Latest Articles
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July 24, 2012Last week, I received press releases from Milgard and Windsor, each announcing the availability of building information modeling (BIM) files for certain window and door lines offered by the manufacturers. These weren't the first of such announcements I've received by any means, but the fact that I recieved two in one week made me wonder about the role of BIM in the... more »
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July 18, 2012The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index for July, released just this week, saw a pretty significant jump—the largest jump in builder confidence in nearly a decade. Up six points, builder confidence for the newly-built, single-family housing market reached 35 points in July—the highest point since March of 2007. While this is a step in the right... more »
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July 17, 2012Fiberglass is only part of the story at Therma-TruCelebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Therma-Tru Corp. is probably known first and foremost for pioneering the fiberglass door. Fiberglass is only part of the story, however, according to Dave Randich. “Right from the start, Therma-Tru was blessed with creative thinkers who were not afraid to develop and invest in new products,” says the current president of the Maumee, Ohio-... more » -
July 16, 2012According to the National Weather Service, conditions in the atmosphere and the ocean will make for a fairly normal 2012 hurricane season, meaning it will likely be a less active season than we’ve experienced in recent years. That’s welcome news for everyone, especially homeowners in coastal towns who struggled with destruction caused by Hurricane Irene last summer. However, the... more »
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July 16, 2012New demands and new materials mean constant change in the way windows and doors are made. The way we install our products has also changed in recent years. But the most rapid change we are seeing in the industry these days is probably coming in how we sell windows and doors. The internet has changed all our lives and today, it’s rapidly changing how we interact with customers and potential... more »
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July 9, 2012"We think the future is dynamic windows," said Marc LaFrance, the Department of Energy's technology development manager with oversight over the agency's windows and building envelope programs speaking at a recent Windows Technology Roadmapping Workshop. Dynamic glazing was also high on the agenda at the Window & Door Manufacturers Association Technical Conference, which... more »
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July 3, 2012Those of us who have been involved in code development for an extended period of time have a saying–“The code is written in the hallways.” The saying reflects the more historic action of simply stopping one’s colleague in a hallway to have a discussion. It reflects the importance of seeking out, and obtaining, feedback on what one plans to present before it’s ever... more »
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June 28, 2012As in Samuel Beckett’s famous two-act play, “Waiting for Godot,” a lot of us must feel much like we’re waiting vainly for the arrival of some mysterious character to bring back happier days. True to the plot, while cruising through the statistics can dig up some positive areas to confirm a reasonable optimism, the overall economic picture remains largely inscrutable: Job... more »
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June 27, 2012This week, we highlight numbers from the American Architectural Manufacturers Association and the Window & Door Manufacturers Association's annual market report prepared by Ducker Worldwide that indicate that there are, indeed, better days ahead for the window and door industry. In fact, the days we’re in right now really aren’t so bad either. The AAMA/WDMA 2011-2012 U.S. Industry... more »
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June 26, 2012New market report sees tepid growth this year, after weak 2011The loss of stimulus tax credits translated into a dip in residential window and door sales last year, suggests a new report from the American Architectural Manufacturers Association and the Window & Door Manufacturers Association. The study sees the weak economic recovery limiting growth prospects this year, but suggests prospects for sales in both the new construction and remodeling/... more »