Architectural Products Update

 
Hurricane-Resistant Windows

Pella® has redesigned the Architect Series® HurricaneShield® double- and single-hung windows to eliminate the need for brace clips and other visible reinforcements. The new design integrates the bracing system into the checkrail of the window, making it invisible to the everyday observer. The impact-resistant glass is made by sandwiching an advanced polymer between two layers of glass, producing windows with a Missile D impact rating and Wind Zone 3 performance. Like for other impact-resistant windows, additional installation steps are required to secure the window frame to the house. Architect Series windows and patio doors are made to custom specifications with all-wood construction.

pella.com

 
High-Efficiency Downlights

Prescolite has upgraded its LiteFrame line to include watts-per-square-foot optics. The new fixtures feature more lumens per watt, offering energy-saving benefits while increasing efficacy for retail, hospitality, and design-build projects. The new optical design offers more light than the typical 45-degree cutoff, allowing more space to be illuminated with fewer fixtures. The watts-per-square-foot optics can be useful when complying with ASHRAE standards or California Title 24 requirements, which restrict the number of watts per space in many building spaces. Pictured is a LF6CFH six-inch (15-centimeter) horizontal compact fluorescent open downlight. The web site includes a layout calculator and other information and planning tools.

prescolite.com

 
Garden Ornaments by Robert A.M. Stern

Haddonstone, a manufacturer of cast-stone landscape features, announces the new Olympian Collection designed by Robert A.M. Stern Designs. The collection includes two bowls, two urns, and a tall, slim amphora, offering a clean, contemporary interpretation of ancient vessel forms as seen through the lens of late 19th-century Neoclassicism. Architect Robert A.M. Stern describes the collection as "classically-inspired, yet wholly contemporary ornamental planters, operating at the intersection of nature and artifice, and designed to help define outdoor rooms in an architectural way."

haddonstone.com

 
Glass Radiators

SGG Thermovit® Elegance glass radiators are energy-efficient and require no plumbing or transformers. The radiators can be moved to new locations and are fully recyclable. Available in the transparent Diamant Clear model or condensation-free Mirastar Mirror model. Both can be wall- or floor-mounted with high-quality stainless steel or chrome fittings, and come with an optional towel rail accessory. The wireless thermostat-controlled version regulates the room temperature, while the standard version is turned on and off at the socket. For residential and commercial use.

glassradiators.co.uk

 
Thin-Film Photovoltaics

Konarka Power Plastic® is a thin-film photovoltaic material. Flexible, lightweight, and semi-transparent, the solar material operates from -20 to 65 degrees Celsius (-4 to 149 degrees Fahrenheit). Konarka Technologies, Inc. does not currently create consumer products, but manufactures and sells panels to a variety of business development partners. Seven standard panels of varying sizes and power-generating capacities come with integrated connectors, ready to be integrated by the device manufacturer. Custom panels also available. Potential applications include shade structures that power personal electronic devices, carport covers that trickle-charge electric cars, and window shades and integrated window panels. The company recently entered into an advanced product development agreement with Arch Aluminum & Glass Co., Inc., to collaborate on building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV).

konarka.com