by Carolyn Zulandt
June 26, 2017
When it comes to windows, homeowners and builders want the whole package: a product that provides a modern, customized appearance while also boosting energy efficiency. Millennials and older homebuyers alike are seeking high-performance windows that impart a unique, high-end look to their home without additional costs for upkeep. As a result, window manufacturers are competing on performance as much as style, expanding product lines to feature new energy-efficient, low-maintenance windows with sleek, contemporary designs.
Residential building trends are increasingly favoring modern, minimalist styles -- fueled in part by the rising share of millennial homebuyers looking for urban designs in single-family dwellings. Windows are key to achieving this aesthetic, for instance through the use of narrow sight lines and expansive, uninterrupted glazing.
Recent product launches include a 90-degree aluminum-clad corner window -- for a wraparound look and increased daylighting -- introduced in March 2017 as part of Windsor Windows & Doors’ Pinnacle Clad line. In addition, in May 2017 JELD-WEN expanded its Premium Vinyl collection to include single- and double-hung tilt windows featuring more expansive panes of glass and contemporary designs.
While traditional double-hung products remain the most popular windows on the market, homeowners and buyers are looking for new shapes and styles that set their homes apart from surrounding residences. Details such as rounded tops, swing openings, and custom finishes provide added interest and a unique look. Weathershield Windows & Doors, for example, expanded its Contemporary Collection in 2016 with new windows featuring flush frames (with sashes and frames on the same plain) to impart a more modern aesthetic. Also in 2016, Milgard Manufacturing (Masco) released its Essence Series radius casement windows designed with arched and round-top frames for a more distinctive look.
In addition to these style preferences, environmental friendliness is increasingly important to homeowners and is a critical selling point for window manufacturers. Most of the leading window suppliers -- including Andersen, JELD-WEN, Kolbe Windows and Doors, Marvin, Pella, and Ply Gem -- offer products that meet the ENERGY STAR program’s Most Efficient Windows designation criteria for 2017.
Marvin, for instance, highlights the energy savings achieved through its Integrity line windows, which are manufactured with Ultrex fiberglass and low-E coatings. In addition, Pella’s 350 Series plastic windows are designed with advanced low-E, triple-pane glazing, as well as frames with 18 air chambers for added insulation.
To learn more about how performance and design trends are impacting growth in the US windows market, check out the new report Windows Market in the US, from The Freedonia Group. This report offers analysis on:
Carolyn Zulandt is an Industry Analyst at the Freedonia Group where her work covers topics related to the US and Global Chemicals and Construction and Building Products markets.
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