In Lakewood, New York, the renovation of a historic home brought together Hope’s Old World Suite steel windows and doors with a coordinated HVAC strategy. Early collaboration between the window design and HVAC teams ensured that the residence achieved its owners’ vision and year-round comfort and energy efficiency through system integration.
“There’s nothing more timeless and classically premium than steel windows,” says John Meyer, principal architect and co-founder, Meyer & Meyer. The homeowners wanted to maximize their views of the lake without compromising the traditional look and feel of the building. Hope’s Old World Suite, with its thin steel dividers and crafted profiles, offered an appearance that complemented the home’s composition and preserved its historic look.
Integrated for local climate
The close collaboration between the window design team and HVAC specialists was fundamental to the project’s success. In a cold climate, where large expanses of glass can present condensation and comfort challenges, early and ongoing coordination ensured that every detail was considered. The teams worked together to align ductwork and precisely position air distribution near the windows, guaranteeing that each unit was “thermally washed” (kept free from cold‑surface condensation by directed warm airflow), and that interior comfort was never compromised.
Hope’s Old World Suite window's weather-tight, structurally robust frames made flashing and envelope integration straightforward, minimizing the risk of air or moisture infiltration. The suite’s compatibility with advanced HVAC systems allowed for seamless load calculations using Hope’s thermal evolution technology.
By prioritizing this partnership from the outset, the project team was able to optimize both window and HVAC performance, ensuring energy efficiency and architectural integrity.
Given the home’s location in a cold climate, energy efficiency and envelope performance were important. Hope’s Old World Suite products are tested and certified under the National Fenestration Rating Council program, providing verified performance metrics for U‑Factor, Solar Heat Gain Coefficient, and Air Leakage.
Hope’s products are engineered for extremely low air infiltration rates, minimizing drafts and helping maintain consistent temperatures throughout the home. This high level of airtightness also supports better HVAC efficiency, as the mechanical system can maintain desired conditions without compensating for uncontrolled outdoor air infiltration. These low AL ratings worked hand‑in‑hand with the project’s HVAC design, reducing the need for excess heating capacity and ensuring consistent comfort.
By combining NFRC‑certified performance with precise installation and HVAC integration, the project team ensured that the windows and doors would deliver long-term comfort, energy efficiency, and compliance with high-performance building standards.
Standout features
One of the project’s standout features is the three-season room overlooking the lake. Outfitted with folding metal doors from Hope’s Old World Suite, this space can be opened completely to the outdoors and has quickly become the most popular room in the house.
While the team did not have quantitative data on energy savings, Meyer emphasized that the combination of Hope’s windows and the integrated HVAC design resulted in a home with “the strongest aesthetic for a very well built, reliable window with consistent thermal properties that made our design calculations and coordination practical.”
