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CANADA’S WINDOW AND DOOR MAGAZINE
EDITORIAL
Advances in window design may still be ahead, if LuxWall’s VIG plant is any indication.
THE PROFESSIONAL WAY
You can up your sales game to replace losses due to tariffs. Here’s how. By David Nunn
TRADITION MEETS TECH
Troy Wood uses CNC technology to replace classic wood fenestration in churches. 16 PUT ON A COAT TO STAY COOL
Solar heat gain considerations force window designers to think in two directions.
THE WINDOW GEEK
Better get used to making windows for multi-unit developments. by Anton Van Dyk
Has Energy Star snapped the price elastic? by Phil Lewin
www.fenestrationreview.com
Innovation reboot
by Patrick Flannery
Turns out fenestration technology could still advance.
You’ll see on Phil Lewin’s back page column his observation that Energy Star, the program the Canadian and American governments have used to promote energy-efficient windows for decades, may be running up against the limits of economic reality. Lewin has been a keen supporter of Energy Star for a long time, and he makes the interesting point that always, in the past, our industry was able to innovate so quickly that Energy Star struggled to maintain its brand as an identifier of the very highest-performing products in the market. No sooner would Energy Star tighten its requirements than we would respond with affordable products that met or exceeded them. These designs would flood into the market until the percentage of products qualifying for Energy Star designation was far higher than the target 10-to-15 percent – probably closer to 50 percent at different times in the program’s history. We have this dynamic to thank for the much higher level of performance we expect from Canadian windows today versus what it was when the program started.
But the requirements have now hit the limits of what we can do with double-paned insulating glass and low-E coatings. Any further tightening will mandate triples, which will take products into a price point that most renovation customers won’t bear. The price elastic will snap, and the effectiveness of Energy Star as a marketing tool will diminish. Lewin predicts further promotion of efficient fenestration will depend on one of three approaches: government rebates, code tightening or significant R&D developments.
I’m here to say that, based on what I saw a couple weeks ago, the third option may be the most likely. Thanks to Art Huard and NVoy, I had an opportunity to travel to Litchfield, Mi., and visit Luxwall’s amazing vacuum insulating glass production facility there. The CEO, Scott Thomsen, gave me the guided tour and let me tell you there are things going on there that I have never seen in
any other glass fabrication operation. Correction: most of the things happening there are things I haven’t seen happening in other glass fabrication operations. Just about every aspect of the process incorporates a level of automation, technical innovation and engineering and chemical ingenuity that goes well beyond the usual standard. Robots that place pillars the size of grains of sand without knocking them over. Other robots that put eightby-five-foot sheets of glass on top of those pillars without knocking them down. Super-precise primer application. “Hypertempering.” Clamps that look like they were made by a blacksmith but applied by robots and achieving extremely precise clamping forces. The result is vacuum insulating glass that costs approximately three times per square foot what a triple low-E double IG would cost – and is four times more insulating at a width of eight millimeters. Stay tuned to the Fenestration Review channels in the weeks ahead for more details of this amazing operation.
The upfront cost of a VIG window is still high enough that residential buyers will not be able to justify it with energy savings alone. But if we’re mandated to build net zero, low-carbon houses, a window that insulates almost as well as the wall next to it and uses less material could be justified with savings on the HVAC system and other building components. And the costs of VIG are already coming down as companies like LuxWall pile into the business and start to amortize the upfront innovation charges.
So it looks like Energy Star may soon be challenged again to define itself as the gold standard of energy efficiency if VIG products leave even its best-performing products in the dust. It’s not an urgent problem; we are years away from VIG approaching anything like 10 percent of the market. But it certainly may be that technology is going to force Energy Star to move the goalposts again in the foreseeable future...and that’s a good thing.
POWERLINK
Quanex is proud to unveil PowerLink—another groundbreaking innovation from AmesburyTruth!
PowerLink is a concealed hinged wiring conduit that enables seamless power transfer to a window’s operable sash, unlocking new possibilities for hardwired smart home capabilities. By enabling technologies such as switchable privacy glass, electrochromic tinting, transparent solar energy harvesting, and motorized blinds between the glass, it expands the potential of operable windows beyond traditional fixed sash applications.
INDUSTRY NEWS
New PVC recycling program introduced
The Vinyl Institute of Canada has announced Project WinFinity, a national pilot program stewarded by the association and aimed at recycling post-consumer PVC windows. This initiative, in partnership with Formosa Plastics Corporation, U.S.A., the National Research Council of Canada and Vision Extrusions Group, will help establish a circular recycling system for vinyl windows across Canada. The project is also supported by Fenestration Canada, Strategic Materials Inc., the Municipal Waste Association of Ontario, the Siding and Window Dealers Association of Canada, Viking Recyclers and EPL Plastics.
“This collaboration marks a major step toward diverting vinyl and glass from landfills and creating new products from old windows,” said project lead, Tony Vella of Vision Extrusions Group.
Marzieh Riahinezhad, research officer at the NRC and the project’s technical lead, noted, “The pilot aims to minimize plastic waste and contribute to reducing the Canadian construction sector’s carbon footprint.”
President and CEO of the VIC, Aine Curran, added, “We’re building on the success of our 2020 PVC 123 Medical Recycling Project partnership with Environment and Climate Change Canada. This new initiative further proves the recyclability of PVC and the industry’s commitment toward a circular economy.”
Fred Neske of Formosa Plastics emphasized the envi-
Elton adds U.S. manufacturing
Elton Manufacturing, a supplier of weatherstripping and windows for garage doors and entry doors in North America, is pleased to announce its acquisition of the assets of Decatur Plastic Products in North Vernon, Ind. Elton will uphold its brand identity by operating in the U.S. as Elton USA.
Gary Riley Jr., current vice-president of operations and a long-time shareholder of DPP, has assumed the position of president of Elton USA. For over 40 years Elton Manufacturing has striven to be a leader in the industry. The acquisition of DPP positions Elton to better serve its existing U.S. customers by strategically placing Elton in the heart of the American garage door and entry door industry. It cements its commitment to reinforce its presence and expand product offerings across the U.S.A. “With this new addition to the Elton family, we will be able to strengthen our relationships with our U.S. customers, gain support and expertise from DPP’s highly skilled operations team, and increase
ronmental value. “Recycling post-consumer PVC windows cuts CO2 emissions, saves raw materials and keeps waste out of landfills.”
