Proven 6-step approach to treating historic windows

This course provides step-by-step prescriptive advice to architects, engineers, and contractors on when it makes sense to repair or rehabilitate existing windows, and when they should advise their building owner clients to consider replacement.

When planning treatment for windows on a historic structure, the first step in the decision process is to evaluate the architectural significance of the windows in terms of overall building appearance. If the windows are important to the historic character of the building, stock replacements that don’t consider the aesthetic integrity of the structure might negatively impact the building’s look—and diminish its value.

With that key decision in place, the course goes on to describe the planning and rehabilitation process, through to ongoing maintenance.

After reading this article, you should be able to:

Identify deterioration conditions at historic wood or steel windows in order to plan for appropriate treatment.
Evaluate repair and replacement options in terms of aesthetics, logistics, maintenance, and energy efficiency to develop a rehabilitation strategy that blends practical considerations with material and energy conservation.
Apply accepted practices for abatement of hazardous materials to the treatment of historic windows, to reduce exposure risk and protect the surrounding environment from the accidental release of toxic compounds.
Specify design options for windows classified as weathered, deteriorated, severely deteriorated, and life safety risk that improve thermal performance and safety without compromising historic character.

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Allan Bilka, RA, is a Senior Staff Architect and Secretariat to the International Green Construction Code (IgCC) with the International Code Council, based in the ICC’s Chicago district office. He also serves as staff liaison to the ICC-700 National Green Building Standard. He has written several ICC white papers on green building and numerous green-related articles for the ICC. A registered architect, Bilka has over 30 years of combined residential design/build and commercial consulting engineering experience.

| Oct 17, 2011

Austin's newest urban apartment complex under construction

Complex sits on a four-acre waterfront site along Lady Bird Lake with spectacular city and lake views, and is slated to open spring 2013.

| Oct 17, 2011

Aerialogics announces technology partnership with CertainTeed Corp.

CertainTeed to provide Aerialogics’ Aerial Measurement Services to its credentialed contractor base and utilize the technology in its Roofing Products Division.