How to choose the most suitable windows for prefabricated steel buildings?

Amidst the current innovations in the construction industry, prefabricated steel buildings are gradually changing the way we build, thanks to their advantages such as fast construction, environmental friendliness, and energy efficiency. Window selection for these types of buildings requires unique considerations, unlike traditional construction.

Window Types and Features Available in Prefabricated Steel Buildings

Casement windows are a common window type in prefabricated steel buildings and are available in two types: inward-opening and outward-opening. Inward-opening windows are easy to clean but occupy interior space when open. Outward-opening windows offer excellent waterproofing and do not take up interior space but are susceptible to damage in windy and rainy weather and require higher-strength hardware. Their greatest advantage is excellent sealing and ventilation, but their disadvantage is the higher hardware cost.

Sliding windows open and close using sash rails and are available in left-right and up-and-down configurations. Their key advantages are excellent lighting, a compact footprint, and ease of installation and use of curtains. However, their ventilation, soundproofing, dustproofing, and rainproofing performance are relatively poor.

Slotted windows resemble casement windows in structure but have top-mounted hinges. They work well for small openings in kitchens, bathrooms, centrally air-conditioned hotels, and offices, and they often pair with casement or sliding windows.

Tilting casement windows, popular in Germany, are technically advanced. Turning the handle allows inward opening or top-hanging, providing sealed ventilation, adjustable airflow, and theft protection.

Window Types Based on Material Selection

Aluminum alloy windows are widely used in prefabricated steel buildings. They are rust-resistant, easy to process, suitable for industrial mass production, lightweight, easy to transport, and fast to install.

Plastic steel windows with hollow glass are suitable for residences with high outdoor noise levels, providing excellent sealing and thermal insulation. However, it is important to ensure that the profile wall thickness is greater than 2.5 mm and the interior cavity has a three-chamber structure: a drainage chamber, an isolation chamber, and a reinforcement chamber. This ensures that the window will not deform for decades.

Insulated aluminum windows offer high technical requirements and lower thermal conductivity, but this also comes at a correspondingly higher cost.

Key Considerations for Window Selection

When choosing windows for prefabricated steel buildings, consider the space's function: for example, use top-hung windows in high-end interiors, casement windows in studies and living rooms, and sliding windows for enclosed balconies. Larger openings may use combination windows.

Simultaneously, window insulation is key, especially in cold-region prefabricated steel structures. Optimize energy efficiency in exterior windows—studies show installation methods (external, cantilevered, embedded) greatly impact heat transfer and energy performance.

Windows are an essential component of a building and should have the same longevity as the building itself. Choosing quality doors and windows is crucial for both the quality of living and the energy efficiency of a prefabricated steel building.

With strategic selection and design, windows become highlights of prefabricated steel buildings, meeting functional needs and boosting overall value.