The two-year Ontario pilot is expected to be in full operation by Sept. 19, aligning with World Clean Up Day, which addresses the global solid waste problem and marine debris. The project is designed to evaluate a recycled content model for vinyl windows and set the stage for broader recycling systems. Collection and processing of post-consumer windows will be focused within the Greater Toronto Area, organized by the Win-Finity Task Group, from the removal of windows to their reuse in new products.
capacity to achieve our growth strategy,” said Tom Boer, founder of Elton Manufacturing.
Having recently outgrown its four Canadian manufacturing facilities, the Elton/DPP partnership is a pivotal moment in Elton’s 44-year history, signifying the advent of a major U.S. expansion. “With the support of DPP’s specialized and seasoned injection moulding specialists, Elton will become a stronger partner to its U.S. customers while continuing to provide the unparalleled quality, technical expertise, innovation and service we are known for,” says Sandro Pigliarolo, Elton’s senior vice-president of technical operations. For the past three months, Elton has been producing window frames in DPP’s Indiana facility, working closely with all levels of management and production to ensure mutual synergy in company values, culture, service and quality standards. “We are confident that this acquisition aligns with Elton’s values and goals, and we are looking forward to continue to expand production in Indiana and assist our customers in our next stage of growth,” adds Andrew Beavan, Elton’s senior vicepresident of sales.
DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
Does it surprise you to hear that SAWDAC receives a lot of calls from unhappy consumers who feel that they have exhausted every other opportunity to get their dealer to deal with and resolve their perceived problem? Generally, we get these calls just before the consumer decides to go to court, which is a lose-lose proposition.
Calls generally come in to our office where we triage and decide how to respond. Technical concerns are passed to the appropriate resource. Generally a bit of research and reaching out to the dealer in question is an early part of the process. SAWDAC inspections are not free. Sometimes a dealer or even a manufacturer will pay to have us send out an inspector to give an unbiased view of the situation. This occurs because our dealers are often willing to accept that they might have missed something and are glad to have assistance in diagnosing a situation.
Now here is the tricky part. Just because a consumer is unhappy, it doesn’t mean they are always right. Expectations are not necessarily part of a reasonable contract. As a part of the window and door industry, SAWDAC has to overcome perceived bias in favour of the dealer. A homeowner who is told why their installation or parts are to industry standards will sometimes respond that the association will always defend an installation company. This is unfortunate when it happens and it is a bitter pill to swallow because SAWDAC makes every effort to be fair and neutral, even when we have to tell one of our members that they have a problem in the field that should be rectified.
A typical issue where SAWDAC has to tell a homeowner that their dealer has not performed badly is with caulking against
old brick. To do the job correctly, it can be necessary to get caulk into the mortar groove. This can look cosmetically messy, but it may be the best way to achieve a proper seal. On the other hand, if an installer discovers a rotten sill and tries to hide it without proper remediation, we will offer an honest appraisal to the dealer, giving the dealer every chance to correct the deficiency. Our goal is to get a job corrected, not to embarrass a dealer who may not be aware that there is a problem.
When we do get contacted by a homeowner, the first thing we look at is whether or not the dealer in question is a SAWDAC or Window Wise dealer. A SAWDAC dealer has made a commitment to an industry code of ethics. We can immediately offer the homeowner reassurance that, if there is a problem, the dealer will want to resolve it. This always lowers the blood pressure of the homeowner, giving the dealer a better timeframe to evaluate the situation and resolve the issue.
While the same is true for a Window Wise dealer (they are also SAWDAC members), it is much more likely that a perceived failing is a matter of communication because an install done to Window Wise specifications will have industryleading technical consistency. The proven superiority of the Window Wise installation is why in the past grant programs have often been tied to Window Wise. It is also why SAWDAC has turned away companies that are either not capable or not interested in consistently installing windows to the program standards. This doesn’t mean that a dealer who would qualify to be a Window Wise member always chooses to become one. There are dealers who tell us their local reputation is so strong that it is not necessary for them
to have the endorsement of the program for sales success. However, by choosing to not be a member, it makes it easier for a bad actor in our industry to make the same claim to a homeowner when competing for the sale. The truth is, if every qualified dealer joined and supported the Window Wise program, homeowners would be able to see that the non-members trying to get their business are clearly not up to the task.
- Jason Neal, executive director
CHECK OUT OUR NEW LOOK
SAWDAC has rebranded to signify its growth and shift to focus on all stakeholders within the fenestration and renovation industry across Canada. The rebranding, including a new logo, reflects the association’s evolving role and readiness to face future challenges in the siding, door and window industry. This move is presented as a natural progression, similar to the revitalization of Window Wise over the past few years. The rebranding includes a complete redesign of marketing materials, featuring new logos and graphics. The new logo incorporates a simplified red house and a Canadian maple leaf with a house outline, symbolizing the various trades SAWDAC represents and collaborates with.
TEE OFF SEPT. 10
Our 34th annual golf tournament takes place Sept. 10 at Turtle Creek Golf Club in Guelph, Ont. Register online at sawdac. com.
Westlab sold to Verdis Solutions
Fenestration test labs Veridis Solutions and WestLab are now sister companies. Described as “a strategic alliance to enhance service delivery and innovation,” Veridis Solutions and WestLab are now operating under a unified ownership structure. The announcement calls the move a strategic alignment that represents a significant milestone in the evolution of both organizations, enabling enhanced collaboration and the leveraging of complementary expertise.
Jean-Michel Dussault now leads both companies as the principal executive, promising to ensure the implementation of a cohesive vision and unified strategic direction for the benefit of clients, partners and employees. Jeff Baker now holds the position of chief technology officer at WestLab.
“Our commitment remains unchanged: to support you with rigor, quality, and trust,” Dussault commented. “We look forward to helping you benefit from the advantages of this new synergy. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or to learn more.”
