Hey everyone,

This is my second home im building, first time around we didnt do much research adn this time around im attempting to make sure I have all my ducks in a row.

We are building in Northern Maine, we believe its going to be ICF constructed ranch.

Im curious what is the BEST windows available for cold climate.  We are looking for doors as well.

Check out www.hwindow.com. Some of the most efficient windows on the market.
Made in northern Wisconsin, with European technology.
Yes, I am a dealer, so I am just slightly prejudiced, but the numbers speak for themselves.

also check out www.europeanwindows.com

Absolute best has many meanings...

Best combination of beauty and insulation? Look at these: Triple glazed German from Optiwin, but tricky distribution and installation.
U values as low as 0.13 / R value almost 8
http://www.optiwin.net/mueller-en?set_language=en

Best mass-market US available? Triple glazed from Loewen.
U values ~0.20 / R value 5.0
http://www.loewen.com/home.nsf/loewen_casement_performance.pdf

Alpen / Serious Materials is doing combo fiberglass / heat mirror windows. Great insulation (claimed U 0.09 / R-11), not as pretty, gotta trust in their plastic films buried between the glass.
http://www.seriousmaterials.com/html/thermaproof.html

Thermotech has many glazings that will get you below U 0.2, fiberglass frames.
http://www.thermotechfiberglass.com/case2.htm

Jesse thanks a ton for the information .... alot of reading to do now :)

Jesse, i just noticed you in Portland Maine....Im up north in Houlton and have been patrolling these boards for information for my new home I plan to build in the spring.

At this point, leaning towards ICF with the best windows I can find...

Have to say, and there are those on this board who will probably disagree, but the main difference to me between SIPs and ICFs is that one is split down the middle and you have to pay for an extra 4-6" of concrete and rebar.

ICFs above grade always seem to price out way above our client's budget, unless the strength / fireproofing / durability of the concrete is important for other reasons.

Houlton is cold! Make sure you get triple glazed windows, without it the money spent on your walls can get wasted quickly. Look into Canada's R-2000 building code, it's made for your climate.

Also, we recommend using an energy model to test out your house before you build, it's the only way to get a clear picture of how all the parts inter-relate, and what is necessary and what is overkill.

Im in the process of getting quotes from some guys in portland actually. I didnt realize it was suppose to be that much more expensive. In fact Im always reading from people that say SIP and ICF are only 5-10% more than standard building? Guess not *SIGH*.

Im not sold on either, im really trying to 'super insulate' my home.

The consistently cheapest way to build a super-insulated house in Maine for us has been the good old-fashioned double 2x4 stud wall house, packed full of cellulose.

It's really easy for conventional stick framers to wrap their heads around (just add another cheap interior wall to the inside, 12" out-to-out), everyone knows how to install the windows and doors, 2x4's are cheap, etc.

Other methods are faster and stronger, but when money comes before speed, we keep ending up back with double 2x4 walls.

I would bet that a 12-14" wall cellulose house with triple glazed windows in your climate wouldn't need more than a mini-split heat pump or two to heat it (Mitsubishi Mr. Slim, $5k installed), perhaps with some back-up electric baseboard for the -20 nights.

Super tightly air-sealed with an ERV / HRV mandatory.

Jesse,

Does Kaplan
architects have a website ?

We do indeed:

http://www.kaplanthompson.com/

Any thoughts Jessee on closed cell polyurethane spray foam insulation ?

I am going to step outside the box here and want to mention a few things that our readership does not take into consideration for the long term of a housing project. To advertise a double 2x4 exterior wall as an acceptible alternative to SIPS and ICF is flawed in many ways. Not only is the carbon foor print higher but a cellulose insulation does deteriorate over time. I think we on this forum are not "band-aid" people to build the cheapest way possible without consideration to our impact on the environment. If a future home owner can not afford a, let say, 3000sqf house with SIPS or ICF he/she should consider to downsize to a 2200-2500sqf home. To build with sticks in my mind is pure non-sense and absolutely unconscionable. We do want to create a living envrionment not just for us but for our children as well. A sense of well being needs to be transferred from one owner to the next. That a double wall 2x4 stick frame construction is considered as "sustainable" is just down right wrong.

