AGELESS ELEGANCE:STEEL WINDOWS AND DOORS

Program Registration

Credit(s) earned on completion of this course will be reported to AIA CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request.This course is registered with AIA CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product.

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Course Overview

When architects want to make a statement of timeless elegance in luxury homes, they may specify steel windows and doors. The history of steel goes back thousands of years. Buildings with steel windows may be hundreds of years old.Today, with advancements in glazing, coatings, and sustainability, steel windows and doors are seeing surging popularity in upscale homes. As we’ll see in this course, steel windows and doors often help architects stand out and give homeowners the distinctive look and superior performance they desire.

Learning Objectives

Upon completing this course, you should be able to:

• Discuss the history and craftsmanship of steel windows and doors

• Assess the aesthetics and design flexibility of steel windows and doors for high end homes

• Define the durability of steel for windows and doors

• Identify zinc coatings for steel frames

• Describe a case study where steel windows and doors were specified for a high end home

Section 1Introduction to Steel Windows and Doors

Introduction to Steel Windows and Doors

Steel windows and doors specified by Frank Lloyd Wright and other architects• Falling Water in Pennsylvania• Guggenheim Museum in New

York City

On trend but not trendy• Aesthetic appeal• Design flexibility• Versatility• Durability• Strength

Introduction to Steel Windows and Doors

Section 2The History and Craftsmanship of Steel Windows and Doors

What gives steel its strength?• An alloy of iron and carbon and

sometimes other elements• Smelted of iron ore• Iron alone “ductile,” brittle and hard to

work with• Small amounts of carbon make it

malleable and useful for building• Carbon in steel gives it tensile strength

The History and Craftsmanship of Steel Windows and Doors

Steel production dates back to 1800 BC• Evidence of steel production in Turkey in 1800 BC• High-carbon steel used in India around 500 to 400 BC• Steel from Austria and Slovenia used in Roman

military• Early windows made of wood and wrought iron• Mild steel (iron with carbon) widely available in 1890s

The History and Craftsmanship of Steel Windows and Doors

The History and Craftsmanship of Steel Windows and Doors

The heyday for steel windows for art deco designs• Steel windows reached heyday

in 1920s and 1930s• Larger panes and custom shapes

popular

The History and Craftsmanship of Steel Windows and Doors

Aluminum windows rose post-war, but now steel is back• Post-war building boom• Manufacturers moved into unused

war factories• Then wood and fiberglass became

standard for upscale homes• Advances in window design and

craftsmanship brought steel back for luxury homes

Aesthetics of Steel Windows and Doors for High-End Homes

Section 3

Aesthetics of Steel Windows and Doors for High-End Homes

• Office buildings• Commercial buildings• Churches and Cathedrals• Schools and Universities• Hospitals• Shops

• Manufacturing Facilities• Transportation Terminals• Museums• High Rise Residential• Exteriors• Interiors

Many applications for steel windows and doors

Aesthetics of Steel Windows and Doors for High-End Homes

Styles of architecture• Traditional• Classic• Gothic• Art Deco• Mediterranean• Contemporary• Midcentury Modern• Farmhouse• And More

Favorite products for high end homes• Casement windows• Corner windows• Curtain walls• Awnings and window hoppers• Bi-fold doors• Sliding doors• Pivot doors• Exterior doors• Interior doors

Aesthetics of Steel Windows and Doors for High-End Homes

Aesthetics of Steel Windows and Doors for High-End Homes

Narrow sightlines• Strength of steel allows for

narrow frames• Other materials require

more girth• Steel allows for light in and

access to views

Aesthetics of Steel Windows and Doors for High-End Homes

Classic and solid hardware• Hardware secured for

solid assembly• Will not loosen or tear out

with heavy use• Solid hardware feels good

for users

Aesthetics of Steel Windows and Doors for High-End Homes

Classiness• Steel windows and doors add unmistakable classiness• Like “old money”• Not gaudy or ostentatious

Case Study: Gayle’s home

“Choosing these doors and windows set a standard for how we were going to build the house, decorate the house, and exist in the home. They were very inspiring in the process for us.” — Homeowner Gayle

Don’t know whichimages are “Gayle’s house”

Design Flexibility of Steel Windows and Doors

Section 4

Design Flexibility of Steel Windows and Doors

Customizable sizes• Steel is an amazingly customizable

material• Openings can be much larger• Steel itself is structural• The frame can carry part of the

load

Design Flexibility of Steel Windows and Doors

Large sizes not uncommon• Steel windows up to 12 feet high and/or 12 feet

wide• Curtain walls up to 14 feet high and wide• Casements up to 12 feet high and 3 ½ feet wide• Awning windows 10 feet high and wide• Swing doors up to 4 ½ feet wide and 12 feet high• Pivot doors up to 8 feet wide and 12 feet high

