Oct 4 2013
Deceuninck North America, a leading designer and manufacturer of high-quality systems for windows, doors and outdoor living, contributed several new window and door designs and decking material to West Virginia University (WVU) as part of the university's participation in the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Decathlon (Oct. 3 to 13, 2013 in Irvine, California).
The competition challenges collegiate teams such as the one at WVU to design, build and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient and attractive. The winner is the team that best blends affordability, consumer appeal and design excellence with optimal energy production and maximum efficiency.
"The objective of the Solar Decathlon is to design and build a home that focuses on energy efficiency, so Deceuninck's latest technologies were implemented to improve the energy rating for WVU's house," said Filip Geeraert, president and CEO of Deceuninck North America. "Our Revolution window has an estimated R-5 performance rating, and the Genius window has an estimated rating of R-10. The ICON 8000 door is a high-performance vinyl door that combines style with thermal characteristics, which are in line with the competition's objectives."
Geeraert went on to provide more details on the products incorporated into the house:
- Revolution Tilt and Turn® achieves its heightened R-value with a seven-chamber thermal structure and carries a C-100 structural rating. The Revolution windows were manufactured by Ventana USA of Export, PA, one of Deceuninck's fabricator partners.
- The patent-pending Genius™ window system is designed with two separate, interlinked insulated glass sashes. This creates an additional bonus air space between the two sash members and results in an extremely effective barrier to thermal energy flow. Integrated vents release solar-heated air into a building in the winter and to the outside in the summer.
- ICON™ 8000 is part of a new series of windows and doors by Deceuninck that are classified by several types, including general purpose, impact performance, and enhanced structural and thermal capabilities. The doors also feature the Invisivent® Evo and the THM 90 PB ventilation systems provided by RENSON®, Inc. that provide continuous ventilation without needing to open the doors. Vector Windows of Fergus Falls, MN, another Deceuninck fabricator partner, manufactured the ICON doors.
Also installed in the WVU house is Deceuninck's Clubhouse™ Decking and Railing. Clubhouse Decking is 100-percent PVC and contains no wood or wood fillers. It is up to 25-percent lighter than most wood composites thanks to Deceuninck's proprietary Korelite™ technology. Clubhouse has a strong, dense cell structure that gives it superior strength and embossed wood grain texture for an authentic wood appearance. The Clubhouse Railing features a low-gloss finish that never needs to be painted. Both Clubhouse Decking and Railing include Deceuninck North America's exclusive SunShield® technology with time-tested color retention and superior stain, mold and mildew resistance.
The windows, doors and decking were recently installed on-site at West Virginia University before the home was dismantled and transported to Orange County Great Park for the exposition.
WVU's design philosophy for its Solar Decathlon house was Preserving Energy with Appalachian Knowledge, or PEAK. It invites residents to embrace a new Appalachian way of living with a contemporary, mountaineer design that blends subtly with automated smart systems. PEAK integrates innovative technologies and passive design techniques to maximize energy efficiency and support sustainable design practices and approaches.
After the Solar Decathlon, PEAK will return to WVU to serve as an architectural representation of self-sustainable living in the Appalachian area. It will host a variety of events for the school, community and surrounding area and serve as a recruitment tool for the university.
About Deceuninck
Deceuninck® North America, LLC is part of the Deceuninck® Group, an integrated global organization specializing in compounding, tool fabrication, design, development, extrusion, finishing of uPVC window systems and composite applications for the building industry. The company is active in more than 75 countries, has 35 subsidiaries (production and/or sales), and is supported by nearly 3,000 personnel worldwide. In 2012, Deceuninck Group achieved consolidated sales of €556.9 million Euros worldwide (approximately $720 million USD). Deceuninck® North America encompasses fully-integrated design, compounding, tooling, extrusion and quality assurance disciplines for the production of vinyl window and door systems and composite applications for the building industry at its corporate headquarters in Monroe, Ohio. For more information, please visit deceuninck-americas.com.