Role of Hardware and its Advances in Fenestration Systems & its Functionality

Energy conservation, climate E change, and air quality are the words that we hear frequently nowadays. Over the last few years, we have witnessed a greater focus on the quality of living. Further, due to the pandemic situation, safety and hygiene have become important considerations for occupants of the buildings.

- V.S.RAJAN

In building structures, the fenestration system plays an important functional role., Doors and windows are integral to the building structure, be it residential, commercial, or education buildings to name a few. They act as a passage for entrance and exits for not only occupants but act as a barrier from external elements. The right balance of natural lighting, thermal control, air quality, and acoustics is desirable for people inside the building.

In major cities, the trend is for high-rise buildings. Also, in individual residences, clients have become more aware of the doors and windows. Today we see a trend for wider and taller doors and windows systems. The proper selection of the door and window is becoming important. There are several options available in window types sliding systems, swing systems, parallel opening windows, and skylight windows.

A wide variety of hardware system solutions are now available from indigenous and also from overseas manufacturers for doors and windows in both sliding and swing systems, be it for conventional systems or performance-based systems. However, careful consideration has to be given to understand the project requirements, like accessibility, structural requirements, performance parameters, local regulations, fire safety, environmental conditions, durability, and maintenance while considering hardware systems.

Hardware being the functional components of doors and windows, the correct selection of hardware components as per the system design and construction is needed for optimal performance of fenestration. It is no longer a case of one size fits all. Also, in the building structure, requirements of the hardware requirements can vary depending on the location, say for doors at the entrance of the buildings the hardware selection criteria may be different for interior doors or balcony doors.