Clear trends
Martin Ball of Christchurch-based window design, manufacture and installation business, NK Windows, shares his insights on what’s new in window technology.
Moving into the new year, at NK Windows we are continuing to see many exciting window trends gaining traction in New Zealand, expanding on existing products and improving on current technology and performance.
Comfort and wellbeing
There is an increased interest in building more comfortable and healthier homes. Homeowners are often willing to trade off floor area to improve specification, whether it be improved insulation in walls, ceilings and floors, improving the glazing performance or improving the airtightness and breathability of a home, or using better building membrane systems. Interestingly homebuilders at either end of the age spectrum are making these trade-offs – either young couples building their first homes, or older couples potentially building their last homes.
Performance counts
More people are certainly considering improving the glazing performance. Almost all clients building new homes will take the glass upgrades to improve the thermal performance, specifying both Low Emissivity coatings and argon gas, which combined can more than double the insulation value (R-value) of the window. We can now also use more advanced glass that has a higher shading co-efficient (reducing solar gain and hence overheating), allowing it to be used selectively on north and west-facing glass areas.
The sound of silence
The other interesting trend is the increased demand for improved acoustic performance. As housing gets denser and often closer to noisy traffic corridors, we are seeing specific requirements to improve acoustic performance appearing in specifications.
What’s happening overseas?
European hardware systems are particularly designed to provide more airtight seals. While standard entrance doors and windows have been well sealed for decades, the current focus is on improving sliding door systems, as these have always been a challenge in terms of the traditional brush seals. There are now several hardware systems that can deliver airtight sliders, by moving the sliding door sash off the seal before opening. PVC has always had the image of being available in white only, but not anymore. PVC profiles can now have laminated foils applied, on both interior and exterior surfaces, allowing for a wide range of design options. We see a lot of clients opting for dark exterior colours, but lighter interior colours to match more neutral décors. Another option is to add an exterior ‘clip-on’ aluminium skin, which can be powder-coated to match a far wider colour range and is particularly popular when trying to match to profiled metal cladding systems – the window frames almost disappear!
03 344 3126 | nkwindows.co.nz
