[Greenbuilding] availability of tilt-turn European wood windows inUS (round II)

[Bob Korves]

I don't have a bunch of money and could not afford those windows anyway, unless I made them myself.  Most of my life experiences have been with sliders and with standard casement windows, and a small amount with single and double-hung windows (SH/DH).  In light of that, my responses to your list of advantages.

1.  I can stick my head out a slider, an outward casement, or SH/DH if there is no screen there.  I have never feared that a window was going to fall on my head.  Sliders and casements are dead easy to operate, and yes, old, crooked, painted shut windows can be stuck (or nailed) shut.  So can any window.

2.  I never messed with shutters and don't plan to, but I can put a screen on from the inside with many standard windows.  

3.  OK.  Well, I stick with one story buildings so not really an issue (for me)

4.  OK.  Clever, yes.  Necessary?  Hardly. (partly a quality issue)

5.  You are talking about quality now, which is not about design and operation.  There are quality windows in standard American styles, too.

6.  There is no 6!  Change your mind?   ;-)

7.  OK.  Probably also required for styles like swing-and-tilt, and definitely costs losts more. (quality)

8.  OK (quality)

Notice that most of your praises have to do with the quality of construction, not the style of operation which was my question.

Also note that importing windows from Europe is expensive for environmental reasons, too, as well as price.

You might not be that excited about my own window ideas.  I would likely go to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore and save something they have on hand from the landfill.  Or build my own as well as I could from recycled, local materials, partly for being green, partly for being cheap, er frugal.  I believe in the simplest possible, carefully designed and executed, solution.
-Bob Korves
p.s.  The windows really do look lovely...
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Reuben Deumling 
  To: Bob Korves 
  Cc: greenbuilding at listserv.repp.org 
  Sent: Monday, November 19, 2007 9:20 AM
  Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] availability of tilt-turn European wood windows inUS (round II)


  I appreciate your question. My short answer would be: everything. But to be more specific, inward opening (French) casements where the right and left half of the window each open independently in my view have the following advantages: 
  (1) when you open the window it is open--you can stick your head out and nothing is in danger of falling on you, and you don't have to bend down or exert yourself or wonder what part of the window to push against as you struggle to overcome friction and past painting excesses; 
  (2) you can install a screen on the outside, or shutters and you can access both of these easily from inside;
  (3) you can paint, clean or remove a sash with the greatest of ease;
  (4) although for me the tilt part is not required this does add a very clever ventilation option; 
  (5) the sensual pleasure of opening and closing such a window is priceless. Just as our exterior doors are all inward opening casements, the pleasure of opening or closing one of these that is installed well and that falls into its lock is not to me a trivial feature; 
  (7) the hardware is ergonomic, uncluttered, and functional--even ingenious;
  (8) they are beautiful.

  Perhaps it boils down to what you grow up with, what you are used to. Having lived with both of these kinds of windows (every house in Germany has inward opening casements) and with the assemblage of styles we find in the US, there is in my mind simply no contest. 

  I would though be curious to hear you articulate the advantages of your preferred style of window. I'm sure I'd learn something.

  Reuben Deumling