【正文】 ow material, with experts maintaining it is some threetimes stronger than aluminum and nine times strongerthan vinyl. According to the American ArchitecturalManufacturers Association (AAMA), fiberglass profiles have roughly the same strength as steel (based on tensile strength). Its strength enables fiberglass to be fabricated in large sizes, acmodating large expanses of glass without requiring added support or reinforcement, making large picture windows possible and energyefficient High strengthtoweight ratio. lts light weight gives fiberglass a high strengthtoweight ratio, adding to its suitability for large, plex profilesbenefits in both maximizing daylighting and enhancing historical accuracy m restoration projects. Aluminum Because of their rigidity, durability and narrow frames, aluminum windows can be configured into a wide variety of binations that maximize views. Aluminum windows are lowmaintenance options, and will not rust or rot. They are available with tough anodized or bakedon finishes. The downside of aluminum windows in the past was the lack of energy efficiency. Aluminum readily conducts heat and cold. In cold weather, a building39。 for example, titanium dioxide allows the product to weather better, thus preventing it from yellowing. Differences in the vinyl recipe used and how vinyl parts are formed will determine the structural strength and insulation performance. Vinyl39。 Doors It used to be that wood windows werevirtually ubiquitous,but technological advances have generatedalternatives with added benefits. Developed in the late 1980s to meet demand for lower maintenance and higher performance,fiber glass windows are now gaining traction nationwide. The AAMA/WDMA 2020/2020 . Industry Market Studies show that while demand for all types of window units dropped a staggering percent during the 2020 to 2020 peaktotrough economic downturn, market share for fiberglass window units nearly doubled from percent to percent. That share is expected to reach percent in 2020 as the global green building movement spurs ever more demand for sustainable products with low life cycle costs. As more mainstream window and door manufacturers introduce fiberglass lines for new construction and replacement situations, products have bee available in a full range of energyefficient options including lowE argonfilled insulating glass units and in a variety of styles from casement to single and doublehung to plex custom profiles. This article will discuss next generation offerings in fiberglass windows and provide a parative analysis of fiberglass and other framing materials. Also covered will be code and design considerations in specifying an appropriate fiberglass window FIBERGLASS WINDOW OPTIONS According to , a non profit website whose sole mission is to encourage the creation of wellbuilt buildings made with sustainable materials, using fiberglass for a window frame material is, in some cases, preferable to other window frame materials like wood, vinyl, or metal”A relatively young product, fiberglass window frames are available in several versions Chief among them are the allfiberglass frame that bines a traditional woodframe profile with the strength, stability and low maintenance characteristics of fiberglass. These windows resemble traditional painted wood windows with factory applied exterior colors. Quite recently, manufacturers have also introduced a line of windows in which the fiberglass production process enables plex profiles required for the look of painted wood windows on the exterior, bined with a natural wood interior. Better options in this category feature furnituregrade, clear, verticalgrain Douglas fir, mahogany or other species on the interior unmarred by nail or staple holes, a powdercoated exterior finish and builtin systems to increase both energy efficiency and window long