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May 8, 2008
landmarked approved windows
I live in an old building in a landmark district and I've been informed by the co-op board that we're about to replace dozens of windows at great expense. Things happen. But when I inquired about the windows themselves, I was told they were single-pane glass windows with a really low energy rating bcs "that's what Landmarks requires". Is this right? Seems so nuts. We can't even have double pane glass? Also the frames will be all-wood -- again, as I was told was required by the LPC. beautiful but crazy expensive.
I've tried to find the rules myself, but can anyone confirm all this for me?
Comments
we had to replace our windows on a landmarked block and were allowed to use Marvin double glazed windows (with some energy efficient coating to boot). The windows did have to be wood.
Posted by: guest at May 8, 2008 12:46 PM
I think your board is stetching the truth. There ARE double pane windows out there that LPC will approve. They are expensive, sure. That's probably why your building opted to go with single pane as they were cheaper and approvable by LPC.
Posted by: guest at May 8, 2008 12:53 PM
I think your board is stretching the truth. There ARE double pane windows out there that LPC will approve. They are expensive, sure. That's probably why your building opted to go with single pane as they were cheaper and approvable by LPC.
Posted by: guest at May 8, 2008 1:01 PM
Yeah, and it is being penny-wise and pound-foolish for them to buy the cheaper single paned ones - it'll cost you all more in heating (whether the building pays for this, or whether you have your own heating systems.) Dumb.
Posted by: guest at May 8, 2008 1:15 PM
Whatever you do, do not install single pane windows! Landmarks will certainly approve double pane. Your board wants to save money which, in the end, it will not due to higher heating costs.
Posted by: guest at May 8, 2008 3:02 PM
If you can't convince them on the heating costs, I think they also make a difference in terms of noise, which could be an issue, depending on where you are located.
Posted by: guest at May 8, 2008 3:31 PM
If they are going with single pane, why don't they restore the old windows and add invisible storms? That would be more energy efficient than single pane and less wasteful than replacing.
Posted by: ohiise at May 8, 2008 4:33 PM
As others have said, Landmarks does not prohibit switching to double-pane. However, in addition to the cost issues that others have pointed out, design is also an issue. Designing/fabricating insulated windows in a style similar enough to the originals can be prohibitively expensive or near-impossible. I've run into this type of situation, for example in renovating a Manhattan Park Avenue penthouse (barely visible from the ground, but carefully scrutinized by Landmarks nonetheless). What I did, and what, if possible, the building should do, is put in laminated glass windows. The extra layer(s) of glass add a little bit of thermal and acoustic insulation. Not as good as double-paned, but better than single-pane.
Posted by: nyarchitect at May 8, 2008 5:49 PM
I like the idea of restoring the existing single-pane windows. I also understand the actual heat savings from single vs double pane windows, if the casings are insulated, is quite minimal and takes a long long time to recover the cost if your windows were being changed simply for energy-efficiency reasons. Double pane windows do insulate somewhat for sound, however. If you're simply worried about energy savings, better to concentrate on the attic and the highest-efficiency furnace possible. (plus turn the heat down and wear a sweater!)
Posted by: newcolonist at May 10, 2008 11:58 AM
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