New Research Confirms: A Modern Balcony Enclosure Brings Great Savings for Condo Corporations

COOKSTOWN, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - April 12, 2012) - Lumon, the market leader in modern balcony enclosures, has launched their latest models to the North American market. They revive balconies to new levels of use for condo owners while decreasing costs for their corporations. A modern balcony enclosure: a fully retractable, frameless and ventilated system solves many ongoing problems that face corporations, i.e. aggravating pigeons, balcony slab deterioration and escalating energy costs. Condo corporations' maintenance expenses are continually increasing compelling condo boards, along with property management companies, to find new solutions to keep expenses at a reasonable level.

Condo Owners Association (COA) President and CEO Linda Pinizzotto who is also a 33 year Veteran Realtor feels "the Lumon balcony enclosure is an ideal solution for condo owners to enjoy the benefits of their balconies all year long as they protect themselves from the common disturbances of wind, rain and snow while they increase their living space." A modern lumonized (enclosed) balcony protects the building envelope from deterioration and helps reduce energy costs, resulting in a direct impact on housing costs and increased satisfaction of the residents. Along with added comfort and living space, the premium-quality and properly used balcony glazing provides the residents and owners with pure financial benefits.

Savings of up to 10.7% and, on average 5.9% in the building's heating energy consumption

These outstanding results were obtained by Kimmo Hilliaho in his research on the balcony glazing's energy-economic effects completed in August 2011 at the Tampere University of Technology. The research was conducted in Finland and supplemented with reference calculations obtained from Germany. On average, heating energy savings in Germany amounted to 8.2%, which is even more than in Finland. The heating energy consumption of glazed and unglazed balconies was compared with each other by using field measurements and computer simulations. In addition, it was ascertained how the balcony type, thermal insulation and the direction affect temperatures inside glazed balconies.

A solution that pays off

The conclusion drawn on the basis of the research results published in Tampere was clear: it is advisable to provide, especially the multi-storey buildings built in the 1960s and 1970s, with balcony glazing. Substantial savings could also be obtained in new multi-storey buildings with a compensation air intake through the glazed balcony.

In addition to energy savings, the balcony glazing could bring about other significant economic benefits. According to the research made by D.Sc. (Tech.) Jussi Mattila, providing balconies with glazing has an impact on the general condition of the house: it may even postpone the renovation need of balconies in the building for years!

Linda Pinizzotto adds, "Condos are price per sq ft and in many cases builders are using the interior and exterior space in their sales platforms ... enclosures offer an environmentally friendly option to Condo Owners and the Condo Corporation .... The short and long term benefits of the enclosures will be reflected in the value of their unit and the building. It's a win-win situation for all."

Unfortunately, the old style enclosures have given the wrong image about balcony enclosures. A modern enclosing system offers entirely different benefits for condos, decreasing the maintenance costs of the building without losing the original purpose of the balcony. A Lumonized balcony is a great investment and the easiest way to get savings for condo corporations, underlines Olli Vanska the CEO of Lumon North America.