The 2010 Southern Building Show, which features its annual showcase
home, inspired a children’s playhouse – a miniature copy of a bold,
innovative sustainable home design featuring Marvin window and doors
products.
Every year the Southern Building Show in Atlanta features an innovative
and inspiring showcase home. This May’s show did not disappoint,
offering another exciting home design including Marvin windows and
doors. Known as the Midtown Green House, this year’s project features
green construction and will seek EarthCraft, LEED and ENERGY STAR
certification, as well as following the NAHB Green Building Standard.
From the concrete foundation to the green roof with garden, this eco
home’s bold, mid-century style combines converging planes of glass,
stacked stone and stucco and an asymmetrical, loft-style floor plan.
This private residence is located in Atlanta’s Midtown section, known
for its eclectic architectural style. Click here to see photos.
The AVI team of consultants worked with architect Joel Kelly Design,
builder The Hoots Group, and building engineers to ensure the Marvin
Clad French doors, Casement windows and Direct Glaze Polygon windows met
structural, architectural and energy efficiency requirements. All
windows and doors featured LoE3-366®glass, contributing to the home’s
sustainable design. The technology behind these windows is especially
effective at keeping the sun’s heat out in warmer climates where cooling
costs are high, such as Atlanta area homes. “And thanks to Marvin’s
design flexibility, the windows look just as beautiful in this
contemporary design as they do with traditional décor, said Peter
Diehl,” sales manager for AVI.
Building on the excitement generated by this showcase home, The Hoots
Group built a kid’s playhouse which also debuted at the Southern
Building Show. The Hoots Group provides home performance improvements
to existing homes and well as building new homes with a “whole-house”
approach to achieve healthy, comfortable, and energy efficient results
for homeowners.
The playhouse will be raffled off as a charity benefit for the HomeAid
Atlanta’s Project Playhouse 2010 event, which takes place at The Avenue
Forsyth in Cumming from September 25 through October 23. HomeAid Atlanta
is a nonprofit organization that builds and renovates multi-unit
transitional housing for homeless families and individuals in the metro
Atlanta area. Through the building industry’s generous support, HomeAid
has built or renovated nearly 1,000 shelters. An article in the Atlanta
Building News featured the HomeAid playhouse event this past May.
This stunning miniature copy of the showcase home incorporated the same
mid-century contemporary design and green architecture translated into a
kid-friendly funhouse with an artificial turf cool roof, a roof-top
terrace, and a roomy loft accessible by ladder. Keeping with the
original design’s sophistication, the playhouse also includes faux stone
and stucco facades, spray foam insulated walls, high grade hardwood
interiors and energy efficient Integrity® from Marvin Casement windows
donated by AVI.
“We’re pleased to contribute to such a great cause, plus Integrity
windows fit the green aspect of this project perfectly,” said Peter
Diehl.
Integrity windows and doors are made of Ultrex®, a pultruded fiberglass
window material whose main ingredient is sand, a safe, renewable
resource. In addition, Integrity’s manufacturing process incorporates
steps to protect the environment. The fact that Integrity’s Ultrex
fiberglass construction is exceptionally strong and long lasting means
they require less window replacement and upkeep, reducing wasted
building materials that must be land filled and decreasing the need for
solvent-based paints. From start to finish, Integrity’s sustainable
design contributes to a greener future.
A Pain in the Glass
Whether it is modern myth, legend or fact, it is said that as soon as
painters finish painting the Forth Bridge in Scotland, they have to
start again. Sometimes it feels like that with cleaning windows – as
soon as you’ve done it, they seem to need cleaning all over again.
Well imagine how long that might take if your whole building was made of
glass. We’re not talking about people who live in Greenhouses here, but
the massive modern facades of contemporary office spaces, their faces
glistening and bright. And while people in glass houses shouldn’t throw
stones, they should also think about how they’re going to clean the
buggers too.
