Nature Through the Eyes of the Window
Designing the Panorama Idea Home in Breckenridge, Colo., could have been a daunting task for Thrive Home Builders, given the location and objectives of the project. Creating a luxury 6,600-square-foot custom retreat that exceeds energy efficiency expectations requires careful planning, thoughtful specification, and high-quality installation of building components. Above all, partnering with the right manufacturers that can multi-task by providing both high-performance products and complementing the rustic elegance of the project was critical. To meet the high expectations of the Panorama Idea Home, JELD-WEN windows and doors provided everything the project required, inside, outside, and throughout the home.
Building to Weather the Extremes
Built at 9,600 feet above sea level in Climate Zone 7, the high-altitude Panorama Idea Home faces extreme weather year-round, from sub-zero blizzards to parched dry summers. Additionally, the home is deep in the Rocky Mountain Forest, which poses a threat of wildfires, or at a minimum, regular rounds of heavy smoke. Durability is a key factor in the success of the project.
To protect the home’s entry, Thrive specified a 4-lite Siteline inswing door from JELD-WEN with side lites and transom windows above to allow ample daylight into the home. The simple styling of the door matched the ranch-style design of the Panorama Idea Home and maximized the view.
For the front patio door that provides access to the hot tub, a French-style door featuring JELD-WEN’s patented Hydrolock™️ technology was installed. The water management system incorporates a new sill design that drains continuously to move water away from the home interior.
At the back of the Panorama Idea Home, Siteline® Low-Friction Glider™ Patio Doors were selected. The heavy-duty doors open effortlessly for easy operation and have an integrated screen to keep bugs and pests at bay while allowing plenty of fresh air into the home. Large individual glass panels, up to 7’ wide and 10’ tall, don’t require transoms, flooding the interior with ample daylight, even during the darkest winter months.
High-Performance Aesthetics
From a performance standpoint, All the JELD-WEN products on the exterior of the home contribute to the Panorama Idea Home achieving ENERGY STAR® certification, as well as being a Net Zero Energy home.
“Windows really impact the performance and comfort of a house,” says Gene Myers, founder and Chief Sustainability Officer for Thrive, “especially at this elevation. Our choice to go with JELD-WEN was really about the fact that they could deliver these exceptional windows to help us meet our energy performance goals, while not sacrificing aesthetics. The windows and doors had to be both—really attractive and work with the design of the house, and also hit very specific expectations for performance.”
For the Panorama Idea Home, Thrive specified Siteline® Clad Wood Windows. The Siteline® Clad-Wood Windows come with AuraLast® pine for built-in protection. The environmentally friendly water-based treatment uses a vacuum-pressure process on the wood, creating surface-to-core protection for the windows.
Glazing options for the Siteline® clad-wood windows were also critical. The triple-pane windows installed in the Panorama Idea Home employed both JELD-WEN SunStable™ Low-E Insulating Glass and SunFlow™ Low-E Insulating Glass.
The SunStable™ glass technology allows a bit of passive solar heat in the winter, reflects heat back into the room, and blocks 86% or more of harmful UV rays that can fade and damage furniture, fixtures, and flooring. The SunFlow™ insulated glass technology offers the highest visible light transmission and maximizes the warmth available from the sun while also blocking 71% of UV rays.
“Working with JELD-WEN, we were able to tune the SHGC with the windows to allow more solar gain on south-oriented windows and reduce heat loss in the rest of the house,” says Myers. “This significantly improved our HERS (home energy rating) score by about 5 points and was one of the key contributors to energy efficiency that allowed us to get to net zero energy.”
Beauty on the Inside
Though not part of the overall high-performance requirements, JELD-WEN was able to complete the trifecta of windows and exterior and interior doors for the Panorama Idea Home.
Interior stile and rail doors from the JELD-WEN MODA® Collection complete the spacious yet simple luxury home motif. The doors offer clean lines with a 1-panel Shaker design and solid core wood panel construction.
Sourcing all these products from one source, JELD-WEN, was really a win-win for us on the project,” says Myers. “We found a partner we could trust to deliver not only the quality and aesthetics but also one that could help us meet our sustainable goals.”
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Links and resources:
Learn more about JELD-WEN Products in the Panorama House
Triple Glazed Windows and Fire Prevention
SunStable™ Low-E Insulating Glass and SunFlow™ Low-E Insulating Glass
