Glass for windows and sunrooms

Introduction
There are now many high tech glass units available, with careful choice and research these stunning new ranges of ‘coated’ smart glass give user comfort in windows and conservatories. Glass that keeps homes cool in summer and warm in winter, whilst offering other benefits such as minimal maintenance, Real self cleaning and much more besides.
Impressive technological features combined with a subtle blue, clear or bronze tints in the glass helps ensure that unwanted glare is kept to a minimum allowing for all year round enjoyment of the conservatory. Other features mean heat from inside the home is reflected back into the property, whilst excessive solar heat is deflected away. Franklin Solartech is one of the few glazings on the market to offer this unique combination of heat reflection and thermal insulation. All glass products are not the same!
Glass Temperatures

Year-round thermal comfort is a result of warm glass temperatures in the winter, cool glass temperatures in the winter, cool glass temperatures in the summer, and the blockage of oppressive solar heat gains.
Solar Blockage - 68% means 68% of solar heat is reflected off the roof, a lower reflective glass is often put in the frames to maximize winter heat gain.
The units do not have a mirror effect as you might expect.
Lower reflective units are available according to your needs.

Thermal insulation

In an age where energy efficiency is paramount, our product outperforms standard glass units by 50%, thereby reducing potentially expensive heating bills. The U-value is an impressive 1.1. Reducing your heating bills dramatically. It will mean the difference of either using your room or not on colder days.

Light Transmission

Solartech offers the best combination of aesthetic appeal along with performance and occupant comfort. Franklin select the best unit for your requirements ie location, shading requirements and reduced light in attached rooms.
Visible light transmittance
Clear = 74% meaning more light into room
Tints = 50 - 55%

Sound Reduction

Dramatically improved sound reduction compared to 1″ polycarbonate. Using the natural properties of glass, double glazing and gas filling make this dramatic reduction possible.

Wooden Windows

Introduction
Timber is one of the oldest materials used in construction, lately there has been strong growth in the window, door and conservatory market, this is likely due to a strong desire by most people to avoid uPVC, it has not proved to be the everlasting product promised in earlier years. Franklin use hardwood on a daily basis from renewable sources. This is used mainly to fabricate windows, doors and conservatories with an Aluminium exterior (see fact sheet 14) Franklin however use solid hardwood frames use on listed buildings where other materials have been rejected by the local conservation team, or the client requests this. There are good reasons for its use and some negatives in terms of maintenance. Using modern micro porous paints can limit the regularity of such maintenance and protect pressure treated hardwoods well.

Material Properties
• Very versatile and can be moulded to most shapes
• Can be painted any colour or stained various shades
• Light hardwoods very much in vogue
• Modern locking and hinge systems can be incorporated
• Pressure treating protects for around 20 years
• Renewable sourcing is environmentally friendly
• Traditional product for older buildings

Aluminium Windows

Introduction
Aluminium has always been the preferred choice in the commercial sectors and is specified by most architects, its strength, lightness, durability, environmental friendliness and availability make it an obvious choice for shop fronts, car bodies and patent glazing along with many other uses. Its ability to cope with heat means it can be powdercoated. This coating is one of the most economical, longest lasting and durable finishes available. It is more resistant to chipping, scratching, fading and wearing than any other finish. Colour selection is virtually unlimited with high and low gloss, metallic and clear finishes available.

Material Properties
• Very environmentally friendly and very recyclable
• 28 times stronger than uPVC and 3 times life expectancy
• Increased security
• Limited expansion and contraction due to weather, leading to longer life and comfort
• Unlike uPVC air pollution or UV light does not damage surface coating
• A choice of over 1700 colours
• 15 – 25 year guarantee on adhesion and colourfastness depending on colour and gloss content
• Aluminium extrusions conform to BS EN 755-9
• Powder coating conforms to BS 6496
• Thermally broken to prevent condensation and increase thermal performance

Composite Window Growth

As Upvc windows continue to make a dramatic decline due to saturation and the 2009 recession other products are increasing.
The double glazing industry is looking for new solutions to combat the decline in PVC-U sales in the UK market. This PVC-U market declined a further 2.5% in 2006 with market share now 75.4% the lowest since 2001. The demand for new and better products seems to be the case in all segments of the window and door market.
According to Palmer the aluminium market: “The only material to grow in 2005 was aluminium, up 84%. Over 90% was in the private sector. Installed value grew by 87%”. Even though aluminium and timber composite windows are relatively new to the UK, data for this market is starting to be collected.
The PVC-U market has maintained an average 5% decline during the last 3 years. Whilst the home improvement market in general has increased. We anticipate a significant drop in further PVC-U sales but an increase in alternative products such as aluminium and timber windows or ali clad windows as some call them.

To effectively compete in today’s markets, changes to the market need to be addressed early. Franklin understood that the market for PVC-U windows would reach saturation and consumers would start to look for that product that had that unique selling point. When faced with the decision to replace those tired pvc-u windows, would the consumer look to replace like with like, or base a buying decision on choice of durability, colour options and appeal? Company’s that can take the purchase from a repair/replacement purchase to a lifestyle purchase will be the ones that experience the greatest growth. According to Key Note the world window and door market is worth some $111 billion, North America selling 67 million units pa, 74 million in Europe in 2004. The UK market alone is worth £5.12 billion.

“Although PVC-U has the main market share, sales are becoming more difficult to sustain due to the increasing saturation of the replacement market, after losing market share to PVC-U, there are indications that wooden products are regaining some of their popularity. As well as having good thermal insulation properties and an appealing appearance, wood has a strong position as a sustainable material”- Key Note

The annual growth potential of the Franklin product will be exponential, this is backed up by the rapid growth in sales and enquires as a result of Franklins marketing approach with emphasis on the aluminium/timber composite windows, doors, folding sliding doors, conservatories and Orangeries.

The strong correlation between a static market and the demand for alternative products market bodes well for Franklin. The composite market is growing steadily. With 80% growth annually over the last 4 years. The financial plans have been viewed very conservatively but following the last 4 we fully anticipate revenues from our own growth to exceed £8 million by 2010.

An introduction to Composite Windows

The word “composite” means made up of different parts, so a composite window would be made of different materials i.e. one material on the outside and another on the inside. It does not refer to the hinges, glass, seal and fixings which may be classed as different parts.

Different parts are used to produce a window that has advantages over ones made from one only a single part like UPVC or one made only from wood. It is hoped that this forum will encourage discussions on the pros and cons of various products available our yet to be developed.

Most people will not be familiar with this concept, but aluminium windows have never left the commercial market because upvc has never been viewed as a long term solution for windows and doors by good Architects. European consumers have always viewed aluminium as a credible solution and as a result, windows, doors and glasshouses have been made with aluminium to the exterior with hardwood on the interior for decades. Franklin have taken this concept by moulding the aluminium and wood to look like a traditional English window frame. The slim look is much sort after for older properties with existing metal windows, traditional wooden frames and the sections can be increased for the very heavy Orangery sections. Real light hardwood gives a real warm glow and presence to grace all homes.

Material Properties
• Very durable exterior available in any colour with no maintenance and a life expectancy of over 25years.
• All locking systems fixed to aluminium for great strength and security
• Real hardwood interior which can be left factory finished or changed later
• Very low cost yet traditional solution for discerning specifies