This month, I am proud to add Certified FenestrationMaster (CFM) to the list of certifications, accreditations and accomplishments I’ve gained during my 38 years of experience in this ever-changing industry. I am one of the first people to earn this certification through AAMA’s FenestrationMasters™ program. FenestrationAssociate is offered for entry-level certification and is available to […]
Summer sets as the autumn tradeshow season dawns. GlassBuild America, September 10-12 in Atlanta, and CSI Construct, September 25-27 in Nashville, bring that bittersweet reminder that we have entered the third quarter. This year’s expos are expected to showcase new fenestration products to meet commercial buildings’ increasingly stringent performance and code requirements. Last October, Hurricane […]
For the past 20 years, the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) has provided a fair, accurate and credible rating and labeling system for doors, windows and skylights used in residential construction. Anyone who has shopped for a residential window has seen a label similar to the one below: Ratings on the NFRC label have been […]
When specifying a paint code for your project, always double check for accuracy. The specific code is what drives the ordering process and the achieved color. The color name is only a guideline; many times manufacturers and applicators will have the same paint name for different paint types and colors. Relying on a color name […]
Fluoropolymer coatings are two-coat systems formulated to provide excellent performance against weathering in normal environments. Suited for architectural product applications — such as storefronts, curtainwalls, windows and louvers — these coatings are highly resistant to chalking, chipping, peeling and fading. They also protect against chemical staining and environmental stresses such as dirt, ultraviolet (UV) radiation […]
The Aluminum Association has developed a system of designation for anodized finishes on aluminum. Specific finishes of the various types are designated by a letter followed by a two-digit numeral. Each designation may be combined into a single composite designation to identify a sequence of operations covering all of the important steps leading to a […]
Anodizing is an electrochemical process that converts aluminum’s metal surface into a decorative, durable, corrosion-resistant, anodic oxide finish. It is readily available for storefront, curtainwall, entrances and daylight control systems. Exposed to the earth’s atmosphere, aluminum combines with oxygen to form a protective surface film, which inhibits further oxidation of the aluminum. This natural oxide […]
Recent studies report that daylighting can offer retail establishments a strong competitive advantage. This is supported by a study commissioned by PG&E that compares the retail sales performance of 108 stores operated by a large (unidentified) chain retailer. Two-thirds of the stores had skylighting, and the remaining one-third did not. Otherwise, the stores were very […]
In November we began a discussion on daylighting and continue looking into that subject this month. When looking at daylighting, an integrated design balances the cooling load of the window against required daylight illumination levels, thereby capturing both cooling and lighting energy savings without creating discomfort. A poor design imposes a substantial cooling load and […]
(Part one of a three-part series) As winter approaches, and the amount of daylight decreases, it’s important to realize the positive effects of natural daylight. The lack of daylight has been documented to cause Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), maladjustment of our body clocks (circadian rhythms) and consistent periods of reduced productivity and enthusiasm. One solution […]
