I've been reading up on passive houses lately and got to thinking... say you're building a passive house and you realize the windows you need—those super-insulated triple-pane ones—aren't exactly easy to find locally. Like, you know, maybe your local suppliers just don't carry the right quality or specs. Would you bite the bullet and import windows from Europe? I've heard they're way ahead in terms of energy efficiency, but importing sounds like a hassle (and probably pricey too). Plus, what if something goes wrong later? Warranty issues, replacements, etc. Um, seems like it could get complicated real quick.
Just wondering if anyone here has actually done this or considered it. Curious how you'd handle it if you were in that situation.
I haven't personally imported windows from Europe, but I did seriously consider it a few years back when we renovated our place. We were aiming for something close to passive house standards and ran into the same issue you mentioned:
"maybe your local suppliers just don't carry the right quality or specs."
Exactly our problem. After some digging, I found a few U.S. suppliers who sourced European windows, which seemed like a decent compromise—still pricey but at least they'd handle the import hassle. In the end, we went with a Canadian manufacturer who had pretty comparable triple-pane options. It simplified warranty and replacement concerns significantly.
If you're set on European windows, maybe check if there's a distributor stateside who can handle the logistics? It might ease your mind about warranty and future replacements. Just my two cents from someone who's been down that rabbit hole...
We went down a similar path a couple years ago. I was really drawn to the European windows—especially after seeing them in action at a friend's passive house build. They felt super solid and the performance numbers were impressive, but the logistics just seemed like a headache waiting to happen. Like you mentioned, warranty and replacements were my main worry too.
Ended up finding a local-ish supplier who carried a European brand (I think they were German-made?) and handled all the import stuff themselves. Still pricey, but way less stressful. Honestly though, after visiting a few passive houses nearby, I realized the Canadian-made triple-pane windows were pretty comparable performance-wise. We ultimately went that route and haven't regretted it yet. Saved some cash, less hassle, and no worries about waiting months if something broke.
If you're set on European windows, definitely worth checking out a stateside distributor first. Otherwise, you might be surprised how good some of the domestic or Canadian options have gotten lately...