India’s current crop of tall and super tall buildings has an advantage over predecessors: openable windows. Codal provisions and ensuing market developments are behind this change. “Until a decade or so ago, we lacked designs and products enabling openable windows for glass façades,” explains Rajan Govind, Director, Facade+Construction Tech Specialist, BES Consultants. “It is only more recently that the National Building Code 2016 has released detailed façade requirements, which make openable windows mandatory.”
The National Building Code 2016 mandates 10 per cent openable façades for smoke and fire evacuation purposes. Additionally, “façade-integrated openable windows can offer advantages such as aesthetic integration and improved natural ventilation,” notes Rahul Thomas, Whole-Time Director, Suraj Estate Developers.