“WestLab joining forces with Veridis is a great opportunity for both companies and I am excited to be involved in a team that will be the largest simulation organization in North America,” said Jeff Baker, former president of WestLab.
Paquette becomes president of Everlast
Dallas Paquette has been named president of Toronto’s Everlast. Mike Bruno stays on as CEO of Everlast Group. A number of other Everlast executives have been given broader responsibilities. Since joining Everlast in 2020, Paquette has made significant contributions to Everlast’s success in all aspects of business. With extensive senior management experience in companies of all sizes, Everlast said Paquette is a creative and compassionate leader with a knack for bringing people together. He will be responsible for executing the strategic plan and will oversee all day-to-day operations. Johnny Bruno has been appointed vicepresident of supply chain and logistics. Having grown up in the business, Johnny has deep connections with all stakeholders in the Everlast family. He will collaborate with vendors, suppliers and installation teams to strengthen these already strong relationships.
Q1 permits edge up
Statistics Canada reports the total value of building permits in the first quarter was $39.1 billion, up 2.9 percent from the previous quarter ($38 billion), a fifth consecutive quarterly increase. British Columbia ($1.7 billion) led the growth in construction intentions. The residential sector grew $1.5 billion (5.9 percent) to $25.9 billion in the first quarter, fuelled by a gain in the multi-family component ($1.5 billion; 9.6 percent) to reach a record high of $17.3 billion. The gain in multifamily construction intentions was
concentrated in British Columbia ($1.2 billion), driven by broad-based growth in the Vancouver area. Meanwhile, single-family construction intentions edged down $55 million (0.6 percent) to $8.6 billion, with Alberta ($75.2 million) and Ontario ($64.1 million) leading the decline. Nova Scotia (up $34.7 million) tempered these losses, along with five other provinces and one territory. Non-residential construction intentions declined by $354.1 million (2.6 percent) to $13.2 billion in the first quarter, a second consecutive quarterly
Aug. 20 Fenestration Manitoba Golf Winnipeg fenestrationcanada.ca
Aug. 27
Omnium AVFQ Lachute, Que. avfq.ca
Sept. 10 SAWDAC Golf Guelph, Ont. sawdac.com
Oct. 6 - 9 FGIA Fall Conference
Indianapolis, Ind. fgiaonline.org
Oct. 8 - 9
WinDoor 2025 Toronto windoorshow.ca
Oct. 21
Top Glass West Calgary topglasswest.ca
Oct. 29
FenBC Region Virtual Summit Surrey, B.C. fgiaonline.org
decline. Decreases in the industrial ($884.5 million) and institutional ($60.7 million) components were tempered by a gain in the commercial component ($591.1 million).
National installation training launched
The Professional Home Builders Institute and Fenestration Canada have announced the launch of the Fenestration (Window and Door) Installer Program, a new online, nationally accessible training program focused on windows and doors in modern construction. The program is the culmination of a fiveyear partnership between PHBI and Fenestration Canada, which began in 2020. The Fenestration (Window and Door) Installer Program addresses the need for more advanced window installation training by offering comprehensive training that covers both the technical and practical aspects of window and door installation systems. The training offers a comprehensive program enhancing industry expertise, designed to elevate the skills of both new and experienced professionals. The program is tailored for new residential construction, with a focus on modern building methods and industry best practices. Both project management and installation intricacies are covered, ensuring professionals can effectively manage projects
from start to finish. The courses address common installation pitfalls, helping professionals avoid costly mistakes and improve overall quality. Training materials focus on National Building Code requirements and best practices, ensuring compliance with Canadian law. The concentration is on professionals in wood-frame construction, with specialized modules for the most common residential building types. The scope covers exterior window and door installation, from selection to final installation. Insights from planning to project completion are included, providing a holistic view of the fenestration installation process. The course delivers much of the knowledge required to pass the Fenestration Canada Installer Certification Exam.
“This program is a major step forward in addressing the growing complexity of today’s building envelope systems,” said Keith Kristalovich, vice-president of the Professional Home Builders Institute.
“Fenestration is one of the most misunderstood yet critical components of a building,” added Terry Adamson, technical director at Fenestration Canada. “With this program, we’re helping to demystify it and raise the bar across the industry. We believe this is going to make a real difference on job sites across the country.”
COVER STORY
TRADITION AND TECHNOLOGY
The Wooden Window and Door Company uses modern machinery and traditional methods to create beautiful fenestration.
Even in our hurry-up world, highly skilled craftspeople still build windows and door systems with traditional materials and to oldtime standards for special buildings like churches, museums, heritage buildings and even luxury homes. Troy Wood, founder and owner of The Wooden Window and Door Company in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley, is one of these people whose portfolio showcases work for a client list just like this.
by CARROLL MCCORMICK
RIGHT: Troy Wood moved from IT to woodworking, teaching himself the trade. The challenge of replacing heritage church windows motivated him to focus on difficult custom projects.
Before taking up his current trade as a builder of exquisite windows and door entrance systems, Wood worked as an IT specialist in Halifax. During the transition, he says, “I did IT work for about five years parallel to having this company.”
Self-taught, he began his self-apprenticeship in his home before moving his equipment into a church in Woodville, N.S., that he purchased in 2004; “Methodist Church 1921” is chiseled on the cornerstone. He had it rewired to handle the demands of power-hungry industrial power tools and, unable to find anyone willing to sheath the huge roof with metal, he did it himself. “I didn’t like it, but I did it,” he says.
part of the challenge. I sold it to the church for a very good price,” he says.
For that assignment he made an exact replica of the dilapidated window and reinstalled the original glass - specialty work that he enjoys. He reverse-engineers the originals, at least one of which landed on his doorstep as a box full of pieces.
As he felt his way into the trade, a project that helped establish his reputation was a window he replicated and reinstalled in 2006 for the old Holy Trinity church in Middletown, roughly a 35-minute drive from his spacious shop.
“It was a large arch-top wooden window about six feet wide and 12 feet high. For that one the difficulty level would have been off the charts. It is
“There is no other place they can get that work done. They are good revenue generators. I put them back together and do drawings and feed them to the CNC machine. Most such projects are for churches,” he says. “East of Montreal I get a lot of phone calls,” he adds. Wood is pretty certain that the next closest shop capable of doing what he does is in Montreal.
