Read online at www.proinstaller.co.uk
JULY 2020 | 3
News
A TRENDING INDUSTRY:
WINDOWS AND DOORS
EXPLORING WINDOW AND DOOR TRENDS
Developments and popularity
in interior and exterior home
design over the years have led
to an increasing demand for
windows and doors that can add
security, functionality, and overall
style. Here, Richard Banks,
commercial director of PVCu
windows and doors manufacturer
Euramax, discusses the window
and door trends taking over the
industry.
Window style
The introduction of double
glazing and uPVC in the 1970s
kickstarted what has become
ongoing demand for high quality,
stylish windows. Now, windows
are no longer valued just for
the ability to let air and light in,
but the ability to create space
and bring the outside in. Floor
to ceiling windows are ideal for
open plan interior as they create
space by letting more natural
light in. Other popular window
styles include sash, fixed and tilt
and turn.
Coloured doors
Similarly, to windows, doors
are now regarded for more than
just accessibility purposes. Doors
are the first impression and first
point of contact a person has
with a house, therefore appearance
has become highly important.
For this reason, coloured
doors are now a key trend in the
industry.
In fact, around 40 per cent of
the market demands coloured
doors. Shifting from standard
white and wooden brown, doors
have transformed into bright and
bold features of a home. Popular
colour options now include
cobalt blue, shades of green and
red, while grey and black are
unusual options that add individuality
to a property.
Composite
For years, PVCu has been a
popular material choice for both
windows and doors thanks to its
low maintenance, high durability
and strength properties. Now, 54
per cent of the current market
is made up of composite doors,
the highest percentage than any
other material. One reason is the
material’s ability to boast both
the strength and durability of
a modern material, while looking
like traditional wood. As a
composite door can be engraved
with a woodgrain effect, homeowners
can get the best of both
worlds from this high-performing
material.
Trendy energy
Growing environmental concerns
are influencing the need
for people to reduce their carbon
footprints. To be defined as energy
efficient, windows and doors
must have a high rating from
The British Fenestration Council
(BFRC). The council rates energy
efficiency performance on a scale
from G for low efficiency, to A
for high efficiency. Furthermore,
U-values measure the amount of
heat that passes through a glazed
unit. Ensuring that the U-value is
low means that the product has
a high thermal performance, increasing
energy efficiency. Energy
efficient products can reduce
energy bills, save homeowners
money and increase the value of
a house by as much as ten per
cent.
SMART tech
In a heavily digitalised generation,
technology is profound.
Developments in technology are
constantly driving society, with
applications such as Hive and
Amazon’s Alexa influencing the
demand for SMART products.
As a result, SMART technology
is being incorporated into the
windows and doors industry for
enhanced security, efficiency and
accessibility.
For example, automated
SMART locks do not require keys
for manual locking and unlocking.
Instead, the locks are controlled
remotely from the owner’s
SMART phone using a wireless
connection to lock or unlock the
window and door. This development
holds great potential for the
holiday homes industry, as trips
away are more often organised
online. In the era of Airbnb,
holiday makers can gain access
to their accommodation via a
code on their smart phones —
meaning that those renting the
buildings can manage security
from anywhere in the world.
SMART sensors are another
popular form of SMART technology.
In the window and door
industry, these sensors can alert
a homeowner when a window
or door has been left unlocked,
whereas SMART alarms can even
be activated when a window or
door has been attempted to be
opened or has been damaged.
Though strength and durability
are still necessary requirements
within the industry, looks have
become of increasing importance.
However, appearance isn’t all and
it is clear that homeowners aren’t
just wanting their windows and
doors to look good — they also
need to do good. From energy-saving
materials to SMART
locking systems, a number of
technologies are driving the windows
and doors market.
www.euramax.co.uk