Advancements in Passive House Fiberglass Window Technology
FIBERGLASS INNOVATION AGENDA
What are we looking at today?
▪ Quick intro to Cascadia ▪ Upcoming demands from building codes and regulations ▪ Economics of high-performance components ▪ Fiberglass window application examples ▪ A new product ▪ The world’s first fiberglass, commercial grade, passive house window ▪ Industry research for combustible windows INTRO TO CASCADIA
Manufacturer of fiberglass construction products ▪ Fiberglass windows ▪ Fiberglass doors ▪ Fiberglass cladding support systems
Main client base: ▪ BC, Yukon, Washington, Oregon, California
Manufacturing plant is located in Langley, BC. In operation since 2008 Products
Fiberglass windows and doors
Cascadia Clip INTRO TO CASCADIA
Industry Purpose
To provide simple and cost-effective solutions to stringent energy code requirements WHY ARE BUILDING CODES CHANGING? UPCOMINGUPCOMING DEMANDS DEMANDS Energy conservation is becoming a real thing in buildings
▪ Regulatory changes must be based in reality, so ▪First – you have to have the tech ▪Then – you can change the laws to require higher performance ▪ New tech enables more stringent regulations Step Code and Passive House Overview
Images #1 & #2 belong to Government of British Columbia Cost Question
Images #1 & #2 belong to Government of British Columbia, and #3 to Passive House Institute Cost Question
Heating system
Is Step 5 really going to cost more than step 4?
Maybe it will cost less…
Both require: • whole-building approach to design • same skill set for builder • high-performance product supply chain R-WHAT!?
1930s 1980s 2000s
All three buildings somewhere between R2 and R3.5 Why Fiberglass? R-value Calculator ▪ http://www.cascadiawindows.com/r-value-u- value-calculator MEETINGMEETING DEMANDS DEMANDS
General characteristics of Cascadia’s products
▪ Why do we like this fiberglass stuff so much? WHYWHY FIBERGLASS? FIBERGLASS? Historically, frames were wood… ▪ Low thermal conductivity ▪ Not durable – rot ▪ High maintenance Fiberglass takes the best characteristics from these compared
Aluminum was introduced… materials ▪ Solved durability issues ▪ Strong ▪ Dimensional Capacity ▪ High thermal conductivity ▪ Significantly reduced thermal bridging ▪ Low environmental impact Then, Vinyl was made known… ▪ Easy and durable paint application ▪ Low thermal conductivity was renewed ▪ Strength and dimensional stability ▪ Using steel as reinforcing in vinyl lowers thermal performance Manufacturing Pultrusion Process
▪ Pultrusion rather than extrusion
▪ New fiber and resins composition ▪ Stronger ▪ Fire Retardant Manufacturing Pultrusion Process PRIMARY BENEFITS OF FIBERGLASS
▪ Thermal ▪ Strength & Performance Stiffness ▪ Low Coefficient of Thermal ▪ Lower Expansion and Environmental Contraction Impact
▪ Durability PRIMARY BENEFITS OF FIBERGLASS
▪ Thermal ▪ Strength & Performance Stiffness ▪ Low Coefficient of SAVINGSThermal ▪ Lower Expansion and Environmental Contraction Impact
▪ Durability COMBINING… Performance and Economic Opportunity
▪ Do we need to do this any more? Energy Performance
Typical Thermally Broken Aluminum Frame Typical Fiberglass Frame
Standard IGU: Standard IGU: Low-E Low-E Argon fill Argon fill Stainless Steel Stainless Steel spacers spacers
R VALUE: 2.0 R VALUE: 3.7
85% IMPROVEMENT REDUCED HEAT LOSS THROUGH WINDOWS using actual NFRC certified U-values from window fabricators Energy Performance
Typical Thermally Broken Aluminum Frame Typical Fiberglass Frame
Standard IGU: Standard IGU: Low-E Low-E Argon fill Argon fill Stainless Steel Stainless Steel spacers spacers
R VALUE: 2.0 R VALUE: 3.7
85% IMPROVEMENT Cascadia Example: R-4.1 – double glazing (over 100% improvement) R-7.1 – triple glazing (over 250% improvement) High Performance Windows will let you…
1. Increase glazing area for more views and light 2. Reduce mechanical system placement and size - Smaller system - Less ductwork - Less floor space for central system (its smaller) 3. Increase useable floor space in suites 4. Reduce insulation requirements elsewhere - Tricky details - Insulated concrete projections, etc. - Exterior insulation on wood frame 5. Installation cost savings - Compared to triple glazing in other frames - No exterior sealant on fiberglass window wall
6. And – of course, reduce future operating costs Why Fiberglass? Strength and Stiffness
▪ Fiberglass is 8 to 10 times stiffer than vinyl
▪ Almost as stiff as aluminum
▪ Can accommodate larger windows and higher wind loads Why Fiberglass? Thermal Movement
▪ Low thermal movement ▪ Thermal movement same as glass ▪ Less stress on joints and seals ▪ Fiberglass is a thermoset material – it will not creep over time Why Fiberglass? Durability and Finishes
▪ Ideal for all climate types
▪ Not susceptible to decay or insect attack
▪ Ideal substrate for paint: AAMA Nunavut, Canada 625 finish (same performance criteria as aluminum)
▪ Can be easily repainted
Washington, US Why Fiberglass? Environment
▪ Enhanced energy performance ▪ Low embodied energy relative to vinyl and aluminum ▪ North American product ▪ No VOC’s ▪ Non-toxic: safe to manufacture, refinish and dispose of ▪ Water-based high durability polyurethane paint
PROJECT EXAMPLES - WINDOWS Projects Single Family Projects Single Family Parkwood Drive Whistler, BC
Thomas Residence Pender Island, BC Ford Residence Whistler, BC Buchanan Towers Bellingham, Washington Hatfield Portland, Oregon Hatfield Portland, Oregon Marriott Hotel Portland, Or
The Belmont Vancouver, BC
Deep Energy Retrofit Project •Reduced space heating costs from $18k to $2k per year.