The biggest church window commission he has undertaken is a set of six, 16-foot by six-foot window frames for the St. David’s church on Grafton Street in Halifax, and filled with stained glass created by Lynette Richards, another Nova Scotia artisan featured in Fenestration Review. Wood’s
company website showcases many other window designs, including eyebrow and barrel dormers.
Wood builds a variety of wooden door systems, and his portfolio includes projects for historic properties such as the Tattingstone Inn, built in 1874 and located in Wolfville, N.S., and luxury homes. One client, name withheld, is an actor in the Nova Scotia-based Trailer Park Boys series. Examples of work coming out of his shop include single side doors, a Dutch door with dentil shelf, and many variations on the double door theme – with and without transoms and sidelights. Detailing includes complex muntins and transoms with arched tops. Finishing touches include
multipoint locks, biometric readers, custom-designed hardware and custom ironwork. Sizes can vary from standard to huge – the door in an entrance system that Wood shipped to Prince Edward Island measured 48 by 98 inches.
His shop is populated with machines such as planers, 37-inch drum sanders, shapers, drill presses, a 12-by-80-inch jointer, shelf upon shelf of bits and cutting tools, and a beefy and rare horizontal slot mortiser built in Brazil.
The piece de resistance, though, is his four-axis CNC machine with a 13-by-sevenfoot bed. It performs tasks such as cutting slots for locksets, engraving, profiling and replicating complex shapes for door and
window parts such as arches. His website notes, “We also offer full CAD/CAM and modeling services, all remotely achieved.” Another service offered with the CNC machine is custom signage.
He also uses it to cut single-pane glass. For thermopanes, though, he hires Vitro Architectural Glass in Burnside Park in Dartmouth. He grins, “When they get an order from me, they say, ‘What crazy shape does he have this time?’”
Wood uses only mahogany: Brazilian, sapele, and khaya. “These are the only species I use. Mahogany is much harder than white pine but much softer than any maple. It is very absorbent to finishes,” he explains. “Mahogany can be very furry
Installing a mahogany window frame in the Yarmouth County Museum in Yarmouth, N.S. (Photos byTroy Wood)
COVER STORY
and difficult to sand, but its characteristics – bug- and climateresistance – and stability makes its cost/benefit worth it.”
His lumber supply is breathtaking. Drawn to the mahogany stacked in his freshly vacuumed shop, I crouch down for a closer look. Some of the rough-sawn boards (planks, really) are clear, over two feet wide, quarter-sawn and perfectly flat.
On the main floor of the church where the pews used to be (the floor slopes gently toward the stage) are stacked several hundred more planks. All this material – axes and paintings and bottles and sleds and lamps and baskets and at least three complete door
BUILDING ENVELOPE TESTING
systems, one of them designed for a home with a 14-foot ceiling – soften the sound of our voices. “This is what a church should sound like,” I exclaim to my host.
I spot a massive plank that must be a good 20 inches wide that looks a bit dirty and, I think, should never touch a cutting head. I point, and Wood explains that he uses it as a ramp up which he wheels in fresh lumber supplies. Now that is the definition of luxury.
Off to the side of the bottom of the staircase that winds down to the shop is a tiny room where granite gets cut for doorsills. Polished black granite is the default, but some clients satisfy their tastes with stone they obtain elsewhere.
Curious about how the doors and windows can withstand the elements, I ask what kind of glue he uses. “I use Type 3 boat building wood glue. You can glue two pieces underwater and it still holds,” Wood says.
And the finish? “For the film forming, if the client elects to go with that, we use a two-part catalysed polyurethane. This is an example of a solvent-based finish. The problem with film forming finishes, though, is that they will eventually peel. Water gets behind it and that looks unsightly. I encourage non-film forming.”
We move on to multiple-part locks and biometric readers. A biometric reader operates a motor fed with a 24-volt current fed in through the door hinges. The motor is connected to a transmission in the door that is connected to three locks: top, middle and bottom. They are, he explains, less about keeping out thieves and more about keeping out the weather.
“The whole thing about multipoint locks is [that they speak to] people’s fear that wooden doors will separate from the weatherstripping. This is what people don’t like about fibreglass and wooden doors. The multipoint lock keeps the door sucked against the weatherstripping in February, the driest month of the year,”
Wood uses only mahogany, liking its durability and structural stability.
An arched transom and sidelights frame these double doors.
he explains. He and the two contractors who have worked for him for a collective 30 years select pieces of wood for the doors that are just the teensiest bit cupped, something only an expert eye would notice. I respect this exquisitely subtle feat, considering that all the wood passes through machines whose main purpose it is to produce perfectly flat finished boards.
Imagine a completed door with just the barest hint of a [rectangular] parachute shape, Wood suggests. When the door closes, that multi-point lock sucks the door tight against the weatherstripping, giving the wood a bit of grace to shrink in the coldest, dryest month without pulling away from the weatherstripping.
Yes, manufacturers of windows and doors using modern materials have their own challenges, special techniques and machinery. Wood, however, (the material, not the man) is often capricious and some of the techniques – like wood itself as medium – border on the anachronistic. “Mortis and tenon joinery are not done any more in modern building techniques. They use dowels,” Wood says.
Wood’s shop leans heavily on power tools, but a few tools are from a different era. He hands me a curious-looking plane with a thin, flexible sole and two interlocking gears on one side. He cranks a knob to bend the sole concave, then cranks it again to make it convex. He lectures as he demonstrates it on a curved piece of mahogany. “We still use a compass plane for cleaning up curves. There is no equivalent.”
WHY JOSEPH?
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Need two complex parts completely cut, fabricated and ready for the next step in under 60 seconds? No problem
Wood works his magic in this 104-year-old former church.
by Anton Van Dyk
THE WINDOW GEEK
Leveling up
Supplying multi-unit builds means more responsibility.
Istarted my career in the world of building science right at the start of the Leaky Condo crisis in B.C. in the late ‘90s. My job in my early 20s was climbing up the exterior of buildings, poking holes in the cladding and finding where water was entering and causing deterioration. I still consider this the best way to learn, dissecting the failures of others and then developing systems and processes to move forward.
