What you're actually buying — visualized chamber by chamber, seal by seal, layer by layer.

System 1 · Premium window

REHAU Synego — the mid-flagship.

"The fibre that replaces the steel thermal bridge — and the U-value drops accordingly."

Where most vinyl windows reinforce the frame with galvanized steel inside the chambers (which conducts heat and creates a thermal bridge from inside to outside), Synego replaces that steel with RAU-FIPRO — a proprietary glass-fibre-reinforced composite that's structurally equivalent to steel but conducts about 75% less heat. The thermal break is built into the reinforcement itself.

What you're looking at

• 80 mm profile depth with 6 internal chambers — each chamber is a sealed air space that resists heat transfer by interrupting convective flow inside the frame.
• RAU-FIPRO composite reinforcement — fibre-composite running the length of the frame core. Zero thermal bridge. Holds shape across -40°C to +35°C without warping.
• Triple-pane IGU — three lites of float glass, two sealed cavities, ~36 mm total glazing depth.
• Warm-edge spacer (Swisspacer Ultimate or equivalent) replaces aluminum spacer, raising the glass-edge surface temperature 4-7°C — kills the condensation halo.
• Argon gas fill at 90%+ in each cavity. Retained at >85% over 20 years per IGCC certification.
• Low-E soft-coat on 2 surfaces (typically faces #2 and #5) — reflects interior heat back in winter, blocks solar gain in summer.
• Triple compression seal — three EPDM gaskets compressed when the multi-point lock engages. NFRC air leakage ≤0.2 cfm/ft².

Why it matters

Synego is the upgrade tier for west-side exposures, acoustic-driven projects, and full-house renos where the tighter U-value pays back in comfort over a 10+ year stay-horizon. The frame stays warm to the touch in the worst weather Calgary delivers.

System 2 · Flagship window

REHAU Artevo / GENEO — the Passive-House grade.

"The thinnest U-value the chemistry currently allows in a residential window."

Artevo (sold internationally as GENEO) is the top of the REHAU residential ladder. 86 mm profile depth, 7 internal chambers, and two parallel RAU-FIPRO composite bars instead of one. The deeper section gives the IGU more thermal isolation; the dual reinforcement carries larger glass loads without sagging. This is the spec when the project targets Passive House certification or when the building's worst-exposure elevation can't compromise on Uw.

What you're looking at

• 86 mm profile depth — 6 mm deeper than Synego, fits IGUs up to 52 mm thick.
• 7 internal chambers — additional convective barriers within the frame.
• Dual RAU-FIPRO composite bars — twice the structural rigidity, zero thermal bridge.
• Triple-pane IGU with deeper cavities — 18 mm gas cavities (vs 14-16 mm typical) allow optimal argon/krypton convection physics.
• Krypton fill option — denser than argon, used for thin cavities or maximum performance.
• Double low-E coating — 2 separate surfaces coated, each contributing to the U-value reduction.
• Triple compression seal with center seal — the inner seal blocks the air column even before it reaches the perimeter gasket.

Why it matters

Artevo is the right call for Passive House targets, ultra-luxury new builds, and homes where the buyer wants no compromise on year-15+ envelope performance. Overkill for most retrofits — by design, this is a flagship spec.

System 3 · Entry door (frame + slab)

REHAU entry door — the frame that matches the windows.

"The same compression-seal physics as the window — applied to the most-touched opening in the house."

REHAU's entry door system is the natural pair for a Synego or Artevo window project — the same uPVC profile chemistry, the same chamber-based thermal break, the same EPDM compression seal at the perimeter. The door slab is built around steel reinforcement bars running the full length of the frame, paired with polyurethane foam core insulation, sandwiched between aluminum-skin or composite-skin face panels.

What you're looking at

• Multi-chamber frame profile — same engineering language as the window frame, deeper section for door loads.
• Galvanized steel frame reinforcement — carries hinge and lock loads over decades without sag.
• Steel-reinforced slab core — vertical bars running floor-to-header inside the slab give torsional rigidity; the door holds plane against chinook freeze-thaw stress.
• Polyurethane foam insulation core — fills the cavity between skins. Door U-value as low as 0.7 W/m²K depending on glazing percentage.
• Aluminum or composite outer skin — moisture-resistant, paintable, low-maintenance, available in custom RAL colours and woodgrain foils.
• Optional centre glazing insert — triple-pane low-E with warm-edge spacer, sized to the slab without compromising structural integrity.
• Triple EPDM compression seal — perimeter gasket clamped by the multi-point lock.
• Multi-point lock bolts (5) — hardened steel mushroom heads engaging frame keepers when the handle turns up.