Awards:
2013 Project of the Year Award Canadian Green Building Council
2013 Sustainability Award APEGBC
2013 Project Excellence Award Fenestration West
2013 Beyond Green Award National Institute of Building Science Introducing the new CASCADIA UNIVERSAL SERIES AA NEW NEW TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY
The Very First Tests Test Summary
• First units ever tested • 60 square feet each (12’ x 5’ and 8.5’ x 7’) • 0.00 air leakage measured (in and out) • Highest structural test pressure passed at 185 PSF with no failure – That’s 11,100 lbs of force on one window – equal to two pick-up trucks sitting on the glass UNCOMPROMISING
What would a product like that mean to this project?
▪ Lower cost UNCOMPROMISING
What would a product like that mean to this project?
▪ Thinner, flush appearance UNCOMPROMISING
What would a product like that mean to this project?
▪ Easier and faster to handle and install on site UNCOMPROMISING
What would a product like that mean to this project?
▪ More thermally and energy efficient …and this building already won 4 international awards for innovation and energy efficiency UNCOMPROMISING
What would a product like that mean to this project?
▪ Less customization and reinforcing You are in Control of Window Pricing Does the durability and high performance of fiberglass windows cost more than alternatives? • Not necessarily. You have some control of this. • It comes down to configurations…
How many operable vents does a room really need? Cascadia Universal Series Winner of CaGBC Award 2018 Product of the Year
Canadian Green Building Council Universal Series Upcoming Applications • Window Wall Frame-Captured Window Wall
Combustible Windows in Non-Combustible Construction
Code Clauses: When the old clashes with the new Summary of the Issue
• Combustible window restrictions • What is a “combustible” or “non-combustible window”? • Research Program • The New Normal The Code Issue
• Building code sentence 3.1.5.4.(5) (from BCBC, VBBL, and NBC) limits the use of combustible windows in buildings that are required to be built of non-combustible construction; it contains three requirements: • each window in an exterior wall face is an individual unit separated by noncombustible wall construction from every other opening in the wall, • windows in exterior walls in contiguous storeys are separated by not less than 1 m of noncombustible construction, and • the aggregate area of openings in an exterior wall face of a fire compartment is not more than 40% of the area of the wall face.
Code Restrictions – Where else?
• This is a situation that does not exist in other advanced western countries. • Non-metal windows are common in tall buildings due to economy and energy efficiency.
Why is this clause so restrictive?
• Classification of window framing materials on the basis of “combustibility” is problematic • It does not distinguish : • ignite readily? • Does fire spread or diminish? • a lot of fuel vs. a little bit. restrictive…
No other western jurisdiction classifies the fire performance of window framing materials on criteria as narrow as CAN/ULC-S114. What about Thermal Breaks in Aluminum?
• For several decades, code requires thermal breaks in metal windows
• All thermal break materials are combustible • All incapable of passing CAN/ULC-S114
• On the basis of this code-required test, all window framing systems in use today are combustible. Can You Spot the Code-Compliant Window? Is this a real problem?
• Sophisticated products need a more sophisticated evaluation criteria.
• The most energy efficient fenestration products in Canada today are wholly framed of PVC and Fiberglass.
• Causes diminishing effectiveness for energy conservation programs.
• Need to modernize the code Research: Exploring a Code Change
• National Research Canada has partnered with 10 window manufacturers to study combustible windows. • Lots of fire testing • Including S134… three storey high • Successful, positive results
No specimen burning; just the test fuel. S134 Testing – Round 2 (with FR resin) Aluminum and Fiberglass Both Pass; Both Safe
Test 4 Aluminum Test 5 FR Fiberglass What does this mean?
• In Canada: LMDG comfortable preparing alternate solution reports for window wall type configurations of the Cascadia product, based on this test 2 Pages and Done Timeline – Road to The New Normal
• Before the research and testing • Alternate solutions • varying success, depending on jurisdiction • give-and-take approach on technical items
• After the S134 test • Alternate solutions become standardized for some suppliers and should be more widely/easily accepted
• The code-change is now accepted for the upcoming 2020 NBC • Alternate solutions (AS) reference future code conformance and successful test • Documents have become “cookie-cutter”
• After NBC 2020 adoption in provinces • Canada catches up to the rest of the world The New Normal
3.1.5.4.(5) Combustible window sashes and frames are permitted in a building required to be of noncombustible construction provided they area) verticallyeach window non- contiguousin an exterior between wall face is stories. an individual unit separated by noncombustible wall construction from every other opening in the wall, b) windows in exterior walls in contiguous storeys are separated by not less than 1 m of noncombustible construction, and c) the aggregate area of openings in an exterior wall face of a fire compartment is not more than 40% of the area of the wall face.