Deceuninck Decalu101 Scand

Where a pivot sash solves a real problem

Upper floors of a residential tower, where the building's facade access is the only other way to reach the outer pane; a double-height living room with a window over the void; a stair window above a roof nobody can walk on. In each case a sash that turns through 160° brings the outside of the glass within reach from the room, so wiping off dust is a routine job rather than a contractor visit. Because the sash turns on its axis, only part of it swings into the room while it moves — a wide sash over a sofa or a stair gets in the way far less than one hinged at the side.

What the figures say about heat, wind and dust

Watertightness E1800 under NBN EN 12208 and air permeability class 4 under NBN EN 12207 describe a window tested under pressure, which is what an upper-floor opening faces when the wind picks up. The seals that stop air also stop fine sand, so the air class tells you how clean the sill stays after a dust storm.

The published U-value is from 1.31 W/m²K with double glazing and from 0.89 with triple, not stated as a window or a frame value. On a sunny tower face the coating on the glass does most of the work against heat; the frame figure tells you the metal will not undo it.

Scand next to the other Decalu windows

At 101 mm, Scand is deeper than the 88 mm Decalu88 Standard and Decalu88 Flush Casement, and it is the only one of the three built around a pivot. Standard offers casement and tilt-and-turn sashes and publishes an acoustic value of Rw 47 (−1;−2) dB; Flush Casement carries sashes up to 180 kg with the sash flush inside and out. If the outside of the glass can be reached safely, one of the 88 mm windows is usually the simpler choice; if it cannot, the pivot is the reason to pay for Scand.