But if that’s not enough, these modern, gleaming edifices can cause even
bigger problems – repair and maintenance. Think about it – in the time
you live in your house there’s a chance you will replace the windows,
maybe more than once. You very rarely need to replace the bricks. So for
those buildings that are predominantly glass this can be a massive
undertaking. While they look pretty flashy, they can be cause of a huge
amount of commercial glazing maintenance. Glazing repairs have to be
handled by professional outfits and if you thought changing your glass
was a pain, imagine doing it thousands of feet up. Commercial glazing
maintenance is not only about replacement but also needs to take into
account the upgrading of thermal and drainage performance, replacement
of handles, hinges, locks, installation of seals and relevant safety and
privacy films as well as upgrades to meet current health and safety
regulations. And once all the glazing repairs have been done there’s
still a fair bit of cleaning left to do.
So next time you’re moaning about cleaning your windows, just remember it could be a whole lot worse.
MrAn Introduction to uPVC Windows and Similar Products
Un-Plasticized Polyvinyl Chloride or uPVC windows and doors have gained popularity in the UK. This is because of the various advantages they offer over their counterparts. Some of these advantages include:
- Energy Efficiency: uPVC windows and doors are composed of a material that provides greater thermal insulation than the standard wood or aluminum based products. This means that you will make huge savings on heating systems during the winters, since these doors and windows will provide adequate insulation, and in the summers, they will help keep the temperature low, thus cutting back the air conditioning costs. The prices of electricity are on rise in the UK and these products are a great way to save on energy bills.
- Maintenance: Wooden frames on windows and doors require a lot of maintenance, such as painting, sanding and refilling of wood. Aluminum frames provide some respite but they too are highly vulnerable to rusting. uPVC windows, on the other hand, are a perfect substitute for both. They are made by using a plastic substance that is both highly durable and resistance to the adverse effects of the elements, including fire, water, snow, etc. Cleaning them is also an easy job and can be done with the use of a wet cloth and cleaning liquids. To obtain the original shine, all you have to do is wash and wipe.
- Cost Efficiency: uPVC windows and doors can be purchased at similar prices to their identical aluminum and wooden counterparts. They also provide value for the expenditure because they can last for a longer time.
- Safety of Product: Wooden doors and windows can be easily broken into. This is yet another area where uPVC products take the lead. Their firmness and strength match that of the aluminum frames. However, to utilize their full potential, it is advisable to install a good quality locking system, probably a multi point locking system.
- Beauty: uPVC windows and doors allow light to recede through their frame. This can help create beautiful contours in the living space.
uPVC Windows vs Composite Doors
Composite doors are the latest offering from the house furnishing
industry. These doors are designed keeping in mind the common
shortcomings of the single material doors. These utilize a unique
combination of materials, handpicked for their specific properties, to
create a combination that effectively weeds out the old flaws.
Some of the materials used are PVC, insulating foam, wood and glass
reinforced plastic (GRP). The subsequent product is extremely strong and
secure. A composite door is even more weather resistant than its uPVC
counterpart and the insulated foam core provides extended heat
resistance. These doors are specifically designed to resemble wooden
doors, but, unlike wood, they neither get discoloured nor do they fade
or require extensive maintenance. uPVC windows and doors provide all
such capabilities and at lower costs.
Bi Folding Doors made of uPVC
Bi folding doors made of uPVC are designed to meet the needs of
contemporary households that combine beauty and utility. Here the door
panels are configured into several folds, which provide greater
versatility. This means that the doors take up very little space at the
entrance or exit but provide optimal lighting with minimum obstruction
to movement. The wider opening allows the owner to have a much better
view of the outdoors and attached garden all year round. These doors are
also ideal for installation in areas where a partition is required
between rooms or where the exit leads to a patio.
Some manufacturers are providing even more superior forms of bi folding
doors. These revolutionary products offer a smooth and simple
functionality with the use of a top or bottom rail concertina mechanism
rather the conventional top hung system. The door system has a slim
panel gap, which offers increased aesthetic appeal. These products can
be used to create a glass wall up to 6 metres wide. They can even come
with a 10 year guarantee.
Why use a window template
The very short answer as to why window templates should be used is that
they ensure much faster construction of complex windows. Window
templates are made from cavity closers which have become an essential
component of the construction industry over the years. Cavity closers
are comprised of a number of different parts, all neatly packaged into
one, easy to install product. A rigid bricklaying template, a window
acceptor, a damp-proof course and a thermal break between the inside and
outside of the wall all make up a cavity closure. Once this has been
installed, the window can be easily and quickly fitted, saving
construction workers both time and money.
