Tubelite announced that its Standard, Monumental and Therml=Block architectural aluminum entrance systems have been upgraded and expanded. The redesigned entrance system offering includes its highest thermal performance door available.
About the upgrades
Using a new patent-pending "poured over strut" thermal separation construction, Tubelite Therml=Block doors can achieve a 0.50 U-value, based on glazing with a center-of-glass 0.24 BTU/ft2-hr-°F value. These high-performance entrances are available up to 10 feet tall. Along with standard anodized and painted finishes, these doors allow for dual finishing options and different colors on the interior and exterior.
Tubelite entrances' upgraded design includes:
- Introduction of "blade" style glass stops, which are identical on both sides of doors.
- Addition of a "Glass Jack," improving the previous jacks and wedge blocks.
- New tube/open-back door jamb, eliminating the need for shear blocks with sidelites at door jambs, in both non-thermal and thermal strut options.
- A one-piece flange nut (S081), omitting the use of a separate nut and washer.
Tubelite door products also have been engineered for greater compatibility with corresponding framing systems and to align with industry-accepted stile widths and rail heights. Tubelite Standard and Monumental medium stile entrances are now 3.5 inches wide. Tubelite Monumental wide stile entrances are now 5 inches wide. Customers can continue to place custom orders for entrances that require 4-inch-wide stiles. Standard narrow stile entrances also are available with "stacked" bottom rails exceeding 10 inches high. Component part numbers and tie rod lengths also have been modified to streamline the doors' configuration.
In addition to Tubelite products' physical design enhancements, the terminology for its entrance door operation also now aligns with architectural industry standard practices. For example, "right-hand outswing" is now "right-hand reverse," and "right-hand inswing" is now simply "right hand."
These new and upgraded Tubelite entrance door products are immediately available. Fulfilling existing customer commitments, components for the former product designs will continue to be available to support warranty items and projects in progress.
Tubelite's response
"Thanks to our client partnerships and their valuable insights, we are excited to introduce our enhanced entrance systems. These include our new Therml=Block doors with very high thermal performance to meet today's model energy codes and help our clients achieve their customers' ambitious project requirements," says Mary Avery, senior director, product management for Apogee Enterprises' architectural framing systems segment and Tubelite products.
