A window fitted today has very little in common with one from even ten or fifteen years ago. Materials, seals, glazing and even the hardware have all moved on, and manufacturers are still finding new ways to make windows perform better, last longer and look sharper. Here’s a look at where window technology is heading, based on developments recently unveiled by REHAU, the profile system behind many of the windows we install.
Slimmer frames, bigger openings
One of REHAU’s newest developments uses long glass fibres set into the profile through a specialist manufacturing process, producing frames strong enough to support very large openings, over three metres tall in some cases, while keeping the sightlines slim. It’s the kind of engineering that used to be the preserve of aluminium, now finding its way into uPVC.
Built to last, and easier to recycle
Corner joints on newer profile systems are increasingly formed without welding, using moulded connectors instead, which manufacturers say improves strength and consistency. The materials themselves are also being designed with recycling in mind from the outset, so a window’s materials have a life beyond the one they’re first fitted for.
Built to last, and easier to recycle
Corner joints on newer profile systems are increasingly formed without welding, using moulded connectors instead, which manufacturers say improves strength and consistency. The materials themselves are also being designed with recycling in mind from the outset, so a window’s materials have a life beyond the one they’re first fitted for.
Smarter, more connected homes
Window and door systems are also starting to connect to the smart home, and it’s usually the door fabricator, not the profile system, that decides which brand goes in. Our Endurance composite doors come with ERA smart locks, and another of our door ranges uses Yale SensCheck, both giving keyless, smartphone-based entry alongside the usual security benefits, without the need for a traditional key at all.
What this means for your home
Not every innovation shown at a trade fair makes it into every installer’s range straight away, and we’ll always be upfront about exactly what’s included in the windows and doors we fit. But it’s a good illustration of just how far the humble window has come, and how much further it’s likely to go. If you’re curious about what’s available for your home right now, get in touch and we’ll talk you through it.
