Windows with best energy saving characteristics

Hi there,

we are manufacturing windows from timber, aluminium-clad windows and PVC to latest specifications for low energy-consumption. It seems, there are no capable suppliers or distributors in Ireland for good windows. Who knows a good contact for best quality windows? Cheers, Dieter

window

[heinbloed]

Thanks for the link of your company, we need indeed more of this forward marketing.
We -here in Ireland- have a lack of good quality windowmakers. The market is open to all-start it!
The largest window manufacturer here is "Munster joinery" based in Cork. Simple design, cheap.They cover most of the Irish market, manufacturing also as an OEM factory.
The better one is "Senator", more choice of design. But very expensive, in my opinion not worth the extra costs compared to Munster joinery.
Both manufacturers-as well as all the other smaller ones- don't offer anything like Triple glazing or high insulating frames designed for the passive house design.
These better windows(insulated and triple glazed and very expensive comparted to the German market) are imported, usually from Denmark,GB and Germany, in smaller quantitys also from Sweden, Canada and the USA.
Other readers of this post should please complete the list.
The major problem is the glazing: triple glazing is not done in Ireland, not even the large Companys are willing to change their factory operations untill the building regulations are changed.
I have looked now for some years at any corner of the country to no sucess. Desperate as I was I used white PVC cable ducts, filled them with
insulation material and glued them to my PVC windows on to the outside of the frames. This helped against the condensation problem occuring in wintertime at the inner frames. But still I can't get the triple glazing.
No manufacturer !!
Would your company be able to retrofit new standard PVC windows with triple glazing ? I could send you over the dimensions of my glass panes (24mm total thickness as standard here in Ireland) and your company manufactures the triple glazing ? Gas filled and metal/silver coated with transport insurance ?

This could be a big market here.
And if it takes on a glazing factory here in Ireland? The building boom here is still not over, so there are plenty of oportunitys.
Good luck! Viel Glueck!

[VikingHouse]

We are considering this company for the windows in our Passive houses, anybody have any experience with them?
http://www.optiwin.at/optiwin-window-systems/view?set_language=en

[heinbloed]

No, sorry, none. They-if they're the same ones- did not reply to my question here on the Construct Ireland forum in this thread, as you can see.
Keep in mind the problems of service. Can/will they deliver a pane/unit if the first one is broken/fogged up? Or are they not willing to do the small job after guarantee time has run out?
I have my doubts, they would have answered this/my request here otherwise.
Again-in case they're still looking at the thread they have started- how much does a triple glazed unit of 1m2 (gas filled and silver coated ) cost? Delivered here to Ireland incl. ALL costs?
Ask your business partner this question. And let them sign the answer.There is a concentration going on in the German building supply industry, for example several window manufacturers manufacturing triple glazing units have gone bust in the last two years. It usually ends with selling the name/brand to some cowboys who "finish the job" i.e. pump out as much as possible incl. the pensions of the workers and then dissapear. Check the "Handelsregister" and the "Handwerkskammer" for recent ownwership changes. Search the www for "Insolvenzverfahren" in relation to an otherwise unknown German company.
A serious builder has a warantee to deliver, for much longer then the standard 2 year material guarantee given by the material supplier. A builder has a reputation to risk. Is the material supplier able to go with it ?

[sas]

We are considering this company for the windows in our Passive houses, anybody have any experience with them?
http://www.optiwin.at/optiwin-window-systems/view?set_language=en

Wondering if you ever found out anything else about this crowd.

I know that the mosart house used them and they now appear to be the agents in ireland for optiwin.

Looking at windows at the moment and want to make sure I get quality. Optiwin seem to be claiming that their timber windows are very low maintenance which is the best of both worlds for me.

[Scaffolder]

Munster have a coulple of new products 'Ecotherm' aluminium cald with timber effect PVC Claimed U value of 1.1, and another product that is coming soon which is a Timber clad Aluminium, Don't have the spec or name yet.

Does anybody have experience of either?

[RTS]

Hi,
Just wondering if anybody has any advice on the type of Windows I should be using. I’m a bit overwhelmed by the plethora of suppliers, each of whom claim to be number 1!
I’ve heard some horror stories of windows being installed only to be replaced 4/5 years down the road because they can’t with stand the weather, or they weren’t installed or cealed correctly from day one.

My house is very close to the sea and is West facing. So, in the winter the Atlantic winds and rain can give it a bit of a battering. Come summer time the sun is at the rear of the house from noon till 8pm, so things do heat up (when it’s not raining!)
The decision I’m trying to make is what type of window I should use. uPVC, Alu-Clad or Timber?

The rear of the house has a lot of glass on both a ground a first floor level. I’ve heard that Munster Joinery is pretty reliable when it comes to installing the windows and snagging a couple of months after they are installed. But their product selection isn’t great.
I’ve had a couple of quotes from Danish Window systems in Tyrone and Bereco in Athlone. The later do timber, but I’m not sold on this given the houses proximity to the sea.
The problem I hear on Aluminium is the insulation and problems with condensation and how this in time can creep into the Wood on the Alu-Clad window systems.
If anyone has some advice I’d greatly appreciate it. I’m not necessarily looking for the cheapest option, but one that can withstand the passage of time without breaking the bank.
Cheers.