The leaky condos in B.C. happened because of changes to the energy codes in the late ‘70s. This code change did not make buildings leak more (it was discovered that most buildings leaked) but it slowed down the rate at which buildings dried. When your drying potential is lower than the wetting potential, you start to have issues. In the case of Leaky Condos, “issues” translated into $4 billion of damage across 900 buildings and the collapse of the NHWBC home warranty program.
So what did this mean for the fenestration industry? Well, over the past few decades, processes have been developed in more exposed buildings that are designed to reduce those risks. As energy codes work to keep the conditioned air inside the building, we need to focus on keeping the exterior out of the building. As a result, more exposed buildings often come with more risk and, with more risk, comes more design responsibility for professionals. Understanding this risk mitigation process is the first step to understanding why certain things are done on multi-family projects that you don’t see in single-family homes.
That’s why there are usually design consultants on multi-family buildings. A Coordinating Registered Professional (CRP) otherwise known as an architect is required to take design responsibility for the overall design of a building. But most architects are not qualified to design an entire building and therefore hire Supportive Registered Professionals who specialize in their specific field. This is why you will often have a specialized build-
ing envelope consultant on a project. As a supplier to the project, this is someone you probably want to get to know.
Understanding this process and the hierarchy of design responsibility is the next step to understanding why you will be faced with certain criteria that you may have never come across before. There are additional considerations for manufacturers supplying a multi-family project. Engineered shop drawings are one. These are not just drawings that summarize items, they are documents used to engineer solutions such as guard load and wind load acting on glass and frames. These engineering documents will determine glass thickness and if tempered is needed. Understanding this process is very important to be able to bid on projects correctly and to capture the right costs.
Air- and water-tightness testing is the other aspect that that can catch suppliers off guard. In single-family homes you often just need to show NAFS compliance via labels, but on multifamily buildings it is common for a field test to be performed to verify actual performance once installed. This can put significant pressure on a supplier to ensure their manufacturing processes stay consistent.
Some might see these leveling-up aspects as over the top, but the impact these processes had in B.C., post-Leaky Condos, was to reduce the risk of failure because more attention was paid to the higherrisk issues. It also spreads out the risk to multiple design professionals, so the manufacturer is not burdened with all the responsibility for compliance. Structural engineers take on responsibility for life safety and envelope consultants take on responsibility for environmental management. If the manufacturer can meet their expectations, the overall risk of future issues is significantly reduced.
Anton Van Dyk is a fenestration consultant at JRS Engineering.
NORTH AMERICA’S PREMIER FABRICATOR OF AWARD WINNING ALUMINUM WINDOWS AND DOORS
With over 40 years of experience, our reputation in the fenestration industry continues to be at the top. Together with our European partners, Schüco, Reynaers, and Keller, we push the limits of architectural design and engineering, in high performance windows and doors that stand up to North American conditions, meet Passive House, and Net Zero requirements.
ARCHITECT: Makow Associates PHOTOGRAPHER: KiaNikan Studio
by ADRIAN EDGE
PUT ON A COAT TO STAY COOL
A modest proposal for mitigating solar heat gain through glass.
Let’s paint a picture that is increasingly common in some of the most populated areas in Canada. A single-family home or multi-family building is designed to become net zero or Passive House-certified with the promise to not only decrease the energy use of the house down to a point that a future sustainable energy system could be installed to provide electricity, but additionally to ensure occupant comfort.
Once the shading has been value-engineered out of a building’s design, there’s nothing between the sun and the room except the glass. Low-E coatings should be considered to prevent cooling load from blowing up the energy use calculations.
The architect and owner want to maximize the amount of glazing space for esthetic purposes so the building is designed with glazing at the maximum buildable size or close to it. As outlined in the specifications, the build requires a solar heat gain (SHGC) of .35 from the windows and doors to meet the building’s energy targets. The original plans included solar shading options such as solar
fins to ensure the sun at the hottest points of the day is limited, potentially exterior blinds, and likely a cooling system. As the build progresses, the solar fins, exterior blinds and even the cooling system are “value engineered” out.
As the contracts are awarded, each window and door manufacturer finds themselves having to provide reasoning on why they cannot meet the .35
SHGC specified. The issue is that the number specified is nearly impossible to meet with current industry solutions. What the fenestration industry has available is one silver low-E coating, two silver low-E coatings, three silver low-E coatings, or a hard coat applied to the interior surface of the insulated glass unit. There’s some variability between manufacturers but, as a general rule of thumb, if using a single coat of low-E we can expect an SHGC between .42 and .50. At two coats of low-E, we can expect between .26 and .3. With the exception of the hard coat, the cost of the three different options of low-E coatings are minor and have limited visibility differences. The energy model shows that the build will use less electricity if more heat gain is prioritized, so the one silver low-E coating is chosen.
At the end of the project, the build team has done an excellent job exceeding the air tightness targets and successfully met the energy use targets required to meet net zero or Passive House certification. They’ve used some of the best insulation methods and installed an efficient HRV system. The building gets its formal induction to the Canadian Homebuilder Association’s Net Zero program or the Passive House Institute’s Passive House certification plaque. Homeowners move in and their new suite is designed to ensure that their energy costs are low and designed to keep the suite at a comfortable range between 22.5 and 27.5 degrees (when using Passive House’s comfort scale with the maximum acceptable metric). Unfortunately for these homeowners, neither of those last items holds up in the first summer of occupancy.
What they experience is significant overheating, especially in those areas where the windows or doors are on a southern- or westfacing elevation with large glazing areas. Depending on the extent of the value engineering, the tenants are left with limited options if they want to feel comfortable and stay in their house. The typical solutions at this stage are to put in a cooling unit outfitted to one of the operable windows (driving up the energy use), add fans whenever possible (increasing the room temperature), and attempting to block the sunlight with internal blinds (which still leads to the same amount of heat gain but without a direct area of discomfort). Not only is this a failure of the intended design, but it can lead to health and safety issues.
