Future of Fenestration Frequently Asked Questions

Why Sustainable wood windows?

Have you found your Green job? Educating design professionals on sustainable window and door choices is our expertise and passion!  We have compiled a few Sustainable Fenestration FAQs from professionals like yourself, on what the future of fenestration looks like under the light of sustainability. And, we have answers. We are finding that people who appreciate high-end products for the quality and aesthetics, appreciate them even more when they discover the outstanding performance and sustainability of wood windows and doors.

Do you see designs with more daylight?

Yes, more glass in wood frames, bigger glass openings, thin lines, and large glass doors. The environment impacts our mood; more daylight improves our mood and behavior by adding natural color to the interior environment. More glass adds visual interest, distracts and mitigates stress by making the space feel more open, connecting us to the outdoors. Large glass openings wrapped in a wood frame connect us with our primeval instincts from our ancestors' living in canopy trees and huts. Wood calms us, warms our environment, and makes us feel at home with a deeper connection to nature. Research shows abstract art adds a 13% increase in stress while paintings of nature/landscapes reduce stress by 44% (McNicholas, Matt 2020). Large glass openings are real-life landscape art on the wall!  

what is new and leading edge in the world of fenestration?

Automated window operation that you can operate from your phone, similar to our lights and doorbells. How about opening a large door system by playing your favorite song, or using an app on your phone? Electrochromic glass (aka switchable) glass changes from clear to opaque and back again, sometimes with just the flick of a switch. Or another version that automatically tints when it detects a specific level of solar, very much like sunglasses. Neat+ Glass uses science and nature, working together to make glass stay cleaner longer. Low Reflectivity Glass combats light pollution, the brightening of the night sky over cities.

do you use robotic technology in manufacturing?

We went straight to one of our engineers, to help us understand the robotics being used in our manufacturing. Luke Putnam explains how a robot drills and routes sash components for the required hardware. “Sierra Pacific designed and fabricated a custom work cell and fixturing. Data is fed to the Kuka robot from our order processing software, and displayed to the operator by our custom HMI (Human Machine Interface) developed by our engineers, making operation of the robot easy and intuitive. Prior to the Kuka robot, all of the holes were drilled by hand using 50+ aluminum hand drill jigs and required the crew member to learn and remember what jigs to use for what hardware requirements. Now all of this knowledge is programmed into the robot which eliminates human error. The robot allows for fast, repeatable, accurate hole and route placement and is easily reprogrammed for future changes to products and hardware options.” Wow, thank you Luke!

how can window design minimize harm to animals?

Millions of birds die every year flying into windows. Solution: specify bird glass. With Bird Glass, the coatings on the glass create a pattern the birds can see, but our human eye does not.  

In coastal areas, after hatching in the sand, baby turtles follow the moonlight to the water. With all of the artificial light coming from condos and large homes, the baby turtles often get disoriented and don’t make it to the water, costing them their lives. Solution: specify turtle glass. Tinted to reduce light projection, and lower the visible light transmittance (45% or less), it’s the perfect solution to still get your ocean view and save the turtles.

What are the benefits of wood windows and doors?

Wood is trending. Vinyl and fiberglass both try to mimic the style of wood. While they come close (not really), these man-made options simply cannot beat the elegance of the real thing. Wood is visually appealing and natural, with many beneficial properties:

  Environmental and health benefits

Wood is the only renewable window and door material available; is naturally grown and removes CO2 from the atmosphere.   By specifying certified wood windows and doors, the expansion of sustainable forestry is encouraged, which in turn, increases the carbon sink effect and has a cooling effect on the climate.

Design and Aesthetics

Wood is beautiful, warm, and has unique characteristics. Versatile and highly customizable. There are endless styles, sizes, designs and finish options for any type of architectural style from modern to traditional.

Strength, Flexibility, and Durability 

Wood is light, can be bent, and has the smallest coefficient of thermal expansion when compared to any other material used in window and door production. This makes wood windows stable and immobile. Sierra Pacific treats the wood used in our windows and doors with a naturally organic, water-based treatment with nearly zero VOC's. This patented process penetrates wood right to the core to repel water, reducing warping or swelling and offering superior dimensional stability. CoreGuard Plus™ contains fungicides and insecticides to deeply protect all wood species from pests and rotting.

Superior Insulation
Wood is a natural insulator, slowing the temperature change between the exterior and interior, making it a great, energy-efficient option. Additionally, wood windows and doors are excellent at reducing outdoor noise, as wood absorbs sound.

We hope we’ve enlightened you just a little about some of the innovative things happening in the fenestration industry. But, if you thought of a new question while reading our blog, don’t hesitate to reach out and ask us!   We are available to guide you through the ever-changing world of windows and doors or help with your next project. Find your local Sierra Pacific Windows Architectural Consultant here.

In honor of Women in Construction Week, we'd like to say how proud we are to collaborate and work with so many amazing women on so many amazing projects. Take a moment to scroll the starter list of some of these remarkable Women in Construction partners: 

In no particular order….

Photo credits for blog: Photo 1 Douglas Knight Construction Photo 2 Kaisa Karska Design Photo 4 CRAIG COZART PHOTOGRAPHY