Doors and Windows Support Design Driven Sustainability

The Andersen Windows & Doors sustainability commitment meets the challenges of extreme weather in Austin.

Design first is the motto for the VISION House Austin, designed by Peter Pfeiffer and Alan Barley of Barley|Pfeiffer Architecture. The custom home, built in partnership with Green Builder Media for Robert and Judi George, features elements such as a screened porch positioned to catch breezes, overhangs to provide shade, a cool roof and a floor plan that takes into consideration optimal spaces for rooms to counteract the brutal Texas heat. 

Beyond design, the choice of products for the VISION House Austin, such as Andersen 100 Series windows and doors, to enhance the energy efficiency and sustainability of the house. 

“While we talk about recycled content before and after the fact with our windows and doors, we also emphasize the importance of the performance of our products in resistance to air and wind,” says Brandon Berg, senior vice president of research and development and innovation at Andersen. “The resilience of our products is extremely important to the longevity and long-term performance of our doors and windows.”

Easy Installation for Better Performance

Proper installation is essential for long-term performance, so Andersen has invested in designing products that are easy to install.

“We know that windows and doors that are installed right will provide the best possible performance on day one and beyond,” Berg says. “When we think about sustainability, we think about long-term durability and performance, which makes a huge impact on the world.”

Climate Responsibility 

Andersen anticipates that their products are going to be installed in buildings in more extreme environments, such as stronger storms and hotter climate conditions. 

“At our research and development center, we do simulations to test how well our products hold up to things like high temperatures and stronger winds,” Berg says. “The original idea for that testing was to generally understand the durability and resilience of our products, but this has also helped us see how our products respond to more extreme climate conditions.”

In addition to what they learn during their research and development in designing durable products, Berg says that Andersen took away some lessons from the supply chain disruptions companies experienced during the early years of the Covid pandemic. 

“We’ve worked hard to build a more resilient supply chain, such as sourcing products from places that are closer to where they’re needed,” Berg says. “We’ve made our company more resilient to risks. We’re minimizing our shipping requirements and opening more manufacturing locations to create a regional-based footprint.”

Waste Reduction Commitment

Andersen has a long history of using reclaimed materials such as wood, vinyl, and plastics in their products.

“We’re actively working on reducing and reusing waste by putting it into our products and by working with other building product manufacturers to let them use our waste in their products,” Berg says. 

“We’re working hard to figure out what we can do to recycle more of our waste and products, so we’re looking for more outlets for that,” Berg says. “We have a corporate venture capital group within the company that actively invests in start-ups that are building businesses around reusing building products, especially windows.”

VISION House Austin offers an opportunity for Andersen to showcase the durability of their products in the face of extreme climate conditions and their commitment to improving the building products industry. Visit the website to learn more about the VISION House Austin.