Sustainability and green building are nothing new to the door and window industry, and the trend won’t be stopping anytime soon. Companies focused on green building are helping the planet while stepping into a role that meets market demand to save energy and costs.

The Greenbuild show in Boston wrapped up on Friday.

Greenbuild 2017, along with ABX 2017, wrapped up this week at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Several exhibitors from the fenestration industry showcased some of their newest developments, with an eye toward green building.

For Quanex, Greenbuild was an opportunity to interface with new and different audiences, and to learn about trends that are at the forefront of the green building industry.

The company highlighted its warm-edge spacer systems, which recently achieved certification from the German Passive House Institute, an independent organization that tests and certifies products with respect to their overall sustainability contributions. The company’s operable non-metallic window and door system, which meets all necessary requirements for AW ratings governed by North American Fenestration Standard, was also on display.

“Greenbuild offers us an opportunity to talk with different, important audiences beyond the fenestration industry,” says Joe Erb, Quanex commercial sales specialist. “For instance, throughout this year Quanex has sought to continue building relationships with architects and designers—those whose responsibility it is to specify products that suit the needs of a specific project. Glass and window systems are a big part of that equation, and driving influence with specifiers is beneficial for us and the glass industry at large.”

Erb adds that being green makes good business sense.

“Green isn’t just a fad; it’s the natural evolution of commercial building practices. And it’s important that the fenestration industry continues to deliver on the needs of builders and designers who are increasingly concerned with total operational efficiency,” he says.

Doors and Windows

Deceuninck North America brought its new Revolution XL tilt & turn doors and windows to Greenbuild.  Revolution XL is a Passive House-friendly suite of products with windows, a terrace door and a lift-and-slide door suitable for the remodeling, replacement or new-construction markets.

The system features high thermal, acoustical and hurricane performance as well as compression seal technology, which the company says delivers exceptional resistance to air and water infiltration.

As the only Green Circle-certified PVC window extruded in the United States, Deceuninck North America says its commitment to sustainability is demonstrated by its closed-loop approach, dictating how it sources recycled materials, how it designs and manufactures products and how its products are shipped and delivered.

Andersen Corp., making its 15^th consecutive Greenbuild appearance, explored the relationship between architecture and sustainability. The company’s booth highlighted how it’s working to redefine boundaries across multiple green building categories.

“Greenbuild is the perfect platform for Andersen to showcase our own thought leadership around sustainability and to engage in meaningful dialogue with industry partners about challenges we have yet to overcome,” said Eliza Clark, Andersen’s director of sustainability and environmental. “We’re excited to share some of the dynamic trends we’re advancing through our products and programs in the categories of smart home, indoor-outdoor living, historic preservation, net zero buildings and more.”

Andersen took part in Greenbuild’s Applied Learning Area Lunch & Learn program with a session entitled “Overcoming Obstacles for Net Zero Buildings in Unique Applications.” Case studies were presented that covered commercial green construction and a net-zero residential remodel of a 107-year-old home.

Glass and Beyond

Assa Abloy featured its glass solutions program, which includes standard and customized commercial door hardware for glass opening and partitions.

“We are also sharing a number of new products for door security solutions that implement EPDs, HPDs and Declare labels to make sustainability more obtainable for architects, designers, builders and building owners,” says Doug Thompson, general manager of Rockwood Products. “And to add a bit of fun to the already exciting sustainability story, Assa Abloy is letting those who visit the booth enter for a chance to win an electric bicycle.”

“We believe glass will be a major trend moving forward as it provides both sustainability and human benefits. The ability to add more daylight to a space results in reduced use of energy and potentially makes the people inside both happier and healthier,” says Thompson. “We are also seeing trends such as end user demand to map product lifecycles to ensure proper disposal, transparent ingredient lists that guarantee proper manufacturing, and a social component that ensures products impact the planet—and  the people involved in the supply chain—in the least harmful way possible.”

Several companies at Greenbuild offered daylighting solutions because they add desirable LEED points while potentially improving the mental and physical health of building occupants.

“What’s interesting now in the world of green building is that energy efficiency, LEED and looking at the overall building energy load isn’t enough anymore,” says ASSA ABLOY director of sustainable building solutions Amy Vigneux. “You’ve got to have more focus on the actual inhabitants of the building and how they’re doing. That’s where WELL comes in. The WELL Building Standard is a newer building standard that focuses on a number of different elements, but really focuses on the people. Do they have access to daylighting or views?”

Vigneux explains that ASSA ABLOY is getting their customer to think deeper about the ways glass contributes to wellness, including better access to daylight rather than interior lighting, which saves energy.

Sage Glass CEO Alan McLenaghan touched on the payback provided by a more comfortable environment.

“The energy savings are great, but if you come to Sage Glass and your glass needs are all about energy savings I would say, ‘Don’t do it,’” he said. “It’s not going to pay back fast enough for you. If you’re looking for a payback don’t do it based on energy. If you’re looking at people’s comfort or productivity then its payback is no time at all. What’s it worth to customers and employees to have uninterrupted views without sun glare?”

Sage Glass’ electrochromic glass works automatically through the use of sensors to measure light and heat levels. Matched with data about the time of day, year and geography, the sensors can calculate the angles of the sun and adjust the glass tinting accordingly.

“Each pieces of glass has an IP address, like a computer,” says McLenaghan. “We can change the glass settings from our office without taking a trip to our clients. Soon, with the Iinternet of things, we’ll be able to talk to their glass from Abu Dhabi.”

Arnold Glas Corp. showcased its Ornilux bird-friendly glass paired with its Solarlux solar control glass line. The line includes four high-performance, low-Ee coatings with different visible light transparency without color difference.

“We can use different coatings and different orientations. There’s the most heat gain on the East side of the building because that’s where the sun moves around the building. To keep heat out and cooling loads manageable we can use a coating with low transparency and low heat gain,” says Stefan Goebel, Arnold Glas general manager. “Then on the North façade where there is less light we could use a higher coating. With conventional concepts we’d use the same glass around the entire building. With our Solarlux, people won’t notice the difference.”

Other fenestration-related companies exhibiting at Greenbuild in Boston included Kohltech Windows & Entrance Systems, Functional Fenestration, Sierra Pacific Windows and Alpen Windows, whose Zenith ZR10 window was a 2016 DWM Green Award winner.

Greenbuild and ABX 2017 concluded on Friday with a closing plenary featuring astrophysicist and author Neil deGrasse Tyson. Former president Bill Clinton delivered a special keynote address on Thursday.

The 2018 Greenbuild show is scheduled for November 14-16 in Chicago.