Efficient slimline aluminium window suppliers?

[GaryChaplin]

Hi all,

 

I'm in the process of specifying some slimline aluminium windows for my project. I'm getting frustrated trying to extract technical details from both suppliers and various manufacturers websites.

 

I'd be interested in hearing any feedback from anyone with experience with the following products: 

 

Origin OW-70, Aluk 77IWE, Smart Systems Alitherm 600, Reynaers Slimline 68, SAS PURe, Aluhaus Warmcore.

 

I'm looking for a thin profile frame that can accomodate 44mm triple glazing. Outward opening casements, flush and square beading if possible. Ideally with a matching sliding door (3 panes). 

 

I've been bouncing a few emails back and forth from an Origin supplier. The Origin website is good, with technical sections for frame widths etc. However the slimline OW-70 does not have the capacity for more effiecient triple glazing, due to the limit of only 28mm glass panes. I called Origin a few times, who seemed less than interested in helping me (and they ignored my emails). 

 

None of the other suppliers appear to wish to share sectional information on various frame configurations? It seems I have to use a reseller to get info I suppose? I'm looking for supply only, which could well be part of the problem. 

 

Why do none of the suppliers have an online configurator? Surely that would be easy enough to do? Perhaps resulting in downloadable BIM products to insert into CAD model? 

 

Any experience with any of the above windows and suppliers of each would be appreciated. 

 

Thanks, G. 

 

 

 

[nod]

FRAMEX

Rossendale 

[vala]

Origin have a configurator. You have to have a trade account to get access to it.
We've got the OW-70's fitted but as you mentioned these only allow a max of 28mm glazing.

I believe it's the OW-80 that accommodates triple glazing from them.

[Johnnyt]

Try Luxal, Manchester, they do Reynaers to trade

[JohnMo]

Good luck - I tried and couldn't get anyone to supply anything with a decent U_w.

 

The all quoted U_g. Basically hoping you didn't go through the numbers. If you are not careful you will end up paying for triple glazed and getting poor double glazed performance.

[craig]

Reynaers SL38 might be a better option, than the 68?

[joth]

You can make any window into slimline appearance externally by overlapping external insulation and render over the frame. Improves thermal performance and can help with airtightness too

 

 

[GaryChaplin]

12 hours ago, JohnMo said:

Good luck - I tried and couldn't get anyone to supply anything with a decent U_w.

 

The all quoted U_g. Basically hoping you didn't go through the numbers. If you are not careful you will end up paying for triple glazed and getting poor double glazed performance.

Exactly. I did the calcs and the triple is worse than double! Even though Origin state otherwise! 

[GaryChaplin]

37 minutes ago, joth said:

You can make any window into slimline appearance externally by overlapping external insulation and render over the frame. Improves thermal performance and can help with airtightness too

 

 

The windows have opening casement & mullions, so not the case I'm afraid. 

[Dave Jones]

these not too bad for triple and very nice flush casement.

 

 

R9_027 Report R7 .pdf

[GaryChaplin]

15 minutes ago, Dave Jones said:

these not too bad for triple and very nice flush casement.

 

 

R9_027 Report R7 .pdf 3.41 MB · 1 download

Thanks. Though we are trying to reduce the sightlines on the mullions, None seem that impressive to me, with about 100mm at the miniumum. 

[HughF]

4 hours ago, GaryChaplin said:

Thanks. Though we are trying to reduce the sightlines on the mullions, None seem that impressive to me, with about 100mm at the miniumum. 

There's not much you can do about the sight lines on the mullions, unfortunately. It's the nature of the profiles these days.

[JohnMo]

Like most things when building, we over think things to death. I just had to get up and go to the kitchen and see what our mullions were like.  After this stuff has been installed a little while you just don't look at it.

 

We have a window with a fixed pane in the middle and two opening windows either side.  The mullion and the frame of the opening window is 130mm across.  Our windows are wood.

[Andehh]

We have Smart Alitherm 600.... they're ....fine? We had a very bad fitter which we are still resolving but overall not much to really like or dislike with them. They just do the job.

 

Builder spec'd them after we struggled massively to get people to quote, approached 7 companies...3 came back to us...Ali therm600 cheapest but more importantly could achieve our timings. I wish we had started the process earlier as we were railroaded into them due to timings & availability. 

 

They also (expletive deleted)ed the survey up which we missed, so we have mullions in places we didn't want them - you get used to it though.

 

Just be careful you get the U Value of frame & glass...I was delighted how low the U value was until very late in the process when I realised the bastards weren't including the frame. This uplifted them all to an average of 1.4 which I was disappointed with, but it was too late. 

[GaryChaplin]

Thanks for the reply. We have looked at the Smart Systems Alitherm range. They are more affordable and clearly profitable for the suppliers (they've been pushed on us a couple of time now in preference to other brands), however even the best variants can only acheive 1.3W/m²K with double glazing. 

 

It's ridiculously hard to find clear information from any of the manufacturers. Going to see some Reynaers next week, hopefully they can help, maybe?

[Russell griffiths]

On 31/08/2023 at 09:49, GaryChaplin said:

Thanks. Though we are trying to reduce the sightlines on the mullions, None seem that impressive to me, with about 100mm at the miniumum. 

Why. After you have built whatever you are building you will find that fat or thin mullions is something that was not important, but a good quality airtight good u value window is more important. 

 

I spent days mocking up dummy frames to see how thick they would look, our sliding door has double the frame compared to the windows, now there in I never notice the difference, but I do notice how airtight they are and how the keep the heat in or out. 

[ectoplasmosis]

Surprised that Velfac 200 Energy hasn't been mentioned yet. ~0.8Uw with slim frames.

[Sparrowhawk]

On 29/10/2023 at 18:22, Russell griffiths said:

Why. After you have built whatever you are building you will find that fat or thin mullions is something that was not important, but a good quality airtight good u value window is more important.

I'll push back and say that it does matter if your windows are smaller, as you end up with less light. Both a small window and a set of UPVC french doors have 40% of the opening as UPVC and 60% glass. It's most noticeable with windows on the north side of the house.

[GaryChaplin]

I think the appearance of the windows are as important as anything else. Though I would prioritise efficiency for environmental and economic reasons if there were really no good options. 

 

I'm not keen on any wood in the windows (Velfac) as just requires maintainence and would not work aesthetically as is directly against oak framing. 

 

[easybuilder]

Hi Gary, how is your search going? I have a similar set of requirements. I've obtained the product manuals for Reynaers SL38 and SL68. I'm currently checking out the Aluk Optio 58BW HI Flush and Optio 58BW HI ST offerings. These seem to have been improved recently to meet the more challenging building regs. and so may fit the bill. The Senior Ali VU also looks promising.