styles, and functions are popular.

"We like to do a lot of arch-type windows," he said. "And today you see a lot more things like French doors that open up onto a patio or a front entry courtyard. Windows have become a really important part of the design process."

The association says the industry is moving toward nostalgia. Designers are looking to leave their mark on homes with true divided lights, transoms, solid wood double doors, architectural arched, round, and bay windows. The trend today is interesting shapes, rather than size.

Manufacturers are creating more windows that are mulled together prior to shipment, or mulled in the field, as homebuyers and homeowners seek individual design elements.

"Customers simply want more windows, and walls of glass - creating a term now known as windowscaping. Used in combination, standard windows can create that look, at less expense and without increasing the order lead time for such products," the association said in a Web site article.

What else is popular? Rectangular transoms over patio doors, awning windows under casements, and placing windows on opposite walls has evolved into positioning windows into corners to create a more vast glass expanse.

Scott Ramsey, a marketing specialist for Milgard Windows, said vinyl frames are increasingly popular. The WDMA says that in 1991 vinyl represented just 25 percent of window frames and wood was used in 48 percent of frames; by 1998 vinyl surpassed wood.

Digrado added that vinyl windows are low-maintenance, and come in many colors and low-emissivity glass.

Meanwhile, openness and natural light are very popular among homeowners, according to Ramsey.

"Large windows and large window systems are also very much in style. Whether facing the ocean, a meadow, or the kids' swingset in the back yard, bigger views are lighting up rooms with soft, natural light," Ramsey said.

Sarah Meek, manager of residential marketing for Andersen Windows, agrees.

"The biggest trend that is unique to California relates to outdoor living," Meek said.

A lot of courtyards are incorporating French doors and doors are replacing walls, she said. Openness through the use of French doors and windows is often coupled with features like outdoor fireplaces and fountains.

"It's really a matter of brining the outdoors in," Meek said. We're seeing a combination of operating and stationary doors, sometimes around three sides of a courtyard."

And while the market for windows for new homes still outweighs the demand for retrofit windows, the replacement market segment is growing and narrowing the gap as homeowners replace their windows because of high energy costs, excessive sound penetration, condensation between window panes, or worn and outdated windows.

As larger windows gain prominence, new products are being developed to meet safety considerations. One company, KeepSafe, uses a polyvinyl butyral (PVB) plastic and bonds it between two pieces of glass, similar to the glass used for automobile windshields. The plastic provides sound protection, ultraviolet defense and safety, and can resist wayward baseballs, Ramsey said.

In addition to safety issues, windows often play into a home's comfort level.

Sara Susanka, architect and author of The Not So Big House and Creating the Not So Big House: Insights and Ideas for the New American Home, trumpets the appeal of smaller, more efficient, and more interesting houses. Windows play a vital role in creating the cozy, comfort features in such houses, she said.

"Windows can be custom-tailored to frame a special view or to make a striking interior statement … Circular windows are expensive, but they can also become a focal point for the entire house," Susanka says in her first book.

California builders getting energized

The new standards went into effect June 1, except for homes covered by approved master plans (housing qualifying by using the multiple orientation approach for permits), which are exempted through December 31. Beginning January 1, all projects will be subject to the new guidelines.

Using so-called spectrally selective glass is one of the four key components in meeting the new standards adopted by the Energy Commission. The others relate to tight ducts, thermostatic expansion valves on air conditioners, and radiant roof barriers.

Spectrally selective glass has a coating that blocks sunlight's infrared rays, allowing the sun to shine through the window without heating up the house. The U.S. Department of Energy says that using these low-emissivity (low-E) window coatings can cut cooling costs in hot climates by 10 to 25 percent.

"It (installing energy-efficient windows) is very cost-effective - the most cost-effective of the new standards," said Mike Hodgson, founder and president of ConSol, a Stockton-based energy consulting firm for builders, and Chairman of CBIA's Energy Committee.

However, spectrally selective glass isn't a cure for all parts of the state.

"In areas where the a/c is on a lot it makes sense. But over near the coast, you probably don't want to block the heat," Hodgson said.

But in the overall scheme, full adoption of spectrally selective coatings in new residential windows could potentially result in heating and cooling savings of about $2.5 billion per year by 2010, according to the Department of Energy.

Meanwhile, Hodgson said he has been helping builders to meet the new standards since the spring. About 10 to 15 percent of the builders are already meeting the new benchmark and about 30 percent of builders are already using vinyl frames, which, when coupled with an energy-efficient window like one made with spectrally selective glass, provides maximum efficiency.

Hodgson said obtaining spectrally selective glass will be easy. The six big glass manufacturers all make the glass, and all 40 or 50 window manufacturers produce a window with the special glass.

However, builders are experiencing some problems once they get the glass, Hodgson said.

One question that should be asked is whether builders are getting what they're paying for, Hodgson said. In some cases the spectrally selective glass windows are being mislabeled. Because the glass looks just like regular glass, builders can't tell the difference unless they use a special instrument that can detect spectrally selective glass from its regular counterpart.

The second problem is a production problem. Spectrally selective coating is sometimes being placed on the wrong side or piece of the two-paned window. Coating for spectrally selective glass is supposed to be placed on the inside of the outside pane. Sometimes it comes reversed, Hodgson said. If it gets on the outside of the outer piece of glass, the window discolors.

Hodgson said these mistakes are happening about once in every 20 to 30 cases. As these production problems get cleared up, builders will need to pay extra attention to ensure they're getting the right product.

The future's so bright …

One day, you may be able to shade your window with the glide of a dimmer. SAGE Electrochromics and Honeywell have collaborated to develop electronically tintable windows. The glass can adjust to changing exterior light conditions, ultimately conserving energy. The special glass also blocks ultraviolet radiation, which fades furniture, fabrics, and rugs.

Mike Myser, SAGE's vice president of sales and marketing, said the windows will be ready for test markets late this year.

"California will be a very meaningful part of this," Myser said. "Most of the new construction is inland where the amount of heat gain is tremendous. Having the technology to control that is of great interest."

The most critical issue, Myser said, has been developing durability. He said that test is being met through tests the Minnesota-based company has participated in, conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy.

While Myser admits that once the product is on the market it will be costly, he said the long-term goal is for the technology to cost about 25 to 30 percent more than the cost of an average window.

One of the additional costs of the electrochromic windows stems from a more complicated installation - the windows require an electrical source and switch. When electrochromic windows are introduced, they will likely require installation by a licensed electrician, according to the NAHB Research Center and the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH).

The Solar Energy Industries Association says that these types of "smart" windows can save as much as 50 percent of a building's energy use. In the summer months, electrochromic windows can block ultraviolet rays and radiant heat from direct sunlight passing through windows and skylights. This helps lower cooling loads by reducing solar heat gain.

Although the product is still in the testing phase, interest is overwhelming.

Said Myser, "We get calls and Web site hits on this every day."


By Michele Dawson

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