Zola Windows’ Sam McAfee joined us on July 1 for a special Passive House Component Spotlight focused on high performance window and door solutions for restorations of landmarked buildings. With U-value requirements changing at New York City’s Landmarks Preservation Commission and in other jurisdictions in the Northeast and beyond, Zola has crafted a whole home fenestration solution that meets the most stringent historic preservation goals while delivering Passive House-level efficiency, comfort, and quiet. Sam shared Zola’s SDH (Simulated Double Hung) window line, staff-level approved designs that blend historic preservation and high performance. He also dives into landmarked entry doors whose energy performance eliminates the need for vestibules, increasing design options and livable space. Finally, he discusses strategies for modernizing the back of homes (applicable to non LPC/restoration projects), including: installing large fixed and movable glass for penthouses and terraces; blurring the lines between inside and outside to expand livable space in the summer while maintaining comfort in the winter; and using modern materials that match the look and feel of historic fenestration (Clad Wood and Clad uPVC).