Design Flexibility of Steel Windows and Doors

Large potential for other types of steel doors• Sliding doors up to 7 feet

wide and 12 feet high• Bi-fold doors up to 4 feet

wide and 13 feet high• Must work closely with

manufacturer’s in-house design team

Design Flexibility of Steel Windows and Doors

Non-standard shapes• Custom shapes favored by

custom homeowners• Owner and architect

determine which size and shape serve design goals• Steel window and door

manufacturer creates that

Design Flexibility of Steel Windows and Doors

Quality control important for custom orders• Quality control at factory

important• Some manufacturers

create mock opening• And install custom piece(s)

to ensure proper fit

Durability and Performance of Steel Windows and Doors

Section 5

Durability and Performance of Steel Windows and Doors

Strength• Strength of steel has

determined the course of human history• For windows, three times

stronger than aluminum• Will not rack and distort

with age

Durability and Performance of Steel Windows and Doors

Durability• In old buildings, wood windows

may be first to degrade• Steel windows impervious to:• Termites and other insects• Rodents• Mold• Rot• Weather threats

Durability and Performance of Steel Windows and Doors

Security• Steel frames harder to

compromise• Security a major concern for

owners of high-end homes• Windows can be weak point in

otherwise secure home• Steel frames add welcome sense

of security

Durability and Performance of Steel Windows and Doors

Ease of maintenance• Properly finished steel windows

and doors will not rot or warp• Thus maintenance is minimal• Remain at peak of aesthetics all

the time

Durability and Performance of Steel Windows and Doors

Long lifecycle• Some steel windows in Europe

and U.S. more than a century old• Steel windows may outlive the

building• New windows replace old to

take advantage of newer technologies

Durability and Performance of Steel Windows and Doors

Resilience• Resilience important in time of

climate change• Steel windows not impacted by

changes in humidity or extremetemperatures• Steel not a source of bioorganic

growth

Durability and Performance of Steel Windows and Doors

Sustainability• Steel is the most recycled material

on the planet• Recycling rate of 86 percent• Metallurgical properties of steel

allow it to be recycled continually• Steel windows with recycled content

can help toward green building certification

Durability and Performance of Steel Windows and Doors

Glazing options• Narrow sightlines does not limit

thickness of glazing• Increasing steel frame depth

allows for glazing up to and above 1 inch• Allows for glazing to meet

energy efficiency goals

Durability and Performance of Steel Windows and Doors

Historic renovation• New steel windows in old

buildings match historically but provide:• Advanced factory finishes• Advanced metal treatments• Advanced weather stripping• High performance glazing

Energy Efficiency with Steel Windows and Doors

Section 6

Energy Efficiency with Steel Windows and Doors

Common energy efficiency strategies for all windows• Glazing• Gas-filled spaces• Double and triple glazing• Insulated glass• Advanced coatings

• Superior weather stripping

Energy Efficiency with Steel Windows and Doors

Thermally broken steel frames• Steel has lower thermal transmission

than aluminum• Thermally broken steel frames

reduce thermal transmission even more• Layer of non-conductive material

such as polyurethane placed between inside and outside halves of the steel frame

Energy Efficiency with Steel Windows and Doors

Importance of NFRC rating• Determine performance with

NFRC rating• Includes:• U-Factor• Solar Heat Gain Coefficient• Visible Transmittance

Energy Efficiency with Steel Windows and Doors

U-Factor• Measures resistance to heat

escaping from the inside• The lower the number, the

better a product keeps heat in

Energy Efficiency with Steel Windows and Doors

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC)• Measures resistance to

unwanted heat gain• Especially important during

summer cooling season• The lower the number, the less

spent on cooling costs

Energy Efficiency with Steel Windows and Doors

Visible Transmittance (VT)• Measures daylight• Saves homeowners money on

artificial lighting• The higher the number, the

more natural light is let in

Durable Coatings for Steel Windows and Doors

Section 7

Durable Coatings for Steel Windows and Doors

For main factors for steel corrosion• A cathode, or negatively charged

particle• An anode, or positively charged

particle• An electrical path• An electrolyte, usually water

Durable Coatings for Steel Windows and Doors

When four factors are present, rust begins• When four elements are

present, electron flow begins• By-product is flaky iron oxide,

known as rust• Rust is the anode disintegrating

Durable Coatings for Steel Windows and Doors

Unprotected steel• Mild steel has within it all

elements for corrosion except water or humidity• Once water is present,

electrons begin flowing• As this happens, rust forms

Durable Coatings for Steel Windows and Doors

Steel protected by paint only• Paint protects steel with a

barrier• Barrier keeps out water or

humidity• However, paint is easily

damaged

Durable Coatings for Steel Windows and Doors

Broken paint barrier• As paint barrier is broken, rust

begins• Blisters cause more steel to be

exposed to water• Rust also begins with scratched

powder coating

Durable Coatings for Steel Windows and Doors

Zinc metalizing as a barrier• Zinc metallizing much stronger

than paint or powder coating• Creates intimate electrical

connection between steel and the zinc• Steel cannot rust when zinc

anode is present

Durable Coatings for Steel Windows and Doors

Intact zinc metallizing/paint coating• Metallizing provides strong

barrier• Plus, galvanic process against

rust• Starts working when paint

barrier is broken

Durable Coatings for Steel Windows and Doors

The galvanic effect with damaged zinc metallized/paint coating• Coatings get damaged• Zinc is used in corrosion

process before rust canhappen• Can take 15 to 20 years

Conclusion

Section 8

Thank You

Thank you for your interest in “Ageless Elegance: Steel Windows and Doors.” This concludes the American Institute of Architects Continuing Education Systems Course.

Please contact Euroline Steel Windows and Doors directly if you have any questions about the material presented in this course.www.eurolinesteelwindows.comPlease take the following quiz for your AIA credits.