System 4 · Aluminum window

Aluminum window profiles — architectural reveal, modern minimalism.

"Slim sightlines and architectural reveal. The thermal break does the work the section can't."

Aluminum window systems answer the architect's call for slim mullion sightlines and large-format glass — the section can be thinner because aluminum carries structural load that uPVC alone can't. The trade-off is thermal: aluminum is a heat conductor. The solution is a polyamide thermal break — a non-conductive polymer bridge running through the centre of the frame that separates the warm side from the cold side. With a thermal break, aluminum frames hit Uf values comparable to uPVC systems while delivering visual lines uPVC physically cannot.

What you're looking at

• Multi-chamber aluminum extrusion — interior and exterior aluminum shells, structurally independent.
• Polyamide thermal break (~25 mm depth) — non-conductive polymer bridge separating interior and exterior aluminum. The single most important component in the system.
• Triple-pane IGU — same warm-edge spacer + argon + low-E configuration as the uPVC systems.
• EPDM perimeter compression seal — identical sealing mechanism, identical performance.
• Slim sightlines — face width can be 50-65 mm vs 75-110 mm for uPVC. The architectural reveal is visible at first glance.
• Custom RAL colour options — anodized or powder-coated to any RAL standard.
• Large-format capability — single-pane fixed picture units up to 4 m × 3 m typical, vs 3 m × 2 m for uPVC systems.

Why it matters

Aluminum systems are the right call for modern architecture with floor-to-ceiling glass, commercial-residential conversions, or specific buyer aesthetic preference for the metal-frame look. They're not the cheapest spec, but they hit a design point that uPVC cannot.

System 5 · 5-panel premium entry door

5-panel carbon-fibre reinforced entry door — aerospace materials, architectural beauty.

"Five layers of engineered material — the kind of build typically reserved for marine and aerospace, applied to your front door."

The flagship premium entry door we install uses a five-layer slab construction with carbon-fibre reinforcement sandwiched between the structural skins. Carbon fibre is the material engineers reach for when steel is too heavy and aluminum is too soft — it delivers a strength-to-weight ratio that steel can't match, with thermal conductivity an order of magnitude lower. In a door slab, that means a panel that holds plane perfectly through chinook cycles, resists impact and pry attack at every layer, and weighs the same as a high-spec vinyl door despite the substantially greater structural capacity.

The five layers — what each does

• Layer 1 — Outer skin. Weather-rated aluminum or composite-clad layer. Resistant to UV, hail impact, chinook freeze-thaw cycling. Available in custom RAL colours, woodgrain foils, brushed metals.
• Layer 2 — Carbon-fibre reinforcement (outer). The first of two carbon-fibre layers. Provides outer-face structural rigidity and impact dissipation. Lighter than steel, stronger than aluminum, dimensionally stable across the full Calgary climate range.
• Layer 3 — Polyurethane insulation core. Closed-cell PU foam fills the central cavity. Door U-value as low as 0.6 W/m²K — the slab itself is among the best-insulated in residential construction. No thermal bridge through the slab.
• Layer 4 — Carbon-fibre reinforcement (inner). Second carbon-fibre layer on the interior face. Balances the structural geometry — the slab behaves identically front and back, no warping bias, no asymmetric expansion.
• Layer 5 — Inner skin. Interior-facing finished panel, smooth and paintable. Matches the architecture inside the home without compromising structural integrity outside.

What this gets you

• Dimensional stability across -40°C to +60°C. Carbon fibre's thermal expansion is near-zero. The slab doesn't grow or shrink with the seasons.
• Impact resistance an order of magnitude higher than fibreglass or steel-skin doors. Hail, vandalism, attempted pry attacks — the layered slab dissipates load through multiple materials.
• Acoustic performance. The five-layer sandwich is itself an acoustic damper — STC ratings 38-44 with triple-pane glazing.
• The lowest door U-values commercially available. Ud 0.6-0.8 W/m²K is the same performance range as a triple-glazed window.
• Multi-point lock with 5 hardened bolts. Each bolt engages a hardened steel keeper in the frame. RC2 burglary resistance standard; RC3 optional.
• EPDM compression seal around the full perimeter. Same physics as the windows.

Why it matters

This is the door for a forever home. The slab is engineered to a build standard typically reserved for marine and aerospace — and dressed in architectural finishes that look at home on a luxury Calgary front elevation. The price reflects the materials engineering. The lifetime reflects it too.