You can go ahead and order your aluminum storefront or curtain wall from a manufacturer like US Aluminum, Kawneer or EFCO and leave out the glass in on of the panels. The you can order an aluminum casement window without fins from a company like Milgard and do an installation much like you would a retrofit window. The aluminum in both products is very similar in color and style and looks factory made. To further that look you have the option of using aluminum break metal in adjacent locations to blend with the frame.

Originally posted 2008-11-21 10:46:00.

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1. Windows Close to the Floor
2. Terms to Know When Choosing Windows – U-Factor, SHGC & VLT
3. Egress Windows Swinging In – Acceptable in Building Code

First, you're required to have at least one egress window or door in a basement and in every bedroom. If you have one in a bedroom in the basement then you don't have to have an additional one elsewhere in the basement.

The bottom of the window (sill height) can't be more than 44" above the floor. The opening must be at least 5.7 sf unless its on the ground floor where it only has to be 5 sf. The minimum opening also needs to be at least 24" tall and at least 20" wide. You also have to be able to open the window from inside without any special keys or hardware.

If you have bars or covers over the window or window well it is allowable, but it has to be operable from the inside without a key.

If your egress window is below grade you need a window well with a footprint of at least 9 sf and measuring 36" minimum in both directions. If it is more than 44" deep you need a permanent ladder with rungs at least 12" wide, no more than 18" of height between rungs and projecting 3" to 6" off the wall.

If the window is under a deck or a porch, you have to be able to open the window fully and have at least a 36" path out from under the deck.

If you happen to be designing a multifamily dwelling there are some exceptions involving sprinklers and corridors along with fire ratings but where you use egress windows the constraints are basically the same.

Of course the question that usually comes up is "why does the opening need to be so big, I'll get out of a tiny window if there is a fire." The explanation that I've heard is that it has more to do with the size of an opening needed for someone to assist you in escape. The firemen need a bit of maneuvering room to haul you out.

To help you in your design, most manufacturers list which of their windows meet the egress requirements. There can be a bit of variation depending on frame sizes and hardware differences from one manufacturer to another. I've posted more information on common sizes for each operation here.

Originally posted 2008-10-07 10:32:13.

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1. Windows Close to the Floor

The Prairie Style is often associated with Frank Lloyd Wright and the Arts and Crafts Movement of the early 1900s.  One of his finest examples was the Robie House with its dramatic overhangs, stretches of art glass windows, open floor plan, and sweeping horizontal lines that echoed the prairies of the great Mid-West.  The Prairie style is seen as Wright’s reaction to the overly-ornate Victorian style of the late 19^th century. Although it was designed nearly a century ago, the Robie House remains a prime example of modern residential architecture.

Today’s Prairie Style homes include many of the same attributes: shallow-pitched hip roofs, oversized eaves, cantilevered projections, open interior spaces, central chimney massing, minimal exterior ornamentation, and low proportions.  Different geometric shapes are often highlighted through window arrangement, columns, low walls and planters, all which create an aesthetically appealing home.  Transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces are seamless with broad covered porches and large masonry columns.  Large casements as well as rows of clerestory windows are commonly seen in Prairie style homes to provide plenty of daylight for a comfortable interior and also to accentuate its linearity.  Massing generally consists of boxed shapes at varying heights and depths.  Layouts tend to include open common areas with no hallways on the main level, and a modular grid floor plan using only right angles.

Brick is the most common exterior material used in Prairie Style design, but today many of these homes combine it with other materials such as stucco, stone, or concrete block.  The materials were generally light-colored to blend in with the home’s natural surroundings.

Originally posted 2009-08-20 13:08:20.

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U-Factor – This is equivalent of R-value for insulation. The insulating performance of a window is expressed as the inverse of the assembly’s R-value. A low U-Factor indicates a better insulating window.

SHGC – Solar Heat Gain Coefficient is a measure of how well a window blocks out heat from the sun. This is indicated by a number that ranges from 0 to 1. A lower number indicates less solar heat coming through. In a warm climate it is desirable to have a high SHGC. The opposite is true often true in cold climates where we want to maximize the amount of solar heat in order to minimize the use of a heating system.

VLT – Visible Light Transmittance, sometimes referred to as Visible Transmittance (VT) is the amount of visible light that passes through a window. This is expressed as a number from 0 to 1.  A higher number indicates that more light passes through the glazing. As can be expected, this must be weighed against the SHGC since more light through a window also tends to mean more heat.

Theses three factors come into play when designing a structure. The windows that face east and west will often have different values than those that face south while the north windows will have properties that are different still. For example, it may be desirable for north facing windows to have a very low U-Factor and a high VLT, the SHGC is not important since those windows will only see direct sunlight in the winter months, when the extra heat may be desirable. The nuances of window performance are just one of the myriad of small, yet important, bits of knowledge that an architect possesses.

Originally posted 2010-02-05 00:01:52.