Manfred,

We are way off track from windows at this point, but I would like to respectfully disagree with just about everything you have said here.

If we are going to have truly sustainable construction practices, we are going to have to grow our building materials. Whatever we mine or pump out the ground is not coming back, so we need to reduce our use of finite supply building materials. This has been a tough one for us to wrap our heads around.

Our office works primarily in the NE US, and have abundant supplies of wood products and a strong and skilled culture of working with wood. We also have wood buildings that have lasted over 250 years in most villages in Maine, so your longevity argument doesn't fly here.

Next, you need to go back and look at your carbon footprint numbers again. A wood and cellulose building CAPTURES carbon from the atmosphere. We've run the numbers. The carbon problems in our buildings are the plastics, foams and metals. Mostly the metals, especially the aluminum.

Nowhere in the previous postings were we talking about building size. The building first displayed on our website is 700 SF. This isn't a discussion about oversized buildings, it's about quality buildings.

Lastly, cellulose insulation does not "deteriorate" over time. If it gets wet, or is improperly installed, sure you're going to get problems, but that's not deterioration. It also has no blowing agents, off-gassing or toxicity issues for people working with it (beyond needing respiratory protection).

Honestly, we have had more problems with foam products deteriorating than cellulose. Anyone here remember urea-formaldehyde foam in the 80's? Carpenter ants in SIPS? Those were real problems that have been mostly solved, but they still happened to people who followed the manufacturer's instructions perfectly.

Just because the system seems low-tech, doesn't mean it isn't effective...

Jesse, I agree that we are way off track. Let's review: You are the one who went beyond windows and made claims against ICF (price wise) and supported double 2x4 walls. I stand by my comments.

Your last comment reads like: A roof over your head is a roof over your head! I know you are a professional to design form and function - I am a professional to make it work! Just because there are buildings in Maine that are made of lumber and are 250 years old does not mean that is the way to go for our future. We have a skilled work force here in NC that specialize in wood products vs. SIPS and ICF 250:1. Your statement is empty! Your numbers are compromised by a status quo. I know, and so does everyone here on this forum or any forum on greenbuildtalk, change is uncomfortable, difficult and hard to accept and institute. Running numbers does not bedazzle this crowd here. We are running numbers day in and day out.

I wonder why there is not a forum that specializes in stick-build homes. I dont't want to get into all your other arguments and want to remain with: Lets agree to disagree.

Jesse,

Do you have any guideline price points on these windows?

I looked at ICF and SIP for our new home and accidentally found a hybrid steel SIP system that seems better than either: http://www.premiumsteel.com/ They supply a complete structural package: joists, headers, beams, interior walls, roof, etc. Electrical wiring is easier than SIPs especially if code requires conduit. I also like H Windows and have spec'd them for our house.

Echoing above -- thanks for the window recommendations (I am in NH) . And, uh... I don't want to get in the wood vs. ICF / SIP argument, though I have to say that it's a very polite one... nice to see respectful disagreement.  -- Kate

Optiwin quoted $75 - $100 / SF depending on 2wood vs 3 wood. But, I think you are on your own for the shipping cost from Germany, and installation and service is all on you. It's not like a typical american company yet, there's a lot of risk.

Talk to Stephen Tanner, he can describe the process better than I can. It's certainly not for everyone...

As to the others, the sales rep from each company is your best path, prices vary so much based on region, economic climate, etc.

Loewen are a high end product, below the super high end euro windows (Tischler, Albertini, Case), but competing directly in price with the better offerings from Marvin, Weathershield, Eagle etc, all of which are very good these days. Loewen's U-values are better than all the other wood interior windows, though, it's probably their Canadian heritage.

New window rep stopped by. Royal Door & Window in NH is now distributing UniLux windows from Germany. They say they have installed product in CT and Long Island NY and SE US.

Looks like a typical euro wood Tilt-Turn window, clad exterior, install through jambs style. Double or Triple glazed.

U values down to 0.12!, as good as anything out there. Cost claimed to be "better than Marvin Tilt-Turns", deliver in 8 weeks from Germany.

No personal experience yet with the product.

http://www.unilux-usa.com/