| Author |
Message |
Doug Frank FCSI CCS
Senior Member
Username: doug_frank_ccs
Post Number: 165
Registered: 06-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 10, 2007 - 04:38 pm: |    |
I know it never rains or snows in southern California,, but I need some advice from my So. California brethren and sistren regarding thermal breaks. Is use of thermally broken aluminum framing for entrances, storefronts, curtainwall, etc. common out there or is it just not done? I realize there may be specific project parameters the may dictate this decision. I’m only looking for what’s typical practice. Thanks in advance. |
Nathan Woods, CCCA, LEED AP
Senior Member
Username: nwoods
Post Number: 151
Registered: 08-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 10, 2007 - 04:41 pm: | |
Aside from specific curtain wall conditions, no, thermally broken aluminum storefront systems are not that common. The most prolific manufacturer of storefront in SoCal is probably Arcadia:
http://www.arcadiainc.com/main/viewMain.cfm
Regards,
NW |
Julie Root
Senior Member
Username: julie_root
Post Number: 73
Registered: 02-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 10, 2007 - 06:04 pm: | |
They use to not be common, but now with the newest energy codes I know my mechanical engineers are recommending them because they help our overall energy performance. Thermally broken frames in CA helps keep heat out and cold air conditioned air in. Just like dual glazing was not very common a couple of years ago. Now unless you are making a solid box with a little bitty window on each facade you need dual glazing, especially if you are going to beat T24 for LEED consideration. |
Chris Grimm, CSI, CCS, MAI, RLA
Senior Member
Username: tsugaguy
Post Number: 59
Registered: 06-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, January 11, 2007 - 10:54 pm: | |
It is not uncommon in south carolina to spec thermally broken or thermally improved, however we also have impact protection requirements from windborne debris for most coastal projects, so we may have difficulty meeting both requirements on occasion. The manufacturers must be able to demonstrate they can meet the wind loading, and also the applicable impact testing unless structure is design for partially enclosed type of construction. |
Jo Drummond, FCSI
Senior Member
Username: jod
Post Number: 16
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, January 13, 2007 - 05:04 pm: | |
As a specifier in Southern California for over 30 years, I can say that the use of thermal breaks in curtain wall, window wall and storefront has been rare.
But, now we are seeing them occasionally, as noted above by Julie Root. Not on small jobs, but on larger ones. |
Vivian Volz, RA, CSI, CCS
Senior Member
Username: vivianvolz
Post Number: 86
Registered: 06-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 16, 2007 - 02:42 pm: | |
One of the tricks to meeting Title 24 (energy code) is to specify fenestration that already has an NFRC rating. A large project can afford the time and money (maybe) to test custom systems, but most of us can't. If you invent a system or use an untested system, no matter how efficient, it is to be calculated as if it were the default system unless you have it tested. And the default system is the worst-case scenario. |
Anonymous
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 17, 2007 - 07:43 pm: | |
I wrote about the NFRC a while back. The situation that Ms. Volz mentions is something that is coming nationwide. The hampering of the architectural community because of the NFRC oversight is already a fact in California and Washington state. Soon it will be everywhere and the shame is that they will have done it with little to no communication with Architects and Specifiers.
Sorry I know this takes it off topic, but the scenario that was listed, shows that creativity will lose to the shortsighted-ness of a group of people who know nothing about commercial projects.
Max Perilstein
Arch Aluminum & Glass |
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