Crystal Windows earns national green honors by DWM Magazine

Crystal Window & Door Systems continues its award-winning ways by picking up a notable national recognition for its new energy-efficient window line, the Ultra R-5. Crystal's Ultra R-5 vinyl window was named an honored nominee in the Window Manufacturer category of the annual Green Product Awards Competition sponsored by Door & Window Manufacturer (DWM), the prominent national building products publication. The 2010 winners of the award competition were published in the October 2010 edition of DWM Magazine. DWM Magazine selected one winner and noted several preeminent nominees in seven product categories. Crystal was recognized along with other prestigious fenestration industry winners and honored nominees in the various categories including Andersen, Simonton, Kolbe & Kolbe, Gorell, Royal, Chelsea, GED, EdgeTech, AGC, Cardinal and Pilkington. The Ultra R-5 Vinyl Window represents the most advanced energy efficient window offered by Crystal across its very broad product line of vinyl and aluminum windows. The new line includes double-hung, picture and casement styles. The window models achieve outstanding energy performance ratings, with U-values between 0.20 and 0.22 and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) values between 0.20 and 0.23. A U-value of 0.20 is equivalent to an insulating value of R-5, hence the product line name. These windows have been noted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) which selected Crystal along with a relatively small group of leading manufacturers across the nation for participation in the federal "Highly Insulating R-5 Window and Low-E Storm Window Volume Purchase Program." The Crystal Ultra R-5 windows are available for sale, not only through the DOE program but to all the company's existing and potential customers through its expanding network of quality dealers, distributors and installation contractors. Crystal's Ultra R-5 Vinyl Windows are particularly noteworthy as an industry recognized "Green Product" since they deliver substantial energy, environmental and economic benefits for homes with existing single-glazed or double-glazed windows and even over current Energy Star qualified fenestration products. Although normally used for replacement applications, Ultra R-5 windows, when ordered with an optional pre-punched perimeter nailing fin and snap-on J-channel, can readily adapt to facilitate new construction installations. Based on Crystal's popular Series 200 vinyl windows, the new line incorporates critically important upgrades. The Ultra R-5 windows feature a 3-¼" jamb depth and basic energy efficient elements such as multi-chambered frame and sash profiles, heavy-duty pocket sill, warm-edge insulating glass spacer technology, triple-seal head and sill, and double-seal jamb weatherstripping. Beyond that, the new windows utilize argon gas-filled insulating glass units (IGUs) and triple glazing with Crystal's advanced multi-surface low-E PerformaTC glass.