Steel windows meets tough spec

Latest advancements in Crittall steel window design have been combined with traditional aesthetics to meet the demands of the United States’ Ivy League universities.

Both client and architect called for neo-Gothic style fenestration to blend with the design of classrooms, student accommodation, offices, libraries and dining halls for the new college buildings.

A variety of bespoke window shapes was required – some with curved tops, others with Gothic-style heads and trefoils – but all had to satisfy tough thermal and acoustic requirements.

Crittall’s Berkeley range was modified with triple glazing and an exterior leaded glass panel separated via a vented cavity to an interior insulating glass unit.

An exterior putty-effect sloping glazing detail was used to replicate old putty-glazed windows, but using an interior glazing bead for ease of servicing.

The slim sightlines matched the characteristic appearance of traditional, single pane, putty glazed fenestration.

Traditional welded steel bullet style hinges, hardware patterns and back plates were incorporated but offering modern functionality and safety.

The Berkeley windows were hot-dipped galvanized and polyester powder coated to achieve durability combined with low maintenance. The system also had a matching profile variance offering a 45-minute UL fully-accredited and tested fire rating for particular parts of the building.

The windows contributed to the building meeting the Gold certification standard of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system devised by the United States Green Building Council. This was also achieved thanks to the combination of strong, slim steel profiles and the advanced glazing specification that combined to afford high solar gains.

The client also wanted the system ‘bench-glazed’ off-site and brought to the building ready for fast-track installation. Window clips were pre-installed in the window perimeters to make this possible.