Register

Sign In
Home
News
Sport
Business
Innovation
Culture
Travel
Earth
Video
Live

The challenge of upgrading iconic steel windows

2 days ago
By Chris Baraniuk,
Technology reporter

Share
Critall Windows Critall windowsCritall Windows
Critall windows have made big changes to their iconic frames
Every winter, architect Kevin Adams would perform his early morning ritual of
devotion. Cloth in hand, he'd head to the stylish Crittall windows in the East
London flat where he once lived - because these windows, though stylish, were also
sopping wet.

"You'd know to expect it - you wipe it down, you open the window as soon as you
can, you don't let it puddle or rot the sills," he says of the moisture that used
to form on the single-glazing and thin steel frames of his windows when the weather
was cold.

"I put up with it because I loved them. We do all kinds of things for love, don't
we?"

Not everyone who has lived with vintage steel-framed windows feels so affectionate
towards them, however.

Crittall Windows became synonymous both with modernism - and condensation, which
can lead to serious problems such as mould, says Mr Adams, a teaching fellow at the
Edinburgh College of Art.

While many consider such windows iconic and a key part of British architectural
heritage, given today's high energy prices and rising awareness around the dangers
of mould, efficient windows have become essential. Crittall, like all other
companies in the glazing industry, has had to stay relevant to survive.

Critall Windows Critall have been making steel framed windows since the
1880sCritall Windows
Critall have been making steel framed windows since the 1880s
The firm, now based in Witham, Essex, has been manufacturing steel-framed windows
since the 1880s. The frames Crittall developed could be mass produced, then simply
cut and welded to fit an array of standard window sizes.

The style was popular in both commercial and residential buildings during the 1920s
and 1930s but also after World War Two, says Adams. "Perfect for a post-war economy
that was mass building without much money and with a shortage of materials," he
explains.
Factories and warehouses often benefitted from metal-framed windows - lightweight
but strong steel meant the frames could be extra thin, allowing more room for
glass, which let natural light flood through. Workers appreciated this - but so did
the wealthy, who wanted light, airy homes.

A large, art deco country house built by Walter Crittall in the 1930s was listed
for sale last year at £1.65m.

On the Crittall factory floor today, there is a machine that dates to the 1920s. It
is still used occasionally for gently bending steel frame sections into curved
pieces, says managing director Russell Ager: "It's an incredible piece of kit."

But the company has moved on in many other ways, he stresses, and nearby machines
in the building are now state-of-the-art. "We've done so much work to improve the
thermal performance of the products," adds Mr Ager.

Today you can get double and even triple-glazed Crittall windows. And crucially,
the steel frames are now made with a thermal break, a glass fibre section of
insulation within the frame that prevents heat escaping through its structure.

The lack of a thermal break is what made the older frames so prone to becoming cold
when the weather outside was chilly. Cold glass and steel encourage moisture in the
indoor air to condense.

The latest Crittall windows can achieve a U-value - a measure of their insulating
performance - as low as 0.8, which is better than standard double-glazed windows.

They are heftier than the vintage versions but Crittall has retained the classic
look of relatively skinny metal frames and rectangular or square panes of glass.
TikTok and Instagram accounts focusing on home décor often feature windows such as
this, though Crittall has many competitors now that make similar-looking products,
admits Mr Ager.

Critall Windows Newark works in Bath. The buildings, dating from 1857 to 1905, are
Grade II listed. They were formerly the home of world-renowned crane makers
Stothert & Pitt.Critall Windows
Critall windows were popular in factories including the former site of crane maker
Stothert & Pitt in Bath
According to Mr Adams, in the post-war era, there weren't many other firms
operating in the same market as Crittall in the UK. But that has changed. Many
companies, including KJM Group and Velfac offer aluminium alternatives. And there
are other steel window makers out there, too, such as Fabco.

"Most consumers… buy our product because they love the look of it," says Mr Ager.
Business, at the moment, is good.

During the early stage of the Covid-19 pandemic, Crittall's sales to residential
customers seeking to improve their properties spiked by 30%. And while this was
then followed by a decrease, currently the firm's orders in 2024 are up 20% on last
year already, says Mr Ager.

Presentational grey line

More technology of business

Boom times for US green energy as federal cash flows in

The rise of magnets – from surgery to outer space
Why there's a revolution on the way in glass making
Could AI take the grind out of accountancy?
‘I want to help people fly – and keep them safe’
Presentational grey line
Dated heritage installations reaching the end of their life present another
opportunity. Crittall recently replaced 100-year-old windows that the firm had made
for a building in Central London with new, energy efficient versions of the same
products.

This kind of upgrade is not accessible to all, however, because of the relatively
high cost of contemporary glazing, notes Claire Bennie, director of Municipal, a
housing design and development consultancy.

"Every year we have a chat about it at our AGM and everyone is afraid of taking the
plunge," she says, referring to residents' meetings at the block of 1930s flats in
London where she lives. The old Crittall windows in the property give the building
"elegance", says Ms Bennie but also makes them "freezing".

Her own flat's windows are not prone to condensation - but only because they are so
draughty that they stay well-ventilated, she explains.

It will be increasingly difficult to justify the installation of new metal-framed

windows in the future because of the embodied carbon in materials such as steel,
says Ms Bennie. To reduce emissions and tackle climate change, sustainable timber
building products ought to become more and more prominent, she argues.

Critall Windows Critall windowsCritall Windows

Steel frames might become hard to justify in the future due to their high carbon
footprint
Mr Ager says Crittall windows are made with 100% recycled steel and the company is
working to make its products and operations as sustainable as possible.

Other challenges facing the company in the coming years, include the possibility
that building regulations in England will change, so as to demand extremely energy
efficient windows in new build properties. Stricter standards could mean a need to
make the frames thicker still and even better insulated, says Mr Ager: "The frames
would almost become unrecognisable. It would be a big issue for anybody that makes
a metal frame."

Sustainability is paramount, stresses Ms Bennie, but she does say the ergonomic
design of Crittall windows is hard to beat. The windows are often easy to open into
a position where you can reach outside and clean them yourself, for instance. And
the classic balcony doors made by the firm fold back neatly so as not to take up
precious space outside.

"I wish modern window manufacturers would take a lesson from Crittall," she says,
"In how to make windows liveable and a pleasure to use."

Technology of Business
Related
Even in peaceful countries be ready for a siren blast
6 days ago
Business
Boom times for US green energy as federal cash flows in
8 Apr 2024
Business
The rise of magnets – from surgery to outer space
4 Apr 2024
Business
Home
News
Sport
Business
Innovation
Culture
Travel
Earth
Video
Live
Audio
Weather
BBC Shop
BBC in other languages
Terms of Use
About the BBC
Privacy Policy
Cookies
Accessibility Help
Contact the BBC
Advertise with us
Do not share or sell my info
Contact technical support
Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the
content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.

Search news, topics and more

Home

News

Sport

Business

Innovation

Culture

Travel

Earth

Video

Live

Audio

Weather