Window Ideas for Commercial Buildings
Windows for commercial uses, like those seen in office buildings, are totally different in overall performance and style from the windows in a residential home, although the appearance may be similar. Windows in commercial applications undergo large amounts of stress and temperature changes and must withstand extreme pressures from both inside and outside sources. These highly efficient windows are specially designed to meet certain criteria that are an integral part of the building structure.
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Skylights
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Used in the past on commercial applications, skylights have seen an increase in the return to commercial buildings. These units are not the same configuration that may be used in a single-family home but are specially adapted and designed to meet all commercial building codes and requirements for such installation. A larger version of the skylight is now being introduced into large shopping centers and retail stores as a means of providing additional lighting to open floor areas, thereby reducing electricity costs. These large skylights or domes allow natural heat rays to heat large open floor areas, resulting in substantial savings in heating costs. Skylights are extremely useful in factory environments as well, providing natural lighting to areas that once were dark due to storage racks that are often stacked all the way to the ceiling.
Store Fronts
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Large plate glass windows are common in retail stores across the country. These large windows allow expanded visibility as well as the opportunity to attract passing customers with specially designed displays featuring clothing apparel and business merchandise. These specially designed windows must have a low UV rating to repel direct sunlight as well as adequate tinting to reduce glare and heat penetration. In addition, all building codes require glass that is lower than 18 inches from the ground to be tempered to reduce large pieces of projectile glass from causing serious injury or death in case of breakage. Tempered glass is expensive and, depending on thickness and size of the glass, can exceed hundreds of dollars per window.
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Fixed Glass
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Fixed glass is used in all commercial buildings. Fixed glass, as the name implies, is inoperable and is often custom made to fit a particular structure or special opening. Fixed glass consists of a minimum of three layers, one outer, inner and interior that is normally 1/2 an inch thick. The inner glass serves as a heat shield from exterior UV rays and as a shield from interior heat and cooling loss, reflecting heat and cool temperatures back to the interior. An argon glass is filled into the cavity between the outer and interior; this cavity acts as an insulator in all temperature conditions. The exterior frame comprises lightweight aluminum or other material that is coated with a weather-resistant compound to prevent discoloration and deterioration. Aesthetics as well as functionality play an important part in the selection of windows for any given building project. Exterior window frames come in a variety of colors to meet the décor of the exterior of the most exclusively designed structures.
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