We need to answer a question to move forward. How did a solar heat gain coefficient metric commonly assigned to projects become unattainable by window and door manufacturers and critical for actualizing a high-performance energy model? The answer is passive heating. To explain passive heating, I am going to borrow an explanation made by Al Jaugelis in his “Glass Properties for Thermal Comfort” paper to help make the concept of solar heat gain coefficient easier to grasp using a concept called “relative heat gain” which puts the coefficient into wattsper-meter-squared using the worst-case scenario of a west-facing elevation in the late afternoon.
In a typical net zero or Passive house build, windows and doors are all triple-glazed, with either a low-E coat on an exterior surface or an exterior and interior surface. Let’s assume that there’s a sliding door at the NFRC-standard size of 2,000-by-2,000 millimeters and a fixed window at 1,200-by-1,500 millimeters in a room. The
total watts-per-meter-squared generated by both of those items – if we are being generous to say there is an exterior and interior layer of one silver low-E coating applied – would be 1,710. This is more than a typical space heater would produce. In contrast, if two silvers were used on an exterior surface and a single silver used on an interior surface, the total W/m2 would be 1,080 and, with three silvers on the exterior, 810 W/m2. For modelers that are focused on heating demand, this is an excellent way to limit the amount of work required on the mechanical system. Unfortunately, cooling demand is either not considered or is weighed in such a way that this “free” energy is prioritized over the potential downsides of overheating. In a limited and biased capacity, current modelling tools can consider the balance of both the upside of passive heating with the downsides of the potential overheating. With the energy modelling community in its first decade of being a player in the decision-making of building design coupled with energy efficiency growing into the building evaluation process, there is a lack of competent professionals willing to own the responsibility of making decisions that prioritize the building needs as a whole. Like many processes, a spreadsheet or similar logic thread is created by a professional group, qualified by the appropriate parties and the outcome is taken as gospel without considering the specifics of the building that the model was qualified for.
This lack of importance or focus in the modelling for cooling demand is at the heart of the issue and is a topic that many on the regulatory and design side of the construction industry are working towards improving. There are deep waters to wade into to understand the intricacies of the energy modelling logic in Canada and its shortcomings.
What can done to improve the solar gain from glass? As outlined above, by adding two silver low-E coatings to an exterior surface or three, we can half the solar gain from the windows and doors, decreasing the temperature gain by as much as six degrees modelled under NFRC summer environmental conditions. In the short term, the qualified professional on record or architect on record needs to have the ability to override the requirements for high solar gain on the glass to avoid the risks to the health and safety of the occupants and the foreseeable consequences of the suites overheating. The authority to make the decision needs to be in the hands of a professional capable of seeing the full picture. With support from the code bodies, cities and public sector developers, a statement could be made to ensure that, while developing improvements to cooling load considerations, the appropriate professionals can make that decision. In the long term, additional work is needed to improve our energy modelling to include appropriate climate model data, balance the need for heating and cooling, work with the groups creating modelling tools to ensure the cooling load is considered and improve both access and understanding of potential passive cooling measures in Canada.
Decreasing solar heat gain through the glass will not fix overheating in buildings but it’s a good first step in making the bigger problem of occupant comfort better.
Adrian Edge is Fenestration Canada’s director of codes and regulatory affairs.
Report from the Summer Conference
by Amy Roberts
The Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance online Summer Conference went live on June 17 and 18, supercharging laptops across the country with quality discussions and education. If you missed it, coverage of the sessions are available online at fgiaonline.org/news. But here’s a recap of what went down.
With the economy top-of-mind, Rhett Bender of Ducker Carlisle presented results from the FGIA’s U.S. market study and took questions from the online audience. He addressed current trends and changes in the fenestration market and several scenarios for tariffs, inflation and immigration. Bender reported total housing starts fell by three percent across the U.S. in 2024 driven by a 25-percent decrease in multi-family starts offsetting increases in single-family starts. He predicted another slight decrease in 2025 followed by a rebound in 2026. Window demand was sluggish with prime windows decreasing two percent and new housing demand increasing one percent, with a further one percent increase in 2025. Remodel/ replacement demand fell by five percent and was forecasted to shrink another one percent this year.
Louis-Philippe Champagne of the Canadian Construction Association spoke to conditions north of the border. He noted that political turbulence was causing unprecedented uncertainty and challenging economic headwinds. He urged business owners to remain informed and proactive to navigate the evolving landscape. Kathy Krafka Harkema, FGIA technical operations director, also took the mic to outline several political factors influencing the commercial market in the U.S.
Resilience is the new buzz word in sustainable building so two speakers – Alan Scott of Intertek and Sean Fowler of Q-Lab – gave educational presentations on property resilience assessments (PRA) and architectural weathering. Fowler presented the results of a five-year weathering test on fluoropolymer coatings.
Scott focused on two pieces of news: the update to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) as well as a new ASTM guide. He identified three elements of built environ-
ment resilience: safety, integrity and functionality. Important documents addressing resiliency include the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive regulation; California’s SB 261 focused on climate-related financial risk reporting; ASTM E3429-24, a new guide about PRAs; the LEED v5 resilience assessment released in April; and codes such as ICC 2027 flood standards. Fowler’s study validated a 4,000-hour screening test and was a five-year study that concluded in 2024. It involved 13 topcoats from 10 manufacturers. The study looked at the correlation between natural and accelerated weathering of industrial maintenance coatings. Samples were tested via natural outdoor weathering and accelerated outdoor weathering using a series of mirrors. Three accelerated methods exhibited good correlation to three years of Florida weathering for both colour and gloss. In general, the study found total UV dosage in accelerated testing needs to be comparable to outdoor dosage for good correlation. The five-year Florida results show many false positive results from accelerated tests at lower dosages.
The above is just a taste of the many informative presentations we had at the Summer Conference this year. Login to fgia-online.org to soak up all the great information.
Amy Roberts is FGIA’s Director of Canadian and Technical Glass Operations.
FENESTRATION CANADA
The time of our lives
Our 2024 events had the perfect blend of business and fun.
