Windows and Doors Go High-Tech

Source: BUILDING PRODUCTS Magazine

Publication date: 2009-02-13

Keyless Convenience

Can't find your house keys? Forgot the code? No worries. Just press or slide your fingertip across a small sensor to disengage the door lock. Welcome to biometrics, a fancy term for technology that takes advantage of your unique physical traits such as your fingerprints. And what better application than home security, specifically door locks and handlesets? These self-contained devices, powered by standard batteries, allow owners to regulate who gets access to the house (or section of the building, such as the garage only) and the flexibility to alter that preferred list for temporary workers (service technicians and handymen) and even the days and times of day certain fingerprints will register (for daycare providers and cleaning crews). Makers also are savvy to aesthetics, designing the technology into increasingly acceptable-looking hardware and popular finishes to complement the door system and the rest of the house.

Tychi Systems. The BioKnob is a biometric door lock shaped like an elegant doorknob. A small sensor at the center of the outside knob converts and registers the thermal pattern of a user's thumb or fingerprint. The system allows up to 1,000 users, including temporary visitors, and provides a built-in keypad and LCD display for programming, all powered by rechargeable batteries. 603-898-9244. www.tychisystems.com.

Kwikset. The Smart-Scan deadbolt uses RF electronic imaging to read live fingerprint patterns, making it unaffected by dirty, dry, or worn fingertips. The AA-battery-powered system allows for up to 50 unique users, with the option of continuous access, limited date access, and restricted access options for maximum flexibility and security using a built-in keypad and LCD display on the interior side of the unit. A subtle sensor under the deadbolt maintains the lock's aesthetic appeal. 800-327-5625. www.kwikset.com.

Artemis Solutions Group. The Guardian XL series biometric fingerprint door lock allows up to 99 unique users and employs a high-performance algorithm to more securely capture and identify each user. The system identifies a specific person in less than two seconds and is designed for up to one year of operation on a single set of AA batteries. 800-519-8800. www.artemis-usa.com.

BioAxxis. The BD1 fingerprint deadbolt lock offers a stylish housing that conceals its biometric recognition technology for secure and keyless activation. The system allows up to 30 unique users with a AA-battery-powered motor rated for 800,000 operations. The unit also includes an alarm that sounds if the lock is tampered with. A solid brass, 1-inch-long deadbolt features a case-hardened steel roller pin to resist sawing. It is available in three weatherproof finishes. 877-299-4701. www.axxisbiometrics.com.

Off and On

How cool would it be to find a product that addressed privacy, security, energy efficiency, and indoor comfort at the same time? We're not quite there yet, but so-called switchable glass, including liquid crystal, electrochromic, and suspended particle device (SPD) technologies, are making strides in that direction. The applications for housing are exciting, enabling entry-door sidelites and transoms to go opaque at night for added security, for west- and south-facing windows to tint automatically to cut down on solar heat gain, and for in-home offices and theaters to gain an extra measure of privacy. Even better, some of these smart-glass advancements can be combined with insulating and art glass components to enhance their performance even further and satisfy home buyer demands for energy efficiency and personal style.

Sage Electrochromics. Electronically tintable SageGlass can help control daylight, solar heat gain, glare, and fading from UV rays without completely obscuring the view. A unit requires less energy than a 60-watt incandescent bulb to operate and helps lower energy bills and peak-demand HVAC operation. The glass offers a dynamic range of visible light transmittance from 96.5 percent (darkest) to 64 percent. 877-724-3321. www.sage-ec.com.

Innovative Glass. EGlass products use electrically activated SPD or liquid crystal (LC) film technologies heat-laminated between sheets of glass. SPD units offer a soft blue tint to control the daylight, glare, and solar heat gain while LC units provide privacy by enabling an immediate switch from clear to frosted white. Panels are UL approved and can be produced in wide widths and up to 12 feet tall. All wires exit one edge and are easily routed to standard electrical boxes. 516-777-1100. www.innovativeglasscorp.com.

LTI Smart Glass. Privacy glass utilizes liquid-crystal technology to immediately transform panes from opaque to clear with the flick of a wall switch. Suitable for any setting that needs privacy, from entry-door system glass components to home offices and bathrooms, the technology is compatible with insulated, tempered, and tinted glass assemblies as well as art glass overlays. 413-637-5001. www.ltisg.com.

Polytronix. Polyvision privacy glass transforms from a cloudy white translucent barrier to an optically clear state with the flick of a switch. The panels are produced by laminating polymer-dispersed liquid crystal film with an architectural-grade polyvinyl butyral (PVB) interlayer between two panes of glass. Panels are available in sizes up to 56 inches by 120 inches. 972-238-7045. www.polytronix.com.

Clever Control

Roof windows and operable skylights are a great way to bring natural light and ventilation to interior spaces that sidewall windows may not serve, but opening and closing them can be difficult or inconvenient. Hence the development of remote-control and automatic roof windows that replace unsightly telescoping poles with the touch of a button. The technology isn't rocket science. A small electric motor replaces the manual crank on the sill of the unit and is either hardwired to a wall-mounted touchpad (perhaps integrated into a whole-house control system) or uses a wireless connection to a handheld remote. Some have evolved to automatically close on a timer or at the first hint of rain, a technology that also is being applied more recently to standard sidewall windows as a home security upgrade.

Truth Hardware. The company's new operator system for windows and skylights is a small, sleek motorized solution that's easily applied to most standard units. Double-link chain enables up to a 91/2-inch opening for sashes weighing up to 90 pounds. The motor is hardwired using 110-volt household current to a central control switch that can operate multiple units. An electronic limit switch controls the opening position while an internal sensing feature manages the closing position. 800-866-7884. www.truth.com.

Wasco Skylight Products. Venting motorization for the company's range of skylight products offers a choice of a wall switch or a handheld, radio-frequency remote control. A rain sensor automatically closes the skylight at the first indication of moisture, while new digital electronics and built-in power conversion technologies enable automation and integration with standard security or home automation systems. The motor also can control the company's SkyBlind shading system. 800-388-0293. www.wascoskylights.com.

Velux. The VSE electric venting, deck-mounted skylight features an Energy Star-rated window unit and remote-control operation, and is available with a wall-mounted touchpad or home automation system interface. The unit ships with a pre-installed concealed motor, control system, and two rain sensors. The technology also is offered with the company's curb-mounted and self-flashing skylight models. 800-888-3589. www.veluxusa.com.