Cavity closers and window templates were first introduced in the 1980’s
and since then have become more and more relied upon for quick and easy
window installation. Windows in the home not only need to look good, but
they also need to provide excellent security, noise reduction and
insulation. In the winter months the heat needs to be retained, and in
the summer months the heat from the sun needs to be kept at arm’s
length. Cavity closers made of PVC-U fulfill all these functions well.
Furthermore the material PVC-U is completely recyclable too which makes
it a friend rather than a foe of the environment.
A PVC-U cavity closure ensures the total elimination of moisture around a
window or on the glass. This can sometimes be a major problem with
houses and can cause a great deal of damage. The effective seal and
unique properties of this type of cavity closer remove this problem
altogether. They are completely air tight and comply with all building
regulations on this matter. They also come complete with an overhead
vent with an external flush grill that improves their aesthetic appeal.
Another feature of a PVC-U cavity closer is that they act as a brickwork
template so the window itself can be easily fitted at a later date.
This is a huge time saver for construction workers and builders who can
complete the job much more quickly.
There is no other product as effective at sealing cavities around newly
built walls and consequently they have become one of the essential
components in any new-build project. They optimise productivity for
those who are installing windows as much less time is required to do it.
The spring-clip system allows pre-glazed windows to be “clipped” into
place in no time at all. There is no adhesive required or any special
tools needed to fit windows once a cavity closer is in place. The damp
proof layer and effective moisture barrier continue to be effective for
many years to come helping to keep a home completely dry and free from
moisture. The PVC-U material lasts for decades too as it extremely hard
wearing and durable. Despite this it is 100% recyclable unlike other
types of plastic materials.
Cavity closers and cavity barriers made from PVC-U are completely
recyclable, easy to install and allow huge time and monetary savings to
be made. They do not harm the environment and are an efficient way to
fit windows. The idea of a window template such as these has
revolutionized the way windows are installed and removes the need for
tools, equipment and specialist adhesives. The end result is a window
that look great, is super strong, offers great protection and keeps
noise levels to a minimum. The insulation offered is second to none too.
They make the installation of glazed windows and even the fitting of a
window board much easier to do, and that is how they have become
invaluable to building teams across the world.
Roller blinds: A perfect choice for your home & office
If you have completed decoration of your home and office except
bathroom, kitchen and window of your living space and are planning to
enhance internal beauty of these places with stylish decorative
accessories, then roller blinds is perfect solution for you because
apart from beautifying it also controls heat, magnifies the sunlight,
prevents dust and proficiently maintain privacy. Furthermore, highly
attractive roller blinds check unwanted noise from entering into the
room and also maintain coolness and cleaning of office and corporate
houses.
Roller blinds are effective for kitchen and bathrooms because waterproof
roller blinds also available in the market. Before the advent of roller
blinds, all of us were using old, outdated and traditional kinds of
curtains that fail to prevent dust and unwanted noise and could not give
the complete privacy to users. Today, roller blinds are favored as it
occupies less space and look trendy as compared to conventional kinds of
curtains. These roller blinds are made to fit your windows. They are
not only providing privacy to your bathroom area but also ensure that
your roller blind fabric is complete waterproof and the fabric doesn’t
spoil from frequent splashes.
There are a wide rage of roller blinds are available in the market which
are panel blinds, velux blinds, conservatory blinds, venetian blinds,
roman blinds, blackout blinds and many more blinds to choose the perfect
according to your requirement, theme of the wall of home, kitchen,
bathrooms of office and corporate house. You can also choose the roller
blinds according to your budget that suit you.
Choosing simple and plain roller blinds will not be advantageous because
these blinds can be spoiled by water as these blinds are not waterproof
therefore always use waterproof roller blinds for kitchen and bathroom.
It also has the quality to offer the complete privacy to customer who
have own these waterproof roller blinds. The other options are available
to waterproof roller blinds, like the Venetian roller blinds that are
also water resistant and give an alternate option for your bathroom
windows.
The waterproof roller blinds are available in both with manual operation
and motorised. Motorised blinds run on the electricity the help of
remote control. You can choose one from either as per your requirement
and budget because motorised blinds are little bit expensive. The plain
and waterproof roller blinds are available in various colours such as
gaudy orange, maroon, blue to sober cream, beige, and lilac. Choose the
colours or roller blinds as per theme of your home and office.