Awning Window

Awning windows open via a crank handle to the outside of the house and are hinged at the top. This allows for ventilation and protects the interior from rain. Awning windows are often installed higher on a wall, allowing for added sunlight while maximizing occupant privacy - this makes them ideal for kitchen and bathroom applications.

Awning windows are screened on the inside of the home and can be locked in open positions, which helps keep your home secure.

The design of awning windows makes them suitable for a variety of architectural styles, from modern to traditional. Awnings are often used in combination with other window types such as fixed windows.

Awning windows work best in small and mid-size openings and openings that are wider than they are tall. This type of window isn't generally as efficient as a fixed window but is generally more efficient than double-hung windows

Windows work against the efficiency of your home, so it's important to be strategic about size and placement, but also about the window fabrication itself. Higher grade windows, such as passive house windows, typically use three panes of glass, multiple gaskets and multiple latches, and low-emissivity (Low-E) coatings. The frame of the window is also necessary, with wood framing typically being the most efficient (but also the most expensive choice).

Look for the Energy Star window rating label in North America. It contains these factors for windows:

• U-value (inverse of R-value) measures how fast heat flows through, so lower U-value is better)
• Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) measures how well the window transfers solar heat energy
• Air leakage (lower is better), and Energy Rating (ER - dimensionless) is a combination of all those factors (higher ER is better)

Excellent U-values are around 1 W per sq. m per degree (equivalent to R5), and excellent ER ratings are above 35.

Awning windows offer a great way to let in light and fresh outside air (without fear of rain), preserving privacy, all while using the same mechanisms as other efficient windows. Keep in mind, the sustainability of this window isn't much different than other compressed gasket type windows like casement windows. It comes down to choosing the right placement and sizing, and the materials used to optimize the window's efficiency.

The most basic window is, of course, merely a hole in the wall to let in light and air. Over time, various materials have been used to fill window openings to let in light while keeping out insects, animals, rain, and wind. Before glass became widely manufactured, translucent materials including paper, animal hides, flattened animal horn, and even thin slices of marble were used as window panes.