Zola SDH Alternative? Pretty Good House
We are managing a 2nd floor addition and energy retrofit for our home located in Central Florida.
I am really impressed with Zola Windows, and their simulated double hung with a fixed upper and tilt turn lower.
After reaching out to them, their minimum order is 50k USD, and that translates to around 35-40 windows… We need 7 total. We talked with a neighbor who is also doing a window project, but they only need 18 windows total.
I looked a Pella, but they didn’t seem to have a single hung in the passivehaus line.
We are going for strong air sealing, and the glazing on two of these windows will not be as shaded as we would like, so trying to get something better than average.
Any advice?
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Have you seen the PHIUS performance data website? We are planning on building with "pretty good" basics...our windows were one area that I wanted to try and get as close to PH as I could. I used this resource to look at different options...you might be able to find another manufacturer that can provide you what you need without that large of an order (we settled on Alpen windows for similar reasons to Zola).
https://www.phius.org/phius-certification-for-buildings-products/phius-verified-window-performance-data-program/program-overview
Thank you for this! Not sure why it hasn't come up in my research so far but this is an amazing resource.
With the Alpen, I couldn't tell if they had a window that could look like a single or double hung traditional style as we do have exterior architectural restrictions to compete with. I think I may just reach out to them and let them know if we're looking for and see what they may recommend. It definitely looks like a great product.
Absolutely...we looked at several different windows from those in the report and ended up settling on Alpen...but at the very least it should point you in the direction of some other mfg's that either have PH rated or "pretty good" windows that meet your need.
You don't need triple glazed windows in Florida, so I would absolutely consider American made casements with low SHGC glass. Pella, Marvin, and Andersen all make nice looking casements in various tiers. I personally have Andersen A series with a mix of casement, awning, and fixed units, and I'm very happy with them.
Remember: the installation matters more than the brand.
From a dollars and cents point of view replacement windows never save enough energy to recover their costs even in energy intense climates. The new construction upcharge from dual pane to triple pane windows does not begin to make economic sense until you are about 1000 miles north of Florida.
My words are likely wasted as it sounds like you have drunk the passive house Coolaid all thoughts of return on investment have been wiped from your head and replaced with green pixie dust.
Consider building a BEopt model of your house and let the numbers make the choices.
https://www.nrel.gov/buildings/beopt.html
Walta
Thanks Walta, I appreciate the insight.
This would be for new construction as part of a renovation. We already replaced other windows in the home due to operation issues, and while energy concerns were a priority, we needed to get those replaced quickly.
I'll take a look at the BEopt information you shared. Beyond energy concerns, noise transmission and air quality are also on the list, so it may just be watered down Koolaid at this point 😉