It’s been a vibrant and eventful year for Fenestration Canada! On April 7, the Pacific Chapter hosted an engaging event in Surrey, B.C., featuring insightful educational sessions and a networking mixer. Highlights included Anton Van Dyk (JRS Engineering) sharing an overview of the BC Hydro MURB rebate program and Tanya Ratzlaff (Home Performance Contractor Network) presenting the latest updates and offers from HPCN. Kyle Cartwright and Terry Adamson moderated a compelling panel discussion covering key industry topics such as glass guards, restrictors, solar heat gain coefficient and dark coatings.
C ontinuing the momentum, the second annual Commercial Glazing Conference took place the following day, showcasing advancements and trends in the commercial fenestration sector. Not to be outdone, FenCon 2025 kicked off that day after that in Winnipeg at the RBC Convention Center. This dynamic three-day event brought together industry leaders, innovators and fenestration professionals, delivering an outstanding lineup of speakers and sessions. These included G rant Walkin’s (Litebox) “Windows in Walls with Exterior Insulation;” Adrian Edge’s (FenCan) latest updates on the US/Canada trade war; R ob Spewak’s (Efficiency Manitoba) compelling overview of the “Building Envelope Program;” and Arthur Huard’s (NVOY Architectural Products) review of cutting-edge fire-resistive glass performance data and insights into vacuum insulated glass innovations. A panel discussion featu red Zhen Liu (Silex), Dave Goldsmith (Cornerstone Building Brands) and Bryan Boyle (Intertek), moderated by Terry Adamson, exploring Fenestration Canada’s onsite testing documents and the impact of CSA A440.8 standards. FenCon wrapped up with a memorable tour of MacDon Industries
T he 2025 Fenestration Canada Spring Conference, held May 27 to 30 at the historic Lord Nelson Hotel in Halifax, N.S., was a huge success, blending industry innovation, collaboration and a touch of East
Coast hospitality. Jayme Tilley of Screenco Manufacturing was recognized with the 2025 Fenestration Canada President’s Award at the President’s Dinner. Jayme embodies the spirit of professionalism and volunteerism, selflessly dedicating time and sharing expertise to drive the industry forward. She is highly deserving of this recognition.
In the sessions, Joe Rogers highlighted critical changes to maritime fenestration codes, including the use of the term “safety glazing” in updated regulations; Adrian Edge explored the implications of the 2025 National Building Code’s solar heat gain coefficient values for windows, doors, and skylights; C am Drew (FenCan) urged attendees to rethink processes with Lean tools ; A nton Van Dyk (JRS Engineering) provided updates on the 2020 National Building Code (Part 5) for fenestration; and Terry, Cam, and Adrian convened with industry leaders to discuss the future of manufacturing within the fenestration industry.
G uardian’s Geoff Shellard, the original “glasshole,” took home the 2025 Most Valuable Volunteer award in a lighthearted karaoke face-off. His contributions to Fenestration Canada and the window, door and commercial glazing community were enthusiastically celebrated!
T he success of FenCan’s 2025 Spring Conference wouldn’t have been possible without our passionate volunteers, insightful speakers and knowledgeable panelists, generous sponsors and supportive partners, the warm, maritime hospitality of the Atlantic Chapter team.
M issed out? Sessions are available on Fenestration Canada’s YouTube channel. Watch for important takeaways and announcements as we gear up for WinDoor 2025 in Toronto this October.
A heartfelt thank you to the speakers, exhibitors, sponsors, and attendees who made FenCon 2025 a standout success. Your support ensures that our industry continues to thrive and innovate.
BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE
The professional way
It tough times, we go back to the basics of making more sales.
by David Nunn
The president of the United States is making life tougher for everyone, both in Canada and for our friends south of the border. The next four years will prove to be much tougher for us all. For our businesses to survive, we need to address this problem. Canadian manufacturers and suppliers of windows and doors will find it far more difficult to sell our products due to increased material costs caused by both U.S. and retaliatory Canadian tariffs. We must fight back with every method we have. One suggestion on how to fight and survive is to increase company sales. Most companies will require more sales to be able to stay afloat. Our efforts must include harder work, innovative selling ideas, much better inventory control and the improvement of
many of our past practices. The “harder work” and “improved material stocks” parts you will have to look after yourselves, as every company has a different range of problems. I expect you will all have your own ideas on “how to sell more product,” but I would like to offer some suggestions. Let’s start by reminding you of some of the facts related to the sales process.
BE THE LAST VISIT
Window shopping is a fact of life. We visit the mall, the car dealer, the internet and the big box store. We look at and view different products. We discuss until, eventually, we decide that we have sufficient knowledge, to be able to make a purchase. Be aware that
knowledge and ego are directly related. The less knowledge, the greater the ego.
A Canada-wide study has proven that window and door buyers usually buy from the second or third company that they visit. Let me explain. At the first stop, our potential customer, Jane and John Doe, are provided with basic information. Vinyl windows are easy to maintain. Double or single sash windows are available. Casements and awnings open with the turn of a handle. Sidelites can be fixed or operable. Options may include round tops, grills or obscure glass. Their first visit informs Mr. and Mrs. Doe of the many things they knew nothing about.
When Jane and John visit their second stop they are educated (?) and they ask questions using their newly discovered knowledge.
Q: Do you have casement windows?
A: Yes we do. We offer them with low-E coated glass and argon filled cavities.
Q: How do we clean the outside of an upstairs double-hung window?
A: Our windows are all tilt-out sash so you can clean them from inside.
Q: Will we be able to have a door with one fixed panel and one that opens?
A: Yes, we can have them both operate or have one fixed.
And so on……
D ue to this extra information, these potential customers believe they are getting a better deal from the second stop. What they do not realize is that the first stop would also provide these great features. They did not know to ask the question and the salesperson had not informed them. Obviously, from their perspective, the second or third stop is a better window as it has more features.
To increase sales and make your company Jane and John’s final stop, you must first believe the survey regarding the window customers’ first actions. You must believe that all products must be sold. Do not be just an order taker. Understand that questions and sample sections are the doorway to untold riches. You must give more information than just answering the question asked. You must sell the product. Tell them all that your product has to offer.
