Your home should be more than a place to live. It should contribute to your health and well-being by making you feel stronger, happier and more at peace. Windows and doors can help make that possible.
Biophilic design is about connecting our built environments with nature through views, light, air, water, plants and more. Since it’s estimated Americans spend 90 percent of their time indoors, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)1, biophilic interior design is really design for healthy living. Windows and doors offer the opportunity to bring views of nature into our homes at any scale – from creating a garden window to replacing a wall with a gliding glass door.
Home renovations always come with their share of challenges but converting a nearly 100-year-old commercial space into a family home comes with extra quirks.
You know where noise reduction is most needed in your home. Consider windows with upgraded performance in your bedroom, baby’s nursery or other spaces where it’s most needed.
It’s one thing to bring a beautiful “plantscape” to life, it’s another to keep it alive! That’s why we sought out some advice from plant stylist and author, Hilton Carter.
Natural light has been shown to improve mood and energy and promote sleep2. So think about using windows and doors in a way that maximizes the warmth and natural light from the sun. You can do this by placing windows on the south side of a home, if you’re in the northern hemisphere. Of course, with sunlight comes heat. Luckily, you get the final say in how much heat is transferred into your home with our energy-efficient glass options.
Don't underestimate the benefits of an open window. Pollutants inside the home can be 2 to 5 times higher than what’s found outdoors, according to the EPA3. Placing windows strategically to promote cross ventilation allows fresh air to circulate through the home. Choosing larger windows and even higher-performing insect screens – Andersen® TruScene® Insect Screens let in 25 percent more fresh air than conventional insect screens – can increase fresh air flow into the home. Also, windows and doors that are Indoor Advantage Gold certified (like most of ours) for low VOC emissions help promote clean air, even when they’re closed.
Windows and doors open your home to the outside world, which can sometimes include unwanted noise. High-quality windows and doors help muffle outside noise, through the thickness of their glass, spacing between panes and other factors related to their design. Improving your family’s comfort, through creating a calmer home, can start with choosing the right windows and doors.
1Report to Congress on indoor air quality: Volume 2. Accessed January 14, 2022.
2The effects of exposure to natural light in the workplace on the health and productivity of office workers: a systematic review protocol. Accessed January 14, 2022.
3The total exposure assessment methodology (TEAM) study: Summary and analysis. Accessed January 14, 2022