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1. Windows Close to the Floor
2. Egress Windows Swinging In – Acceptable in Building Code
3. The Six Components of Successful Daylighting

There are six basic concepts to any successful use of daylighting. In this article we will cover the first two.

• Separate apertures for vision and daylight
• Make the building act as a luminaire
• Assess lighting needs for typical visual needs
• Use of apertures to create focus and mood
• Integrate the daylighting scheme into the architecture
• Integrate the daylighting scheme with building systems

Separate apertures for vision and daylight

I want to start with the biggest mistake that is made when implementing daylighting. Namely that ribbon windows or large expanses of glass equate to effective daylighting strategies. Nothing can be further from the truth.

If you have ever sat near a south facing window on a warm spring day you know what I am talking about – solar heat gain. While it can be interesting to watch a sun beam move across the room, it isn’t very useful once that beam strikes the paper you are reading or creates glare on the monitor. This type of glazing is typically referred to as “vision glass” as it creates the visual connection between the indoors and out doors. Here we often specify a lower visible transmittance in order to soften the light coming in. Additionally exterior features such as overhangs can be used to minimize direct sunlight through this glazing.

The other type of glazing is referred to as “daylighting glass”. This type of glazing is placed at a higher level, typically above head height. These windows also utilize lighting controls such as internal or external light shelves or other devices that reflect light into the space. These devices should disallow a direct view and also bounce the light into the space so that it is indirect and thus more evenly distributed. With this glazing we typically want to maximize visible transmittance so we can get the fullest amount of daylight into the space.

Make the building act as a luminaire

Good daylighting minimizes the need for supplemental lighting during daylight hours. In order to accomplish this, the building needs to be able to provide consistent interior lighting levels. This means that the design should avoid the use of direct illumination (see above) and maximize the use of the skydome. The use of indirect daylighting, versus the sun directly, reduces glare and high contrast ratios, something that good luminaire design does as well.

This is also where proper finish specification comes into play. We want to direct the light as far into the building as possible. To do this it is best to use light colored surfaces that have a matt surface. This diffuse reflection helps to, you guessed it; reduce glare and high contrast ratios.

By using the skydome as opposed to the sun it is also possible to provide for more consistent lighting levels throughout the day. The best way to reduce solar heat gain and glare is to use the northern skydome. The southern area can be used when designed carefully. It is usually best to avoid east and west apertures because it is difficult to control the early morning and evening sun.

Be sure to bookmark the EVstudio Online Magazine to read the next two articles in this series.

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1. Protective Bar Instead of Safety Glazing in Hazardous Residential Locations
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3. Resolve to Make Your Exterior Lighting Dark Sky Compliant

We did a project on a older loft building with large, existing glazing that the owner was not able to change out to tempered. He asked us to find an exception.

One way to get an exception to this code is to install a protective bar instead of the safety glazing.  the bar must be 34-38" above the floor. It must be a minimum of 1.5" high and able to withstand 50 lbs per linear foot without contacting the glass.

This was a useful exemption and not something that would have worked in a commercial occupancy. The safety glazing portion of the code is very lengthy so ask questions.

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I received this question from a reader of the blog, if you have any, please email them to me.

Related posts:

1. Windows Close to the Floor
2. Common Egress Window Sizes and Operation
3. Denver Building Code is changing

Casement windows are minimally 2'-4" wide by 3'-4" high. For many casement windows you'll need to order egress hardware which allows the window to not only swing open, but also swing away. Also remember that the sill can't be more than 44" above the floor so you may end up with a taller window for a head height over 6'-8". Anderson's Casement Sizes

Single or double hung windows are minimally 3'-0" wide by 4'-8" high or 2'-8" wide and 5'-6" high. I've seen a 2'-6" wide by 5'-0" high egress window but not all manufacturers make this window size. Anderson's Double Hung Sizes

Slider windows are minimally 4'-0" by 4'-0". Again, watch the maximum sill height. Anderson's Glider Sizes

I've included the links to the Anderson catalogs because they are very clear which of their windows allow for egress. Many manufacturers will call this out in their size charts. I'd suggest checking the specific sizes with the manufacturer that you intend to use and always specify which windows are intended for egress.

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1. Egress Windows and Emergency Escape
2. Windows Close to the Floor
3. Minimum Room Sizes and Minimum Ceiling Heights

The International Residential Code section R613.2 Window Sills states:

In dwelling units, where the opening of an operable window is located more than 72 inches (1829 mm) above the finished grade or surface below, the lowest part of the clear opening of the window shall be a minimum of 24 inches (610 mm) above the finished floor of the room in which the window is located. Glazing between the floor and 24 inches (610 mm) shall be fixed or have openings through which a 4-inch-diameter (102 mm) sphere cannot pass.

Basically its saying if your opening is within 2' of the floor your window can't open more than 4". It means paying attention to the hardware ordered for low windows and making sure that egress window openings are at least 24" above the floor. You can still have fixed windows close to the floor or openings for ventilation only. Anything that needs to open for egress will need to be paired to another window for glazing below 2'.

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