Jun 10 2010
Serious Materials announced today it has launched a new line of extreme-energy-saving window products for the commercial building market. Heavy Commercial SeriousWindows Series are the first heavy commercial (CW) rated windows to deliver thermal performance of up to R-value 7.0 (U-value 0.14), over two times the thermal insulation of commonly specified aluminum thermally broken commercial windows (U-value 0.35).
Incorporating SeriousGlass™ super-insulating glass units with fiberglass frames, Heavy Commercial SeriousWindows Series offer architects, builders, and building owners the next generation in energy efficient commercial window systems for substantial energy cost savings. Serious Materials will introduce Heavy Commercial SeriousWindows during the American Institute of Architects Convention and Expo, June 10-12, 2010 in Miami, FL.
Heavy Commercial SeriousWindows enable energy-efficient window strategies including passive heating and cooling coupled with maximum daylighting to significantly reduce energy load and greatly improve the environment for building occupants. In addition, the inherent advantages of fiberglass over aluminum framing systems include enhanced lifetime durability, higher thermal performance, and a lower embodied energy footprint.
“With today’s higher industry standards for thermal efficiency, it’s absolutely critical we enable our customers to build and rebuild with energy performance and savings as a top priority”, said Ian Sullivan, General Manager, Windows & Glass Division of Serious Materials. “Not only does this system exceed anything else in the market by 38% in thermal performance, but also a CW100 rating with outstanding air and water numbers puts this product in a class of its own.”
Thermal Performance
Available in full-frame high R-values up to R-7.0, this new SeriousWindows Series is ideal for commercial new construction and retrofit particularly in extreme heating- or cooling- dominated climates where high R-value glass is needed. With a full range of low and high solar heat gain glass packages, SeriousWindows enable solar control according to climate zone and orientation for maximum energy efficiency and comfort benefits.
Superior Air and Water Tightness, Structural Ratings
With proprietary fused corner joints, Heavy Commercial SeriousWindows feature industry leading air and water infiltration rates. SeriousWindows are AAMA Gold rated with industry-leading air infiltration of less than 0.01 and water penetration (15 psf).
The Fiberglass Advantage
Fiberglass-framed commercial windows offer significant advantages compared to traditional aluminum, vinyl, or wood framing materials – offering super-insulating and structural performance, lower embodied energy, and new design choice. According to the American Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA) Pultrusion Industry Council and the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) Fiberglass Material Council:
- Fiberglass’ thermal conductivity is 800 times less than aluminum, making it the optimum material for super-insulating windows and preserving overall performance for the life of a window.
- Low thermal expansion maintains the windows’ structural integrity and minimizes warping or leakage, making fiberglass the most durable framing material that will not compromise the performance of the full window over time.
- Fiberglass particularly resists environmental damage caused by corrosive salt air or high temperatures.
- Comparing U-value of materials, fiberglass offers 89% better insulation than aluminum (fiberglass U-value is 0.2 – 0.3 compared to aluminum thermally broken of U-value 1.0).
- Superior strength to weight ratios making Heavy Commercial SeriousWindows ideal for large window openings - 86% of the yield strength of aluminum and, pound-for-pound's, stronger than aluminum in the lengthwise direction.
- Pultruded fiberglass distributes impact load to prevent surface damage even in sub-zero temperatures.
The Anti-Triple Pane Window
Whereas other commercial windows use three panes of glass to achieve higher insulation performance, SeriousGlass units incorporate suspended film systems that create multiple chambers for high thermal performance. Heavy Commercial SeriousWindows are available in either dual chamber (one film layer) or triple chamber (two film layers) SeriousGlass packages. Beyond super-insulating performance, these SeriousGlass systems achieve high light transmission and 99+% UV blockage through the combination of multiple chambers and low-e coating glass surfaces. Up to 50% lighter than triple-pane windows, SeriousWindows eliminate the weight issues of the older triple-pane design approach. Proven in thousands of commercial and residential projects over nearly 30 years, SeriousGlass has been consistently certified at the Insulating Glass Certification Council’s “A” level over more than two decades, and has been installed in extreme climates and high humidity commercial and residential applications.
Source: http://www.seriousmaterials.com/