When Jane and John are looking, do not say, “Hi, I am Jason, may I help you?” The most popular reply is, “No, we are just looking, thank you.” You just hit a dead end. If
you open the dialogue with, “Did you know that all our hardware is warranted for life?” or “Did you know that our casements open a full 90 degrees for ease of cleaning?” there is more chance the customers will respond with another question. That gives you the opportunity to enlarge on everything you know about the casement, (or any other product) that you offer. Ask open-ended questions.
KNOW YOUR VALUE
Sales is not only selling the product – you must sell everything. What you are offering is unique. The combination of the product features, the excellence and skill of your personnel, the company structure, the fact that it is a Canadian company, the after-sales support and, by the way, the best product. This unique package is unable to be duplicated by any other company. It combines to create the best possible option. If your product is different from your competition, then sell the differences. If your product is the same, then you must emphasis and sell the overall package. What you offer is still unique and should be sold as such. If you lose sight of this, how do you differ from the competition?
There is nothing left to sell but price. If you sell on price, you will always be beaten. John Wayne said it best: “There is always a faster gun in the West.”
People buy everything. They buy furniture, appliances, fishing rods and automobiles. It is not always the cheapest thing that they buy. They buy what they regard as the best value for the money. Why buy a Lexus when it is the same as a Toyota? This is where the want rather than the need comes into the conversation.
Jane and John have friends. When they meet, they love to tell them about those nice people they bought their windows from. “We were given a great deal and they were able to offer me special [locks/winders/thermally sealed glass/whatever].” Remember, you sell the sizzle, they buy the steak.
KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER
You must never forget and must always consider with whom you are dealing. Jane and John Doe are good examples of a standard. Men and women are different psychologically and they buy fenestration products differently. The relevant and important differences between men and women are as follows. It should go without saying that these
are generalizations that don’t apply to every individual.
Women organize their thoughts. They process information and are able to multitask. That means they love options. In particular, effort- or time-saving options. Women make decisions slower and for the long term. They are more likely to need your assistance to visualize concepts. Do not just say words, demonstrate a feature wherever possible.
Men are single minded. They are less interested in options. They usually work better at single tasks, make fast decisions and are more at ease with technical concepts. Even if they bring in a higher income they tend to leave the spending decisions to their wives. It is a fact that women make 80 percent of a couple’s buying decisions. Ignore the wife at your peril!
COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE
Customers buy benefits but salespeople often try to sell features. A feature becomes a benefit only when the customer recognizes it. Example: “You tell me the sash opens 90 degrees. So what?” An effective salesperson moves this to, “Oh yes, now I can see how we could clean the upstairs windows from inside.”
An educated consumer will always buy quality. “My last windows failed after only two years. I won’t buy them again. I had to pay for replacement locks, because the screws rusted and failed.”
I like to tell customers, “You must be very rich to buy cheap windows.”
A mantra for sales is “Value is the result of quality plus service plus price.” Quality will last forever and will far outlast price and service. Service is your comfort for the future (more so if quality was ignored). Price is important only at the time of purchase. Getting a good price is a temporary good feeling that fades over time. Especially if quality and service was ignored!)
Finally, I will leave you with this thought: if we are unable to sell our products to new markets then, due to increased manufacturing costs, we must sell more products to our local market. Tariffs will not be here forever, but our local market will always be around. Because of that let’s increase our market share with improved and professional selling skills.
David Nunn owns Manufacturing Personnel Services in Brampton, Ont.
Stretched to the limit
Energy Star may have gone as far as it can go in pushing efficiency standards.
by Phil Lewin
One of my favourite words is elasticity.
A good definition for my purposes is:
“Elasticity is a concept that describes the responsiveness of one variable to changes in another variable. In business and economics, elasticity is usually used to describe how much demand for a product changes as its price increases or decreases, called the price elasticity of demand.”
Going to the next step, the product I want to talk about is Energy Star for windows. Prices for windows will vary depending on technical features offered, which result in various levels of energy efficiency. The Energy Star-certified window sets a significantly higher level for energy efficiency above the baseline of the building code. Windows that qualify will cost more than the same windows with less energy-efficient features. Yes, glass is usually the variable here, but it doesn’t have to be. Foam versus air inside the pocket is one that has been done as well.
I was once told that the goal of the program was for Energy Star windows to be the top-performing 10 to 15 percent of all windows sold. Up until recently, the program was such a success that it was a failure at meeting this goal. Every time the program set a level, industry quickly found a technical way to achieve the energy requirements within a price level that most homeowners could afford. The elasticity between a basic building code window and the Energy Star product was not so extreme. Yes, there have been various financial incentives from governments and utilities, but they were not critical and did not prevent consumers from buying the better windows anyway.
This changed when Energy Star raised requirements to where triple glass with at least one coating of low-E was the best way for manufacturers to meet the requirements (using current equipment and technology.) The gap between the cost of triple product versus double-glazed and low-E
was a stretch too far for many budgets, unless a grant program supplemented the homeowner’s investment. The result was that window dealers were less likely to promote the program and be financially non-competitive against other dealers in the marketplace. So, the Energy Star program has finally achieved its original goal of being the top product in the marketplace.
Government still wants to promote these most-efficient products. With price elasticity at its limit, there are only three methods to achieve this. This first is to maintain year-round grant programs for the product with equal attention played to the quality of installation. The second is to continue to raise the requirements in building codes, which places the financial burden on the homeowner. The third is to invest in R&D to find ways to achieve the desired efficiencies with new technologies at a lower cost in order to get back with an acceptable price elasticity.
Unfortunately, the United States appears to be in the process of cancelling its Energy Star program, probably for the wrong reasons. That endangers the sort of innovation that made Energy Star a success in the past. Our smaller industry probably can’t carry the R&D torch alone. The window industry is extremely entrepreneurial. It has an admirable level of creativity and competitiveness. In my experience, it is private industry that has responded to Energy Star’s challenges with new technologies to get us to our present level. However, we are at a point where technical challenges to push efficiency and bring down costs are significant enough that individual companies are unlikely to have the financial clout to take us to the next level.
Finally, I don’t know what will happen to the Canadian Energy Star program going forward. But, credit where credit is due: it has been a remarkable success in getting us where we are now.
